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Sales Jobs in Dallas Created by New Walmart Stores

Several sales jobs in Dallas will be created by a slew of new Walmart stores in the area.

Walmart recently announced its plans to invest about $200 million in expanding the company's presence throughout the area. That funding will go toward more than 12 new projects, including at least three new stores in South Dallas, which will create more Dallas retail jobs and revenue for the local economy.

Walmart already serves as the largest employer in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, supporting about 45,000 jobs, according to The Dallas Morning News. That number will only get stronger with the additional stores, one of which is already slated to hire 300 part-time and full-time employees.

During the past 10 years, Walmart has become the dominant grocery store chain in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, accounting for about 40 percent of annual grocery expenditures. The company currently operates more than 120 stores in the area.

"Clearly, Wal-Mart understands the strong economic fundamentals of our city's economy and sees tremendous potential," Mayor Tom Leppert said in  statement. "And all indications are, if these stores do well, especially in Southern Dallas, more stores will come."

Walmart's new projects will include Walmart Neighborhood Market, Walmart Supercenter, and Sam's Club stores. So far, six locations have been finalized:

• Supercenter at I-35 and Ledbetter Road
• Neighborhood Market near South Buckner Boulevard and Scyene Road
• Neighborhood Market near North Hampton Road and Fort Worth Avenue
• Sam's Club at Webb Chapel and West Northwest Highway
• Supercenter near Webb Chapel and West Northwest Highway
• Supercenter on North Central Expressway at Midpark Road

Dallas officials have been working with Walmart for years now in an effort to develop a plan that would allow the company to invest more in the local area.

"We look forward to opening these additional stores, which will not only provide additional jobs in our community, but will help more North Texans save money so they can live better," Dacona Smith, regional vice president of Walmart, said.

Arizona Pharmacy Jobs Degree Programs

One local university has more options than the rest when it comes to preparing students for Arizona pharmacy jobs.

The University of Arizona is probably the best bet for anyone studying to become a pharmacist in the state. While many other local colleges and universities have great pharmacy programs, U of A has a variety of options to fit your career goals.

Based in Tucson, U of A has a total enrollment of more than 36,000 students. According to Education-Portal.com, about 7,000 of those are graduate students and about 1,300 are medical and professional students.

The university offers several pharmacy-related degree programs, including:

• Pre-pharmacy - This non-degree program prepares students for entry into the Doctor of Pharmacy program. The course generally includes courses in science, math, and humanities.
• Doctor of Pharmacy - U of A accepts about 100 students into its four-year Doctor of Pharmacy program each year. All pharmacists must have a Doctor of Pharmacy degree before they can become licensed and begin working. In order to be accepted into the program, students must have at least 71 credits of pre-pharmacy courses from an accredited college, 50 hours of volunteer work at a pharmacy, and a passing grade on the Pharmacy College Admission Test.
• Master of Science in Clinical Research - This program prepares students for clinical research jobs in the biotechnological and pharmaceutical industries. Students will become technological experts and learn how to evaluate the risks, costs, and benefits of drug therapies. The program takes less than three years to complete.
• Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Economics, Policy and Outcomes - This two-year program prepares students for administrative-level jobs in pharmacy-related industries. Students learn how to evaluate private and public policies that maximize cost effectiveness and grant more access to pharmaceutical resources.
• Master of Science in Pharmacology and Toxicology - This three-year program focuses on research in chemical pharmacology, environmental toxicity, and proteomics. Students spend most of their time learning about the pharmacological and toxicological effects that certain drugs can have on the body.
• Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Economics, Policy and Outcomes - As opposed to the master's degree program, this program is more focused on advanced knowledge and extensive research skills. During the five-year course, students conduct research through the Center for Health Outcomes and PharmacoEconomic Research.
• Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology - This advanced degree program includes more extensive research experience than the master's degree program. It usually takes five years to complete.
• Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics - Students in this program will learn the research skills they need to determine appropriate dosage and delivery methods of medication. Applicants are required to have a minor in a scientific field, and those with a bachelor's degree in pharmacy, chemistry, engineering, or physical or biological science have a higher chance of being accepted.
• Ph.D. in Drug Discovery and Development - This biological chemistry program teaches students how to use scientific tools, including natural products and chemical synthesis, to create new and innovative therapies.

San Antonio Construction Jobs Would Benefit from NASA Projects

A number of San Antonio construction jobs will be supported if a local firm is chosen to complete several NASA projects.

Two San Antonio construction firms are in the running to perform work at a handful of NASA locations. Persuad Companies Inc. and Total Team Construction Services are vying against five other companies for the jobs.

The firm that is chosen will be able to support many jobs with the construction projects. Employees will be needed to perform architectural, building demolition, electrical, environmental support, partial building renovations, plumbing, and roofing work.

According to an article by the San Antonio Business Journal, NASA is looking to complete $49 million worth of general construction and repair work at Johnson Space Center, Ellington Field, Sonny Carter Training Facility, and the White Sands Test Facility.

The firms currently being considered include:

• Persaud Companies Inc. in San Antonio
• Total Team Construction Services Inc. in San Antonio
• Competitive Choice/Gen-Tech Joint Venture in Houston
• The Gee Cee Company of LA Inc. in Houston
• Hallmark Capital Group in Houston
• Jarreau-Durotech JV LLC in Houston
• C3, LLC in Broken Arrow, Okla.

The San Antonio area's construction industry would benefit greatly from the jobs supported by the NASA projects. The industry has struggled to add jobs as the local economy continues to recover from the economic downturn.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the San Antonio-New Braunfels area's construction industry employed 45,400 workers during December, which is down from 45,600 workers during November and a .2 percent decrease from the previous year.

Technology Sales Jobs Phoenix Created by Ulthera Funding

A local company is planning to increase the number of technology sales jobs Phoenix has to offer with a new round of funding. Visit http://jobs.insight.com to see more local job openings.

Ulthera, Inc. recently received a total of $10.5 million in funding from New Enterprise Associates and Apposite Capital LLP. The Mesa-based company produces ultrasound technology that is capable of rejuvenating skin.

The company plans to use the funding in part to hire new employees in order to keep up with anticipated growth. Ulthera currently employs about 50 people and plans to hire about 30 more throughout the next year. About 10 to 15 of those jobs will be in the Phoenix area.

"Ulthera's growth has been truly impressive, especially since receiving FDA clearance in late 2009," Dr. Justin Klein, principal of New Enterprise Associates and an Ulthera board member, told the Phoenix Business Journal.

"NEA looks to invest in companies that bring highly differentiated technologies to meet the needs of medical professionals and consumers, and we are enthusiastic about Ulthera's future prospects," he added.

The local economy will benefit from the additional jobs. During December, the Phoenix area's unemployment rate decreased to 8.4 percent - which was below the national average at the time of 9.4 percent - after staying at 8.5 percent for two months in a row.

The Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale area employed about 1,741,700 workers during December, which is up from 1,738,600 workers during November and a 1.7 percent increase from the previous year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Aside from expanding its workforce, Ulthera also will use the funding to develop new clinical applications for the company's technology, as well as to continue developing new products.

The company's FDA-approved ultrasound system uses traditional ultrasound images and focused ultrasound therapy to rebuild collagen, which lifts and tones the skin. Ulthera offers face and neck treatments and eyebrow lifts.

Cook Jobs, Other Positions at New Casino

A new casino is creating a variety of jobs in Cleveland, including everything from cook jobs to positions for blackjack dealers.

Cleveland will be home to the first casino in Ohio when Rock Ohio Caesars LLC opens the Cleveland Horseshoe Casino at Tower City Center in 2012. The project is expected to create 2,000 temporary construction jobs and 1,600 full-time jobs.

The four-story temporary casino will cost about $350 million and will later be replaced by a $600 million permanent casino to be located south of Tower City. The permanent casino isn't expected to open until 2013 at the earliest.

The temporary casino is being opened in the meantime in order to compete with other Ohio cities that are planning to open casinos in late 2012. The push to open casinos came after votes approved the Four Casinos Initiative in 2009.

That constitutional amendment allows casinos to be built in the cities of Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Toledo.

The projects in Cleveland are being headed by Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert and Gary Loveman, president and CEO of Caesar's Entertainment. Caesar's operates resort casinos under the Harrah's and Caesar's name and high-end gambling casinos under the Horseshoe name.

"You're going to see something very spectacular," Gilbert told Crain's Cleveland Business.

The Cleveland Horseshoe Casino will feature a World Series of Poker room with 25 to 30 poker tables; more than 2,000 slot machines; 65 table games; other specialized gambling areas, including a high-limits area and a VIP lounge; several restaurants; and a bar with entertainment.

Denver and Jobs Improve

The economic situation continues to improve for Denver and jobs (Click here).

A recent report from Business First of Buffalo ranked Denver 16th out of the top 100 metro areas in the nation in terms of job gains last year. The city added 7,900 private sector jobs, an increase of .78 percent, between December 2009 and December 2010.

This is good news for the Denver area, which lost 63,300 private sector jobs during the previous decade, ranking the city the 14th-worst in the nation. The city had 1,017,700 private sector jobs during December 2010, which was up from 1,009,800 during December 2009, but down from 1,081,000 during December 2000.

Of the 100 metro areas included in the report, 62 added private sector jobs last year. New York City saw the biggest increase in employment, adding 46,900 jobs over the year.

That was followed by Washington's addition of 41,800 jobs; Los Angeles's gain of 34,900 jobs; Phoenix's growth of 33,100 jobs; and Boston's addition of 31,800 jobs.

At the other end of the scale, 37 of the 100 metro areas lost jobs last year. Chicago experienced the biggest drop, losing 35,900 private sector jobs between December 2009 and December 2010.

That was followed by San Francisco's loss of 24,600 jobs; Sacramento's drop of 18,200 jobs; Detroit's decrease of 18,100 jobs; Kansas City's decline of 11,700 jobs; and Las Vegas's loss of 11,000 jobs.

San Diego Career Opportunities to Open Up this Year

Tens of thousands of San Diego career opportunities should be available this year.

A new report from the San Diego Workforce Partnership predicts that San Diego County will add anywhere from 15,000 to 18,000 jobs this year, with an especially strong need for waiters, bartenders, temp workers, and computer specialists.

Any job growth would be good news for the San Diego area, which has continued to add workers in recent months, but also has maintained a high unemployment rate following the economic recession.

During December, the area's unemployment rate decreased from 10.4 percent to 10.1 percent, after rising from 10.3 percent during November. Despite the latest drop, the area's rate is still higher than the national average of 9.4 percent.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos area employed 1,225,100 workers during December, which is up from 1,222,500 workers during November and a .5 percent increase from the previous year.

Using a model developed by Economic Modeling Specialists Inc., SDWP predicts the following industries will hire the most this year:

• Food and beverage - 1,500 jobs/2 percent growth
• Office and administrative support - 1,000 jobs/1 percent growth
• Computer specialists - 800 jobs/2 percent growth
• Construction - 800 jobs/2 percent growth
• Teachers and instructors - 750 jobs/2 percent growth
• Nurses - 600 jobs/2 percent growth

However, SDWP Director Mark Cafferty told the San Diego Union-Tribune that the EMSI study is somewhat conservative when compared to current job postings. However, he said he prefers more conservative estimates so as not to disappoint job seekers.

"Employers can be very, very picky right now because there are so many people available in the market," Cafferty said. "And some businesses are still holding off hiring because they feel they've learned to do more work with fewer workers."

Jobs in Glendale Created by WinCo

A popular discount grocery store chain is looking to create several new jobs in Glendale (Click here).

WinCo is planning to create many new grocery store jobs as the company expands its operations into Arizona. So far, the company has signed leases for store spaces in Mesa and Glendale, and may consider other local spots in the future.

"It's clear we're interested and we've looked and are looking," Michael Read, vice president of public and legal affairs for WinCo, told the East Valley Tribune. "But in terms of timing, potential sites, where - it's far too early to comment. In this economy, we've actually scaled back expansion plans."

Any new jobs would benefit the Glendale area's economy, which is continuing to recover from the economic recession. During December, the area's unemployment rate dropped to 8.4 percent, one full percentage point below the national average of 9.4 percent.

The Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale area employed about 1,741,700 workers during December, which is up from 1,738,600 workers during November and a 1.7 percent increase from last year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

WinCo is an employee-owned grocery store chain with 78 operations in Washington, Idaho, Nevada, California, Oregon, and Utah. The company currently employs about 14,000 people and brings in yearly sales of almost $5 billion.

The company's larger-than-average stores focus on low prices by such measures as asking shoppers to bag their own groceries. That way of operating could result in tough competition for the many other grocery stores that operate throughout the valley.

Those stores include:

• AJ's Fine Foods
• Albertson's
• Bashas'
• Costco
• Food City
• Fresh 'N Easy
• Fry's
• Safeway
• Sunflower Market
• Target
• Trader Joe's
• Walmart

Nursing Jobs Still Growing

There are still plenty of nursing jobs (Click here) to be had despite the state of the economy.

The Health Resources and Services Administration recently released "The Registered Nurse Population," a survey based on the agency's findings from the 2008 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses.

The survey found that there were 3,063,162 registered nurses throughout the nation during 2008, an increase of 5.3 percent from 2004. About 2,596,399, or 84.8 percent, of RNs were working in the nursing field as of 2008.

The majority, about 62.2 percent, of RNs employed in the nursing field work in hospitals. About 66.3 percent of working RNs are employed as "staff nurses" and about 12.5 percent work in management and administration.

The survey further found:

• 12 percent of full-time RNs and 14 percent of part-time RNs have a second nursing job.
• More than 50 percent of RNs work at least 40 hours per week.
• 45.4 percent of RNs have an Associate Degree in Nursing, while 34.2 percent have a bachelor's degree, and 20.4 percent have a hospital diploma.
• Full-time RNs earned an average of $66,973 per year during 2008, a 15.9 percent increase from 2004.
• 29.3 percent of RNs are extremely satisfied with the salaries they earn, while 51.8 percent are moderately satisfied, and 11.1 percent are not satisfied.
• 3 percent of RNs under 55-years old planned to leave their nursing job within three years.

U.K. Stores Jobs on the Chopping Block

Many stores jobs are expected to close overseas as one company continues to struggle. To see some available jobs in the states, check out http://grocery.coloradojobs.com.

HMV Group, a popular European media retail chain, recently announced its plans to close 60 stores and layoff more than 1,000 sales positions (Click here) throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company hopes employee turnover will reduce the number of anticipated job cuts.

The stores to be closed include 40 HMV stores and 20 Waterstones stores. According to an article by Marketing Magazine, the first stores to be closed are those in underperforming cities, as well as those in cities with two or more stores.

HMV is one of the few remaining stores that focuses on distributing media to a mass audience, meaning the store closures could negatively effect the local music industry, which prompted seven top U.K. music executives to sign a pledge in support of the store.

The layoff announcement follows what HMV called a disappointing Christmas period that left the company with a net debt of £151 million. The company also is undergoing a credit insurance review in order to keep up with supply and demand.

HMV currently operates 285 stores throughout the U.K. and Ireland. HMV International operates 125 stores in Canada, five in Hong Cong, and two in Singapore. The company employs about 9,000 employees throughout five countries.

The company saw U.K. sales of about £1.24 billion during the last fiscal year. About 45 percent of the store's sales come from DVDs and Blu-rays, while 28 percent is from music, 24 percent is from games and technology, and 3 percent is from related entertainment products.

In addition to its popular stores, HMV also operates a number of live music venues in the U.K., including: the HMV Apollo and HMV Forum in London; and the HMV Picture House in Edinburgh. The company also puts on a number of summer music festivals.