Relocation and Travel: Top 10 Hot Career Jobs in Utah Best Cities

Two cities in Utah were awarded recognition on a Top 100 CIties list in 2010. They did not aim to make the list, but planned for several years and on into 2030 to develop as much land as is available to them into top flight residential, business, educational, retail, transport, and greenspace areas. They have done this with an impressive display of aggressive positive action that is jaw-dropping. Together, they are like a creative hurricane in the desert...

Named after Utah’s Jordan River, South Jordan is planning as a home to some 90,000 people by 2030. It is already a large suburb of Salt Lake City about 18 miles to the northeast. On South Jordan's northern border, West Jordan plans to increase its population as well, though not as quickly as South Jordan. Together, they are Numbers 18 and 61 on CNN Money.com’s 100 Best Cities to Live in America for 2010.

Both suburbs lie in the Salt Lake Valley with the Jordan River flowing down the center and a large Mountain Range on either side (see map below). South Jordan’s plans for future growth are more than big. Construction of a master-planned Daybreak Community covers whole western half of the city and will double population. South Jordan is already the first city in the world to have two LDS temples: Jordan River Utah Temple and Oquirrh (like ochre) Mountain Utah Temple. At the same time, Jordan Landing in West Jordan already houses a large number of residents and provides a 2,000,000 square foot shopping center and entertainment complex.

The population of South Jordon climbed steadily from 1995 to 2010, hitting 56,206 in 2010, according to city records. A major jump occurred from 2005 – 2006 and South Jordan is still one of the fastest growing cities in Utah. Today, it is second in size among them, with a median population age of only 28.6 years – a young city whose residents plan to stay through retirement. West Jordan is the 4th largest city in the state, with a median population age younger at of 28.1. However, there is plenty of room to grow in this landscape. Residential growth is expected to climb until South Jordan reaches an optimal population projected at 90,000 and West Jordan is already at 104,000+.

West and South Jordan offer dozens of well developed city parks, green spaces, golf courses, ski areas, fishing areas, and birding spots for recreation and outdoor activities of all kinds. In addition, Antelope Island State Park is the largest of several islands in the Great Salt Lake, not far from West Jordan.

Antelope Island is renowned for its large bison herd descended from stock of 1000s of years ago, as well as pronghorn antelope (hence, the island name), mule dear, bobcats, badgers, coyotes, porcupines, jackrabbits, and others. Bird Life? Antelope Island is home to curlews, burrowing owls, chuckars, raptors, grebes, Wilson's phalaropes, and inland gulls. Native grasses make a beautiful landscape and in October each year, the bison are rounded up for health checkups (after a rest) and the public is invited for the Bison Roundup. It's amazing!

The northernmost end of the island becomes Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina.

The job market in the suburbs of Salt Lake City rivals that of the suburbs of Minneapolis in the types and numbers of jobs offered and those projected for the future, as well as in the number hiring employers and industries needing workers.

South and West Jordan enjoyed access to 17,200+ job openings in September 2010, which will increase as the population number rises as planned. Additional businesses and additional young families translate into the need for increasing amounts and types of goods and services.

The South Jordan area was largely agricultural even into the late 1980s (especially in sugar beet cultivation and sugar processing), but became more residential, white-collar/business services, and sales- and services-oriented from 1990 - 2010. West Jordan was traditionally supported by the lumber and sawmill/grain milling industries, along with the mining that still operates today. Both suburbs have become more oriented toward retail (including that related to Travel and Tourism), business services, and personal services since 2000, although Healthcare and iT positions are also increasing. The number of preschools and related staff positions are increasing as the number of young families in the area rises.

Numbers of job listings have increased significantly, especially throughout 2010, as seen in the graphs below. ARRA Stimulus and other public and private funding for Infrastructure improvements and expansions, Water Systems, Residential Planning, and wide Transportation leaps are aiding in the business and residential expansion and jobs creation. New Rapid Rail lines and stops, and highway improvements will make travel faster among Salt Lake City and its suburbs.

1. Salespeople
2. Sales Representatives
3. Software Engineers
4. Sales Account Executives
5. Paid Search Managers
6. Truck Drivers
7. Occupational Therapists
8. Customer Service and Support Representatives
9. Financial Analysts
10. Data Center Managers

Additional Jobs in High Demand:

• Administrative Assistants
• Medical Assistants
• Credit Risk Analysts
• Satellite TV Technicians
• Assistant Managers
• Business Analysts
• Financial Advisors

West Jordan

In alphabetical order

• Cyprus Credit Union
• Jordan Landing
• Jordan Valley Hospital
• Lynco Sales & Service
• Mountain America Credit Union
• Salt Lake Community College – Satellite to become main campus in 2020.
• SME Steel

• Broadview University - West Jordan
• DeVry University - Sandy UT
• Itineris Early College High School - West Jordan
• Neumont University
• Salt Lake Community College - West Jordan
• University of Southern Nevada
• Washington Institute

In addition to the expansion of higher education, South and West Jordan both offer excellent school systems. Futher, preschools with high standards are increasing in numbers, with well-trained and vetted staff.