Local and federal government databases provide employment information that can be examined in order to find the best bets for employment in a given metropolitan region or state, by Industry and Job Title.

Some state directories are more well coordinated and user friendly than other, while some provide only long Excel spreadsheets that take coniderable time to sort. Since many of these have no "sort" feature in them, because they are saved as PDF files, then hand sorting is necessary. As with the case of Lansing, many of these databases have a top 10 or 20 jobs that stand out as leaders in creating new openings.

Lansing area industries that are forecast to improve in both income producing results and employment through new job openings include the following:

• Information Services - 34% increase.
• Leisure & Tourism: Amusement, Gambling and Recreation - 29-30% increase.
• Ambulatory Health Care Services - 22-23% increase.
• Adminstrative and Office Support jobs - 19%.
• Sporting Goods, Hobby, Book, & Music Stores - 19%
• Professional, Scientific & Tech Services - 18+%
• Building Material and Garden Supply Stores - 18%.
• Rental & Leasing of Real Estate - 18%.
• Social Assistance - 15-16%.

Lansing is the Capital of Michigan, located in Ingham County. Approximately 115,000 people live in the City of Lansing, while the Greater Metro Area is made up of Lansing and East Lansing. The county is home to about 280,000 individuals in 2009.

Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce states that it plans to use its 2009 Stimulus Package allocation in the following areas in order to establish new, permanent jobs in the Lansing-East Lansing metro area, Ingham County and parts of Clinton County.

1. Transportation and Infrastructure
2. Education and Training
3. Green energy technologies
4. Health Care Information Technology
5. Revitalization of inner cities

INFRASTRUCTURE SPECIAL: Grand River Avenue, the major street through East Lansing, is targeted for revitalization with new buildings and businesses beginning in 2009. The original roads along this street were established in 1850, before the Civil War. However, in 1995, major reconstruction occurred in East Lansing particularly, because the street was in such poor condition. Construction workers in teh road work gang found ancient rotting logs that were buried two feet below the asphalt. These had been used for the foundation of the original 1850s plank road (made of planks of wood) laid over swamplands. In 2009, reconstruction will begin to uplift the street and urban residential/business area again to greater economic health.

1. Office/Administrative Support
2. Wholesale and Retail Sales
3. All Food & Beverage Related Jobs
4. Education and Training Jobs – includes libraries.
5. Production & Manufacturing
6. Transportation/Freight and Material Moving
7. Business & Financial Operations
8. Healthcare Practitioners and Techs
9. Management – all industries.
10. Building and Grounds Maintenance

Additional higher growth jobs are to be found in:

• Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
• Construction and Extraction
• Healthcare Support – Attendants, orderlies, aides, etc.
• Personal Care and Home Health Aides

High Demand Jobs in the Short-Term to 2010

1. Healthcare Practitioners and Techs
2. Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners
3. Healthcare Support Occupations
4. Registered Nurses (RNs)  - Average wages of over $60,000/year. Travel Nurses earn more.
5. Nursing, Psychiatric, and Home Health Aides

• Career Quest Learning Center
• Davenport University - career & technical school
• Douglas Aveda Institute
• Great Lakes Christian College
• Lansing Community College
• Michigan State U. & Law College
• Olivet College - Olivet, Michigan
• Ross Medical Education Center
• Thomas M. Cooley Law School

The Michigan Works! program is active and successful in Lansing, helping 200s of people find successful careers or the education and training that leads to gainful full-time employment.

Lansing is 150 years old in 2009 and has established it's Go Green initiative as a major force in the city. With the addition of 2009 Stimulus Package dollars from the federal government, Lansing and East Lansing are set to expand this drive into an engine for creating the ongoing emergence of new jobs that are green and sustainable for the 21st Century.

Native Americans cared for the region of Lansing-East Lansing until 1835, when white settlers came in the form of two brothers exploring the land. They were con men that sold plots of swampland to New Yorkers back east. The new landowners were not happy. However, they stayed and named the new town after their township back in New York. By 1850, they had begun to lay down timbers to supper plank roads over the swampy ground. There was plenty of work to go around.

Farming was joined by manufacturing in 1897 with Olds Motor Vehicle Company owned by Mr. R.E. Olds (Oldsmobile). Lansing was finally incorporated in 1859, to celebrate 150 years in 2009 by Going Green for sustainability and new jobs,

The Big Ten Conference is fortunate to include Michigan State University (MSU, founded 1855) in soon to be revitalized East Lansing, Michigan,

The school sits on the bank of the longest river in the state: Red Cedar River,where Native Americans fished and hunted. The Agricultural Colelge of the school is the oldest land grant school and agri-teaching authority in the nation. MSU also absorbed the original Michigan Female College from the earlier 1850s.

MSU is an academic and research oriented instuitution, benefitting from federal, state, and foundation grants. Degrees are available in any of at least 200 fields. The schooll even offers three different medical schools.