Richmond is an important center of history and government in Virginia and an equally important center for banking, law, transportation, and big industries like tobacco. If you live in the area and need training to move into a new job, Richmond has many high quality trade schools where you can earn a degree or certificate in anything from nursing to auto mechanics to bookkeeping. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Richmond provided strong job opportunities in these fields as of May 2009:
- Business and Financial: 37,080 jobs
- Healthcare: 49,470 jobs
- Office and Administrative Support: 106,220 jobs
- Production: 32,990 jobs
- Sales: 68,060 jobs
- Transportation and Material Moving: 41,180 jobs
Great Economic Opportunities in Richmond
Richmond, Virginia boasts a city population just over 200,000, and a metro population well over a million. In 2008 MarketWatch named the Greater Richmond area as one of the country's best for business, ranking it fifth behind Minneapolis, Denver, Boston and Washington, DC. Home to nine Fortune 500 companies, a Federal Reserve Bank, and four of the country's largest legal firms, Richmond is a great place to grow your career, especially if your focus is finance or the law. Because of its large population the area also promises excellent opportunities in health care. The City of Richmond's Economic Development team cites a median family income of $69,359 in 2006. In May 2008, the BLS reported mean hourly wages for these in-demand Richmond jobs as follows:
- Dental Hygienists: $32.16
- Accountant/Auditors: $30.81
- First-line Supervisors of Production Workers: $26.78
- Electronic Engineering Technicians: $24.62
- Paralegal: $20.94
- Licensed Practical Nurses: $18.88
- Hairdressers: $15.77
If you're looking for a new opportunity to pursue your dreams, one of Richmond's many technical schools could provide just the boost you need.
