—NUTSHELL:
Every 2 years, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment prospects for hundreds of occupations. This special issue of the Quarterly summarizes that information in a table. The introduction explains the projections process, and the guide tells you how to get the most out of the table that follows.

—SNIPPET:
The population grows and ages, technology advances, and businesses find new ways to compete. Trends like these affect the future job market. And understanding such trends can give you an edge when planning your career.

The Occupational Outlook Handbook—published every 2 years by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)—features projections of long-term job growth and employment prospects for 270 occupations. This special issue of the Occupational Outlook Quarterly (OOQ) includes a table summarizing that information so readers can compare occupations at a glance.

Read on to learn what BLS projections mean, why employment is changing, and how BLS makes its projections.

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