A four-year college degree is not the only route to a high-paying job. Some people, in their enthusiasm for college, fail to investigate the alternative job training options that do not require a formal college education. Many community colleges and technical schools offer courses and apprenticeship programs that can turn you into a highly skilled worker. Vocational education can open the doors to the challenging and financially lucrative world of technical occupations.

The Table lists 30 high paying technical jobs in Wyoming. The types of jobs listed used to be referred to as blue collar jobs. Today however, the blue collar jobs of the past are changing with the advancement of computers and technology in all areas of service. Blue collar workers are now required to use personal computers and computerized machinery and equipment. In keeping with the high demand for their technological expertise, blue collar workers are now referred to as technical workers.

Not only have technical workers changed their name, but they are changing society’s views about the benefits of vocational training. The practice of using your hands to make a living is gaining popularity among job seekers. Technical jobs are now seen as career choices with promising extras, such as competitive wages, medical benefits and opportunities to increase skills as technology advances. Parents, too, are finding out that their children do not have to be doctors or lawyers in order to be successful. Employers already know the value of highly skilled workers able to use their hands as well as their minds. As a result, technical jobs are some of the highest paying occupations in the state (See “Top 30 Highest Paying Jobs in Wyoming,”).

The attraction of technical training is sending droves of highly skilled technical workers into the job market. Over the 1996-2006 ten-year horizon, total employment in Wyoming is expected to increase 6.3 percent. Almost half of the thirty occupations listed in the Table are projected to grow faster than average. For example, employment of brick masons is expected to grow by 37.5 percent. Employment of heating/AC/refrigeration mechanics is expected to grow 33.0 percent. Even better news for the technical worker is that many of their skills (equipment operation and repair, carpentry, installation, masonry, etc.) are undersupplied in Wyoming. That means that there are not enough workers with the necessary skills in the job market. Consequently, tomorrow’s technical workers will be in prime position to pick up great jobs with companies looking for their technical expertise.

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