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Balancing what you know about your own skills and interests against what occupations are likely to be in demand will help you make an informed career choice.
In many cases, the jobs considered to be the fastest growing require specialist training. Fortunately, it is now easier than ever to train for a new career while working at another. The expansion of the Internet has made distance learning easier and more rewarding than ever. Many accredited institutions now provide top-notch training to online learners.
Service Sector Jobs Continue To Expand
It’s obvious from the news (and from the labels on your clothing) that the United States is continuing to shift away from manufacturing consumer goods. This trend is set to continue through 2016, as service-sector jobs multiply. While the financial services sector and real estate sectors have taken a hit with the latest downturn, plenty of stable, remunerative service jobs are waiting for people with the right skills and training. The four fastest-growing areas in the service sector include:
Health Care
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the health care sector alone will add nearly 4.5 million jobs to the economy by 2016. The greying of the baby boom generation will drive a need for medical personnel, both at the highest level-doctors, surgeons, and related highly-skilled practitioners-as well as administrators, care givers, and technicians. Jobs that support the work of doctors and nurses are relatively easy to train for. In some cases, a two-year associate degree can help open the door to one of these medical careers:
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Personal and home care aides
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Medical assistants
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Nursing home aides
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Veterinary technicians and assistants
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Physical therapy assistants
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Pharmacy technicians
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Surgical technologists
In addition to medical health care, mental health and social-service related careers are also set to experience increasing demand over the next several years. In many cases, workers can train for a career as a mental health professional or social service worker as a part-time or online student.
Education
Expect about 1.4 million jobs in education to arrive in the next five to ten years. Just as a medical career doesn’t mean you need to be a doctor, an education career doesn’t require you to become a K-12 teacher. Other jobs that make up the education sector include:
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Teacher’s aides
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Pre-school workers
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Special needs teachers
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Administrative support personnel
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Library personnel
It can be relatively easy to move into education while you are mid-career in an unrelated field. In some cases, workers who already have a bachelor’s degree in one subject can qualify as teachers by taking their state’s teacher qualification exam. Other states will require more course work. Several online degree and credentialing programs exist that can help you make the move into an education-oriented career.
Information Technology
In spite of gloomy news about outsourcing, there are many jobs in the tech sector that must stay in the United States. These jobs, which frequently require a bachelor’s degree, will multiply in the near future. Job titles include:
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Network systems analyst
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Data communication analysts
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Computer application engineers
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Computer systems software engineers
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Network administrators
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Systems administrators
In addition to these back-office technology positions, there is an increasing demand for digital media professionals, such as animators and graphic designers. All of these professions can be trained for online.
Fashion and Beauty
Personal care is one of the mainstays of the service economy, and this sector will experience steady growth through 2016. While some positions, such as manicurists and pedicurists, are not especially remunerative, professional make-up artists who work with performers, skin care specialists, and fashion designers can command a good salary. Marketing professionals whose training focuses on fashion and retail can also benefit from the growth in this industry. Students looking to break into these jobs will benefit most from a blended learning approach that combines distance learning with on-campus experience.
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