Despite the recession and unemployment which has reached 9.4 percent, the highest recorded in almost 30 years, demand for certain highly skilled jobs is so great that employers are having trouble filling their open positions.

The New York Times reports on these jobs, noting that they mostly involve skills that take years to obtain. Specialized jobs remain in high demand because the vast majority of people looking for work cannot simply be thrust into these positions.

There are a number of jobs that are in high demand due to the need for a highly-focused skill set, according to the Times.

A number of these jobs are technical, often in the energy field. Welders to work on oil refinery piping are in demand, as are electrical linemen and geotechnical engineers. Others are in the fields of healthcare, social work and education, such as critical care nursing, respiratory therapists and special education teaching. With infrastructure spending a focus of President Obama's stimulus package, civil engineers are in demand to supervise the work for both traditional projects and the many green energy projects that are expected to launch.