Jacksonville, Florida, with nearly 808,000 residents, offers sun, sea, and a generous selection of trade schools and technical schools. The city has strong manufacturing, transportation, and technology sectors--along with the vocational schools to train skilled workers. You can choose from among degree, certificate, diploma and training programs and courses in a nearly unlimited range of specialties, including information technology, financial activities, construction, culinary arts, engineering, and health services. Depending on your area of interest, in a matter of months you may find yourself ready to start a satisfying career or enhance your current one. The following Jacksonville employment sectors showed high numbers of jobs in May 2009, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS):

• Education and Health Services: 80,400 jobs
• Financial Activities: 57,600 jobs
• Manufacturing: 30,000 jobs
• Professional and Business Services: 85,900 jobs
• Trade, Transportation, and Utilities: 130,900 jobs

Jacksonville, Florida's Economy and Jobs

In 2007, Forbes magazine named Jacksonville the number three "Best City in the U.S. for Jobs" and the number ten "Fastest Growing City." Jacksonville is the largest deepwater port in the South and the second-largest port on the East Coast, making it a natural manufacturing, trade, transportation, and distribution hub for the automobile industry and other large manufacturing industries. The city's diverse economy also supports a large technology sector. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that Jacksonville's median family income is $62,; BLS cites May 2008 median hourly wages for in-demand jobs in Jacksonville as follows:

• Computer Software Engineers, Applications at $40.58
• Computer Support Specialists at $18.35
• First-line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers at $30.65
• Industrial Engineering Technicians at $25.30
• Sailors and Marine Oilers at $12.15
• Ship Engineers at $30.35

In fast-paced, fast-growing Jacksonville, employers in all fields are looking for skilled, trained employees. You could land the job of your dreams--with training from one of the city's many trade schools.