Relax, Rhode Island Jobs in Leisure and Hospitality to Increase
Everyone loves to experience a relaxing vacation or a night out, and the leisure and hospitality industry-which makes those experiences possible-is creating more Rhode Island jobs.
According to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, the state’s employment as a whole is expected to increase by more than 55,000 jobs through 2014. During that year, it is projected there will be 573,437 Rhode Island jobs, an increase of 10.7 percent from 2004.
Rhode Island’s leisure and hospitality industry accounts for accommodation and food services and arts, entertainment and media occupations. The industry is expected to add more than 9,000 jobs through 2014. This means employment is expected to grow by 18.6 percent, higher than the projected 10.7 percent average growth for all industries.
About 17 percent of new jobs expected to be created through 2014 should be in leisure and hospitality. Meanwhile, 70 percent of those will be in food service and drinking places, which is projected to add 6,400 jobs through 2014. Above average job growth also is expected in amusement, gambling and recreation services, adding 1,429 jobs and accommodations, adding 1,201 jobs.
One-third of the workers in the leisure and hospitality industry are employed as waiters and waitresses and combination food preparation and serving workers. It is projected the growth rate among these jobs will account for 31 percent of all the new jobs expected in the industry. A large number of job openings also will be available as cafeteria, concession and coffee shop attendants, restaurant cooks and bartenders.
The industry’s fastest growing jobs include:
It is expected the leisure and hospitality industry will need to find workers to fill 28,100 job openings through 2014. Of these openings, 33 percent will be attributed to economic growth and 67 percent to employee turnover. The 2004 average annual wage for a worker in the industry was $20,063.