The occupations found in each industry depend on the types of services provided or goods produced. For example, because construction companies require skilled trades workers to build and renovate buildings, these companies employ large numbers of carpenters, electricians, plumbers, painters, and sheet metal workers. Other occupations common to construction include construction equipment operators and mechanics, installers, and repairers. Retail trade, on the other hand, displays and sells manufactured goods to consumers. As a result, retail trade employs numerous sales clerks and other workers, including more than three-fourths of all cashiers. Table 5 shows the industry sectors and the occupational groups that predominate in each.
Table 5. Industry sectors and their largest occupational group, 2002
| Industry sector | Largest occupational group | Percent of industry wage and salary jobs |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting | Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations | 61.1 |
| Mining | Construction and extraction occupations | 33.3 |
| Construction | Construction and extraction occupations | 66.2 |
| Manufacturing | Production occupations | 52.1 |
| Wholesale trade | Sales and related occupations | 24.7 |
| Retail trade | Sales and related occupations | 52.5 |
| Transportation and warehousing | Transportation and material moving occupations | 56.0 |
| Utilities | Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations | 25.6 |
| Information | Professional and related occupations | 29.1 |
| Finance and insurance | Office and administrative support occupations | 51.4 |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | Sales and related occupations | 22.7 |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | Professional and related occupations | 42.6 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | Office and administrative support occupations | 33.6 |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | Office and administrative support occupations | 23.2 |
| Educational services, private | Professional and related occupations | 59.6 |
| Health care and social assistance | Professional and related occupations | 42.6 |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | Service occupations | 57.2 |
| Accommodation and food services | Service occupations | 84.0 |
| Government | Professional and related occupations | 43.7 |
The Nation's occupational distribution clearly is influenced by its industrial structure, yet there are many occupations, such as general manager or secretary, that are found in all industries. In fact, some of the largest occupations in the U.S. economy are dispersed across many industries. For example, the office and administrative support occupational group is among the largest in the Nation since nearly every industry relies on administrative support workers. (See table 6.) Other large occupational groups include professional and related occupations, service occupations, management, business, and financial occupations, and sales and related occupations.
Table 6. Total employment and projected change by broad occupational group,
2002-12
(Employment in thousands)
| Occupational group | Employment, 2002 | Percent Change 2002-12 |
| Total, all occupations | 144,014 | 14.8 |
| Professional and related occupations | 27,687 | 23.3 |
| Service occupations | 26,569 | 20.1 |
| Office and administrative support occupations | 23,851 | 6.8 |
| Management, business, and financial occupations | 15,501 | 15.4 |
| Sales and related occupations | 15,260 | 12.9 |
| Production occupations | 11,258 | 3.1 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations | 9,828 | 13.1 |
| Construction and extraction occupations | 7,292 | 15.0 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations | 5,696 | 13.6 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations | 1,072 | 3.3 |
Information courtesy of the U.S. Department of Labor.
