Soil Science Jobs - Why So Many Unfilled?

Something "different" is going on with NSCSS' private sector soil science job listings.

1. The shear number. Never before has this list maintained above 20 openings for months on end, yet it has been doing so since mid April.
2. The persistence. For example, Cascade Earth Sciences has had an opening for a Senior Soil Scientist to manage sprayfield permits since April 25th.

Both conditions, volume and persistence, seem like an aberation given the economy putting a damper on job creation in combination with the massive population of consulting soil scientists with insufficient work.

Shear speculation on my part but it would seem to indicate that soil scientists are highly valued (the volume of listings) if they come with very specific skills (wetlands, sprayfield, environmental permitting), so much so that it is worth waiting until the right one applies for the job (the persistence of listings). Interpreting the listings is difficult because most are willing to consider non-soil science qualifications, however, step back to see the forest from the trees and there does seem to be a decidely soil science specific to the situation.

Despite this economy, despite a vast sector of consulting soil scientists with no septic system permitting to work on, a huge pool from which to attract job candidates, it seems many were able to salt away enough cash to weather this recession, and choose to stay in their communities in anticipation of the economy picking up again. Perhaps due to the economy, the listed jobs can't pay enough to whet the appetite for a move away from family and community. Perhaps.

Regardless, this aberration in volume and persistence of private sector soil scientist listings clearly supports the notion that university educators and students have, for the past 3 decades, generally abandoned soil science as a career, resulting in a vacuum in available talent in the age brackets most able to move across the country to take these jobs.

Thoughts?