By Debra Auerbach

Looking forward to 2012, there is cautious optimism that the economy -- and the job market -- will continue to improve. The recently released National Employment Report from ADP, a private staffing and business services firm, showed private employers added 206,000 jobs in November. University of Michigan economists are predicting a brighter 2012; according to a recent study, the jobless rate should continue to drop to 8.8 percent by the end of 2012.

There's hopeful news for soon-to-be graduates, too. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers' Job Outlook 2012 survey, employers plan to hire 9.5 percent more graduates from the Class of 2012 than they hired from the Class of 2011. While many of those job openings will be triggered by attrition, it's still a good sign that the number is increasing.

What this all means is that things are starting to look up, but there will still be bumps in the road ahead. Yet some industries are seeing growth -- so much so that some can't fill their positions fast enough.

If you're a job seeker, consider exploring a career in one of these nine occupations, all of which are expected to grow in 2012.

*All salary estimates are from CBSalary.com and are the U.S. national average salary.

Debra Auerbach is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.