According to the Texas Workforce Commission, there were 11.4 million working in Texas in March 2014. You might be surprised to find that the largest employer in our state is classified as “government.” The table provides the breakdown.
I field a lot of questions about what types of jobs are in each of the above categories, so I have included a brief description of each sector.
Government includes federal workers such as those in the Border Patrol and the IRS. state jobs like the Department of Motor Vehicles and local jobs like public school teachers, police and firefighters. Note that soldiers on Texas military bases are not included. Government employment covers only civilian employees and excludes uniformed members of the armed services.
Trade encompasses both wholesalers and retailers, including book, clothing, electronics, sporting goods and apparel stores. Convenience stores and gas stations are in this mix.
Education and Health Services includes employees at privately owned educational institutions and in the health-care industry. Doctors, nurses, hospitals and assisted-living are counted here.
Professional and Business Services includes those who work in office buildings, such as bookkeepers, architects, engineers, consultants, lawyers, geologists and other scientists.
Leisure and Hospitality consists of those who work largely in hotels, restaurants and amusement parks.
Manufacturing counts workers in all factories that make things in Texas, such as the Toyota plant in San Antonio. Chemical companies and refineries are also included in this category.
Financial Activities includes not just those in banking but also insurance and all real estate activities.
Construction counts workers who build public and privately owned buildings and infrastructure.
Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities includes the post office and air, rail and truck transportation. It also includes couriers, pipeline companies, warehousing and utilities.
Other Services include those in repair and maintenance, laundry and cleaning, churches and other nonprofit entities.
Mining and Logging includes not only those in mining and the timber industry but also those in jobs associated with oil and natural gas extraction. This group counts those who develop and operate oil and gas properties, such as oil field service providers.
Information includes Texans in broadcasting and the publishing of newspapers, books and magazines. It also includes employees of motion picture and sound recording and data processing services.
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