Are you searching for a career field that is challenging, interesting, and needs qualified workers? Before you decide which path to choose, take a few minutes to consider five of the most in-demand careers areas. These areas are, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), going to experience high growth and demand for workers over the next ten years.
1. Education and health services
The BLS estimates that between now and the year 2014, fully 30 percent of all jobs created in the U.S. will come from the healthcare and educational services arena. Examples of specific careers that are included in this employment sector are:
• Registered nurse
• Medical assistant
• Radiology technician
• Medical imaging
• Social services
• Childcare
• Teaching
• Educational support
Healthcare in particular is already experiencing an extreme shortage of qualified workers, and the problem will only get worse as time goes by. Anyone who chooses a career in healthcare is likely to have excellent employment opportunities well into the future.
2. Professional and business services
This area encompasses many career choices that cover a wide range of professional and business functions. Among the careers that fall into this category are:
• Business administration
• Employment services
• Computer systems design
• System administration
• Cyber security
• Management consulting
• Technical consulting
The main driver for this sector is the increasing complexity of doing business in the modern world. The integration of business and technology will continue to explode, creating many opportunities for people who want to manage or support such integration efforts.
3. Information
We live in the age of information, and the demand is increasing for workers who can develop, run and support the information economy. Careers in this category include:
• Software publishing
• Internet publishing
• Internet broadcasting
• Internet service providers
• Web search portals
• Data processing and analysis
• Telecommunications technicians
• Wireless services
• Broadband internet services
The information sector is not about to shrink, as our world becomes increasingly information-dependent. A good option to consider is any career that contributes to the development, operation and innovation of information technology and services.
4. Leisure and hospitality
The combination of population growth and increasing affluence means U.S. demand for leisure and hospitality services will continue to grow for the foreseeable future. A wide variety of careers fit into this category, including:
• Recreation planning
• Fitness training
• Gambling and other amusement-related positions
• Food services
• Hotel management
• Travel planning
Leisure and hospitality is one category that holds a great deal of promise for anyone who chooses to pursue career options in its many fields and disciplines.
5. Trade, transportation and utilities
This category as a whole will show strong growth over the next ten years, but it is a bit of a mixed bag when you take a closer look. Some specific segments within this category are projected to decline in demand over time, so it is important to understand which careers hold the most promise. Careers that are projected to increase in demand include:
• Truck transportation services
• Warehousing services
• On-demand transport
• Retail services
• Water engineers
• Water and sewage operations
• Waste remediation management
As business continues to focus on improving efficiency through better management of inventory and transportation activities, the role of the trucking industry and inventory control/storage management will increase. The emphasis will continue to be on "just in time" manufacture, transportation and delivery of goods.
Putting it all together
Choosing a career field that will be in demand in the years to come is an important process. There are many sources of information on projected demand for different industries and career fields, so you should do some research and consult multiple resources.
Be cautious, though, about the resources that you select because some are reputable and others are not. In general, projections and information from government and business organizations are more likely to be accurate than projections and information from a job search engine or a web site promoting the sale of its career building products and services.
When it comes to selecting a career, it is well worth the time and effort it takes to research, gather information and talk to career experts across a variety of industries.
Brian Bowman is Managing Partner of www.localjobs.com the leading search engine for jobs in Asheville NC and jobs in Greenville SC.
