In the midst of the greatest economic downturn in decades, there are a range of promising opportunities, including well-paying and fulfilling professional employment, that are remaining unfilled due to a lack of eligible candidates.
According to career information expert Laurence Shatkin, who is also the author of the book 150 Best Recession-Proof Jobs, these jobs have a good potential for advancement for those who have the aptitude and skill set necessary for the job, and many of them do not require a degree that takes four years to complete or years of training.
Healthcare
The majority of focus is placed on medical practitioners and nurses, but the healthcare industry as a whole is enormous and complex, offering a diverse assortment of career paths. Consider the number of specialists who supply your primary care physician with all of the medical records, laboratory test results, and other information before and after your (often brief) meeting in order to get a decent picture of how extensive it is.
In most situations, physician assistants are permitted to do all of the same tasks as medical doctors, with the exception of writing prescriptions (in some circumstances) and operating their own offices. Even if they don't have the earning potential or celebrity status of the majority of physicians, their average income is still much higher than the median. Additionally, the income potential of nurse practitioners is very high. Both are able to establish their own practices and focus their efforts on certain topics.
Sonographers that specialize in diagnostic work are likewise in great demand. In order to evaluate a person's health and identify a variety of problems, these medical experts use ultrasound equipment to gather reflected echoes, Doppler signals, pictures, and tracings of a person's interior anatomy.
The American Society for Clinical Pathology reports that around fifty percent of all labs in the United States are having trouble recruiting skilled laboratory workers. One of the primary contributors to the scarcity of candidates for these "under the radar" occupations is a lack of familiarity with the laboratory technician profession. According to Shatkin, however, both incomes and prospects are anticipated to continue improving in the near future. "The ever-expanding and changing technology implies that there will be more and more for a lab worker to accomplish, which should help enhance employability." [Citation needed]
Assistant to the physician
a training program lasting two years and an equivalent amount of time spent in college; passing the licensure test
Salary: $82,000
Nurse practitioner
Master's degree in nursing
Salary: $74,000
Sonographer of the heart
a certificate in diagnostic sonography lasting one year or an associate's degree in sonography lasting two years
Salary: $56,000
Technician in the laboratory
Bachelor's degree with required curriculum in chemistry, biology, and statistics; certification and license from the state
Salary: $51,000
Manufacturing
The manufacturing sector in the United States is experiencing a contraction; yet, in spite of the manufacturing crisis, there are certain employment opportunities that are thriving for people with specific technical backgrounds.
According to Shatkin, "It's true that older employees and individuals with lesser levels of expertise are losing their jobs in manufacturing." "But there are fresh positions in manufacturing that need highly qualified workers, and these jobs are in high demand right now. The only requirements are vocational training and an apprenticeship."
Computer control operators utilize equipment that are computer numerically controlled (CNC) to cut and shape precise items that are used in automobiles, airplanes, and other types of machinery. CNC programmers are responsible for developing the software used to control the machine tools. They investigate the component's computer-aided design (CAD) blueprints in three dimensions and figure out the order of the steps that must be taken in order to manufacture the component.
According to the BLS, even though it is anticipated that there will be a little decrease in the number of employment available in these industries over the course of the next seven years, qualified individuals will have good chances. This is as a result of the low number of persons who enroll in training programs and the difficulties that firms have in locating personnel who possess the appropriate skills and expertise.
Programmer of computer control and computer numeric control (also known as CNC)
Certificate, Associate's Degree, or Diploma followed by Apprenticeship.
Salary: $33,000 (computer control operator) $44,000 (CNC programmer)
Financial Services
In spite of the fact that the financial services sector has seen significant setbacks over the course of the last year, the actuarial services sector continues to perform well. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for actuaries, who are responsible for developing, pricing, and evaluating financial insurance products such as life, car, health, or homeowner's insurance, is predicted to expand at a relatively fast pace through the year 2016.
Financial analysts and financial planners still have plenty of chances available to them, even in the midst of the industry shakeup. Organizations that are interested in investing hire financial analysts to examine the future economic prospects of a variety of businesses and industries. Individuals may get assistance with their particular investing requirements from personal financial planners and advisers. Financial analysts are needed in many different sectors, including hospitals, school systems, and charitable organizations, to name a few. Analysts who have at least five years of experience may make much more money working for themselves as self-employed consultants than they do as paid workers ($63000 against $48000 for individuals with the same amount of expertise).
Actuary
a bachelor's degree in either mathematics, statistics, or finance, in addition to professional certification
Salary: $86,000
Analyst of financial markets 1
Preferred education level is a bachelor's degree in finance.
Salary: $48,000
Financial planner
The ideal education level is a bachelor's degree in finance, and candidates must pass the Certified Financial Planners test.
Salary: $61,000