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Washington ‘confidence survey’ finds workers uncertain about recovery

Until today we'd never heard of Everest College. It's a nationwide network of for-profit schools operated by a publicly traded education firm, Corinthian Colleges, out of Santa Ana, Calif.

Everest has operations in Seattle and Portland, but nowhere near Spokane or Idaho.

The college sent out a release noting that job scares still have a large impact on Washington workers.

It cited data found in the fourth annual Washington State Workplace Confidence Survey, conducted for Everest by Harris/Decima.

The data suggest people have been hit hard by the Great Recession.

The survey reported 33% of Washington workers were concerned about losing their job, similar to 2011 where 30% of respondents said they were concerned about losing their jobs.

Among other findings:  About half, or 54% of respondents, said they have considered making a change due to the current economy and tougher job market. Two-in-five (42%) have considered returning to school, either to enhance their current career (28%) or to train for a new career (24%).

If no barriers existed for changing careers, 40 percent of Washingtonians said they would do it. Those with a high school education or less (compared to those with at least some college training) were more likely to change careers by a wide margin of 58% to 34%.

The survey also brought in results from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, suggesting that careers with a future remain strongest in health care and computers.
 
The 20 industries with the largest projected wage and salary employment growth between 2010-20, are:
  • Offices of health practitioners 
  • Hospitals 
  • Home health-care services 
  • Nursing and residential care facilities 
  • Computer system design and related services 
The survey was conducted by Harris/Decima from March 19 to March 26, 2012. A total of 301 employed residents of Washington State were surveyed by telephone. Results are considered accurate with a 5.6 percent margin of error.

The Spokesman-Review business team follows economic development in Spokane and the Inland Northwest.