Associated Press

Teachers will be in high demand in South Dakota for the next seven years, according to a study by the state Department of Labor.

Elementary teachers top the list of job openings that require a bachelor’s degree. An estimated 153 new teachers will be needed annually through 2014. Secondary school teachers are second on the list of jobs in demand, followed by accountants/auditors, residential advisers and middle school teachers.

Of the jobs that require a bachelor’s degree and work experience, general/operations managers are first, with 156 needed each year in South Dakota through 2014. Chief executives are second, followed by property/real estate managers, management analysts and network systems and data communications analysts.

Melodee Lane, information supervisor for the Department of Labor, said the demand for teachers has been evident in recent years. She said the number of teacher retirements between 2004 and 2014 is the primary reason for the need, although employee turnover is also a factor.

“The majority of the demand projected for new workers in the elementary and secondary teacher occupations is due to replacement need, at 67 percent and 73 percent, respectively,” said Lane. “Most job openings will result from the need to replace the large number of teachers who will reach retirement age over the 2004-2014 period. This same trend is happening nationally.”

The Labor Department said other expected job demands through 2014 are:

On-the-job training: retail sales, waiters and waitresses, combined food preparation and serving workers, customer service representatives, janitors and cleaners.

Some post-secondary education preferred: registered nurses, teacher assistants, carpenters, automotive service mechanics, executive secretaries and administrative assistants.