Best Jobs in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Top High Growth Industries
The healthcare industry, with associated social services staffing, represents the highest demand occupational group in the Harrisburg Metro Area.
The most job openings and new jobs created in the this area will occur in the occupational categories on the Top 10 List below.
The number of jobs to open in the Healthcare Industry is twice the number to open of the second largest high growth job category of transportation.
- Health Care and Social Assistance: RNs, Therapists, Aides, Others
- Transportation: Shipping and Passenger
- Educational Services
- Hospitality and Tourism: Accommodations & Food Service Operations of all kinds
- Administrative and Waste Services - Recycling, Alternative Energy
- Retail Trade
- Professional and Technical Services
- Other Services, Except Public Administration
- Government
- Construction
Additional High Demand Jobs and Career Fields
The following job categories offered large numbers of new jobs through the end of 2014 in Harrisburg and surrounding smaller cities. These industry sectors remain top contributors to the local economy, with the sector of Healthcare adding itself with quickly increasing numbers of new jobs.
- Wholesale Trade
- Finance & Insurance
- Arts, Entertainment & Recreation: Includes Tourism.
- Information Technology
- Real Estate Sales, Rental & Leasing
Harrisburg Hospitals for Jobs in Health & Social Services
- Carlisle Regional Medical Center
- Community General Osteopathic Hospital
- Harrisburg Hospital
- Harrisburg State Hospital
- Holy Spirit Hospital in Camp Hill
- Lebanon VA Medical Center
- Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
- University of Pennsylvania Medical Center
Largest Local Companies
- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania State Government
- US Federal Government
- Hershey Food Corp./Hershey Entertainment
- Highmark Blue Shield: Insurance
- Tyco Electronics Corp.
- Hershey Medical Center
- PinnacleHealth
Growing Companies Hiring the Most Workers in 2019
- University of Pennsylvania Medical Center
- Hershey Entertainment Company
- Penn State University and Medical Center
- WellSpan Health
- Sheetz Grocery Stores
- Speedway Gas and Convenience Stores
- Merakey Healthcare
- Retail: Dollar General, Rutter's
- TE Connectivity: Manufacturing related to IT, data, computers.
- CVS Retail and Health
Harrisburg-Carlisle Metro Area
The Harrisburg-Carlisle MSA is a Metro Area located in Southeastern Pennsylvania in Dauphin County. Harrisburg has been recognized in the 21st century by financial magazines and analysts as one of the Best Mid-Sized American Cities for Jobs and Business.
The Metro Area and surrounding counties were populated by Native American Nations for 10,000+ years before European and other settlers arrived.
The French and Swiss first entered Pennsylvania in the early 1600s, but did not build a fort or a town at Harrisburg. Building was done by John Harris, an Englishman, around 1710, almost 100 years later - but only a small settlement known as Harris Ferry. His son built Harrisburg later. By 1812, it was the capital of Pennsylvania.
River Transportation
The elder Harris's men traced the paths of the Shawnee and Delaware nations in order to find crossing points across the Susquehanna River. This led to transportation and shipping in the 19th century.
Situated right beside the Susquehanna River, Harrisburg saw the steady rise of railroads and the Erie Canal to become an early American transportation hub in an industrial region full of mines and manufacturing.
Some of those industries declined in the 1970s, but in the 1980s, Harrisburg began to grow with new economic initiatives to draw a lively tourist trade and new retail businesses.
Things To See
The John Harris Mansion and estate are a major tourist draw, the city being named for the Harris family.
The Capitol building is one of the largest well done architecturally artistic US Capitols in the country, modeled after St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. It brings the same type of admiration.
Harrisburg is the site of several yearly festivals:
- Kipona (the Native American Celebration of Sparkling Water) over Labor Day
- The American Musicfest over Independence Day Week
- Several small annual celebrations, along with Christmas pageants and a New Year's Eve celebration, rounded out with the summer's giant Pennsylvania Farm Show.
Harrisburg - Performed by Josh Ritter
Higher Education for Local Careers
- AAA Travel Institute
- Academy Of Medical Arts and Business
- Dickinson College (Carlisle, PA)
- Empire Beauty School
- Harrisburg Area Community College
- Harrisburg Culinary Academy
- Keystone Technical Institute - Culinary Arts
- Messiah College
- Pennsylvania State University
- Temple University
- Thompson Institute
- Widener University-Harrisburg Campus
Harrisburg Area Community College
This local community college brings students, the community, and area businesses together in a number of ways.
The college offers a number of opportunities for employers to come in and hold Job Fairs on the campus. In addition, Career Symposia are held regularly that target education professional and state level participants.
Employers and businesses recruit new employees from graduating students, Further, career exploration is facilitated during Career Days. Students and internships as well as full-time career positions are easily matched in these events.
The HACC Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies is a continuing education venue that helps persons interested in business ownership to plan, open, and operate their dream businesses. Counselors work one-on-one with future business owners throughout the process.
The college also offers non-credit courses and basic computer training for the community.
Finally, HACC also offer employment: HACC Jobs.
Sports and Recreation
- Harrisburg Heat (NPSL) - Soccer
- Harrisburg City Islanders - Soccer
- Harrisburg Horizon - EBAL Basketball
- Hershey Bears - AHL Hockey
- Harrisburg Senators (AA) - Minor League Baseball
- Central Penn Piranha - Minor League Football
- Harrisburg Rugby Football
- Nuclear Knockouts Roller Derby
- Harrisburg Lunatics: Professional Inline Roller Hockey at Yellow Breeches Sports Center, 700 Shawnee Court, New Cumberland PA 17070
© 2008 Patty Inglish MS