Alba J. Brugueras Fabre, PhD
Assistant Professor, School of Business
Former President, Puerto Rico Economists Association
Building a professional career requires analyzing the labor market, understanding the requirements for working in an occupation, and developing skills that enable individuals to navigate a dynamic work environment.
To illustrate Puerto Rico’s current labor market, imagine that there are only 100 jobs. According to the May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, approximately 16 jobs would be in office and administrative support, 11 in sales, 9 in food service, 8 in transportation, and 7 in business, finance, and accounting. The remainder would be distributed among manufacturing, educational services, health care, security, and other occupational areas.
However, this is only a snapshot of the current labor market. To build a career, we also need to look at where the market is headed.
Future Labor Market Outlook
The Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources (DTRH, per its acronym in Spanish) long-term occupational projections for 2024–2034 provide three indicators of the labor market for occupations that typically require a bachelor’s degree.
In terms of percentage growth, financial examiners lead the projections (+35.9%), followed by medical and health services managers (+25.8%) and logisticians (+19.4%). In terms of new job creation, registered nurses lead the list (+2,165), followed by accountants and auditors (+1,152) and management analysts (+760).
A third indicator is annual job openings. Here, registered nurses (1,397), accountants and auditors (1,221), and general and operations managers (637) again stand out.
It is important to note that an occupation can show a high percentage of growth and, nevertheless, generate relatively few new jobs or openings, and vice versa. In addition, job openings may result from replacing workers who leave the labor force or move into other occupations.
A Degree Does Not Tell the Whole Story
In Puerto Rico, many occupations are regulated by government agencies or licensing boards. For example, certified public accountants (CPAs), engineers, public relations professionals, pharmacists, physical therapists, and social workers, among other occupations, require licenses to practice.
For this reason, it is important to research what education and additional requirements an occupation entails and which agency or board regulates it.
What Are Employers Looking For?
Among the skills most frequently identified by the DTRH (2025) are the ability to follow instructions (79.9%), punctuality and dependability (76.2%), effective oral, written, and nonverbal communication (74.5%), teamwork (62.4%), the ability to learn (55.2%), and problem identification and solving (50.4%).
Skills related to the use of computers and technology also appear (21.6%).
One Occupation Does Not Define an Entire Career
When analyzing employment trends, it is also useful to distinguish among industry, occupation, and career. An industry identifies the sector in which economic activity takes place, while an occupation describes the type of work and its functions. A career, on the other hand, is the professional path built over time.
That path can encompass different occupations and industries. Therefore, a person’s first job after graduation is one point along a career path and not necessarily its final destination.
Let’s Broaden the Conversation
Employment projections do not indicate which career to pursue, nor do they guarantee employment. They are indicators that provide insight into labor market trends and help people make better-informed decisions.
That is why it is worthwhile to broaden the conversation and ask other questions, such as:
Where can I apply what I am learning? What requirements do I need to meet to practice in this field? What skills am I developing?
Choosing what to study is part of the journey. Building a career means continuing to explore, learn, and adapt one’s professional path.