The University of Michigan’s Economic Growth Institute presented a data‑driven overview of projected employment change and annual job openings in Michigan from 2022 to 2032. Ashley Breitner, managing director, and Munjie Liu, senior researcher, outlined methodology, the occupational licensing index used in the analysis, and detailed projections showing sustained demand for health care, social assistance and technology occupations.

The researchers said Michigan is expected to add the most jobs in health care and social assistance (roughly 47,000 new jobs in that sector across the decade) and that management of companies and enterprises and several professional and technical services are among the fastest‑growing industry sectors. On the occupational side, the fastest growth rates are expected in nurse practitioners, data scientists, medical and health service managers and software developers; solar photovoltaic installers also appear among the faster‑growing occupations tied to a clean‑energy transition.

The presentation highlighted that many annual job openings will be driven by replacement needs—retirements and occupational transfers—rather than net expansion. Entry‑level service roles (fast food workers, retail salespersons, restaurant cooks) show the highest number of annual openings because of turnover, while licensed health occupations (home health aides, registered nurses, nurse practitioners) also show high openings driven partly by aging workforces and exits.

The researchers explained they combined Michigan Labor Market Information projections with a 2024 state occupational licensing index to identify where licensing may affect mobility and labor supply. They reported Michigan has fewer explicit occupational licenses than the national average but a higher number of licensing barriers that can restrict core job tasks. Projected in‑demand occupations span a range of education levels and wages; many of the fastest‑growing occupations require college or advanced degrees and offer higher wages, while top annual opening occupations often require little formal education and underscore the need for retention and career‑pathway strategies.

Committee members asked follow‑ups, including whether turnover patterns among higher‑education occupations had been analyzed; presenters said that dataset can support further analysis and offered to follow up with additional breakdowns upon request. The presenters provided the committee with slides and offered additional support to develop tailored analyses for workforce and licensing policy questions.