Trends driving growth of top-paying jobs include semiconductors, construction, AI skills, drones
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
The workforce is growing in Central New York.
Brian Heffron, administrator of workforce development and community relations for the Center for Instruction, Technology & Innovation in Mexico, said that demand is rising for filling good-paying jobs in manufacturing and trades, finance and accounting, public services, healthcare support, retail and logistics and emerging technology sectors.
“Some of the most sought-after roles currently range from caseworkers and medical assistants to accountants, construction workers, customer service reps and semiconductor-related positions,” Heffron added.
CiTi recently welcomed a new superintendent, Jeremy Belfield, to help meet the needs of the expanding workforce with more development programs and services to “strengthen both education and the economic growth of our region,” Heffron said.
Karen Knapik-Scalzo, associate economist for the New York State Department of Labor Division of Research & Statistics in Syracuse, said that the “local emerging industry trends” that are driving much of the growth of top-paying jobs include semiconductors, construction, AI skills and drones.
According to the New York State Department of Labor, “the semiconductor industry is ranked ninth in New York state in terms of earnings, growth regional competitiveness, gross regional product and regional specialization.”
The NYDOL states about construction, “employment in construction and extraction occupations is projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations from 2023 to 2033.”
Current CNY companies hiring for construction roles include Carrier Corporation, Coolsys, Huen Electric, Byrne and ABM Industries in areas such as HVAC, hands-on construction, project management, construction management and warehousing.
Longstanding needs in healthcare, one of the pillars of CNY’s economy, continues to generate high demand to fill vacated roles.
COVID-19’s effects continue, as 20% of all healthcare workers left the industry during the pandemic. Many of those roles remain vacant, exacerbating the pre-existing healthcare worker shortage. The retiring baby boomers are both leaving healthcare roles and increasing demand for health services as they age.
AI continues to grow in CNY. The NYDOL states that the state median advertised salary for AI skilled job postings is $84.06 an hour and top industries are television broadcasting stations and commercial banking.
“The unique demographics of Upstate New York make it an ideal place to build part of the industrial base for drones including one of the seven Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-designated unmanned aerial systems (UAS) test sites in the United States,” states the NYDOL website.
The drone industry companies in CNY include Blue White Robotics, which develops software for drones; Hidden Level Inc., a developer and producer of sensors for detecting drones; and Resilienx, Thales and Huntington Ingalls Industries, all of which builds unmanned aerial systems.
Jobs in CNY that Pay the Most
According to the New York Department of Labor, the highest-paid jobs in Syracuse metro area in 2024 are as follows:
Anesthesiologists $239,200
Cardiologists $239,200
Internal Medicine Physicians $239,200
Obstetricians and Gynecologists $239,200
Physicians, All Other $239,200
Orthopedic Surgeons $239,200
Surgeons, All Other $239,200
Psychiatrists $226,560
Family Medicine Physicians $220,990
Emergency Physicians $203,470
Pediatricians, General $190,110
Judges and Magistrates $178,590
Architectural Managers $172,160
Information Systems Managers $167,020
Optometrists $163,400
Sales Managers $158,690
Medical Scientists $153,890
Podiatrists $151,400
Dentists, General $150,910
Financial Managers $145,180
Pharmacists $144,270
Human Resources Managers $143,820
Managers, All Other $142,560
Marketing Managers $141,660
Purchasing Managers $139,630
