Southwestern Utah's job vacancy rate was 5 percent, up from 3.1 percent in 2004. Roughly 3,000 job openings were estimated in the region in the fourth quarter, at an average wage of $11.22 an hour. Nearly 40 percent of those vacant jobs were in the construction and health care industries.

Talley said about 70 percent of the job vacancies along the Wasatch Front and in neighboring counties required no more than a high school diploma.

"It should come as no surprise that the majority of the job openings were generally low-skill, high-turnover occupations," Talley said. "That is not to say that the labor market didn't show the need for higher-skilled employees."

About 40 percent of metropolitan Utah's vacant jobs were open less than 30 days, Talley said, but for highly skilled positions the time was greater. For example, 93 percent of the pharmacist openings — which paid on average $41.60 an hour — were open more than 60 days or were always open.

Talley added that positions for architectural and civil drafters also were open longer than 60 days or were always open.

"Some companies have come on board and know that they have to up their wages," Kirkwood said. "Some companies are going to be left behind if they don't start to look at their pay scales."

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