by Ashley Andrus and Linda Anderson

Though the State of Colorado’s unemployment rate grew to 7.2 percent in February 2009, there are still industries in the state that are thriving and adding employees in a variety of job categories.

The energy sector remains strong with a diverse range of career opportunities. According to a release on Thursday March 26th by Gov. Ritter’s office, “This week alone, Colorado has seen three straight days of new job announcements, which will create more than 1,600 clean energy and water jobs over the coming years.” Growing companies in this sector include organizations like The Water Company in Pueblo, Ascent Solar in Thornton, and Vestas Wind Systems in Brighton.

Organizations in this sector will receive an additional boost as stimulus funds begin to be infused into renewable energy technology and efficiency programs. Colorado’s new energy leadership — with its strong presence of renewable energy companies positioned across the state – is widely expected to provide an edge in the competition for federal stimulus dollars to promote the enhancement and growth of this new energy sector. Part of these funds is to be set aside for state energy programs that will provide career training to fill the numerous jobs being created by the new growth.

The public sector remains another fairly recession-proof industry, with opportunities in defense and education, among others. At the local level, Denver Public Schools this week raised ~$150 million in bonds for construction of new projects which are accepting construction bids beginning in April. State government stimulus efforts include $415 million approved by Gov. Ritter for 80+ transportation and transit projects around the state. On the federal side, to name just one opportunity, the US Census Bureau has begun hiring for up to 8000 jobs in Colorado for assistance with the 2010 Census. See here for a list of current openings.

The health care sector remains robust with opportunities from nursing to construction of new projects. A new health care coalition, “We Work for Health in Colorado,” was recently announced to promote medical innovation in Colorado and to take advantage of the potential for job creation and economic growth. The coalition consists of a network of 28 partner organizations from local business, labor, government, academic, and health care groups, and seeks to create well-paying jobs in the biotech and bioscience industries within the state.

Finally, spots of bright news can be seen in every industry—for example, although home sales are down, homeowners are reinvesting to boost value by remodeling, building new decks and other outdoor structures, and enhancing their landscaping. As national mortgage rates hit an all-time low this week, refinancing activity has increased, and new home sales in February were higher than predicted. As organizations in all sectors continue to do more with less, demand for project management and business analyst skills are on the rise. Focus job search efforts on these growth sectors and mini-sectors for best results.

Ashley Andrus is President of Zoe Training & Consulting. Linda Anderson has served with Zoe Training in various roles over the past 14 years, and is currently webmaster and web content developer.