5 Quick Career Changes For 2011
by Jay Markunas, Career Consultant
Last week Yahoo Education wrote an article on quick career changes that can be achieved in 2011. It listed careers that don’t require a 4 year degree, and typically training can be completed within 1 year.
As you might imagine medical is hot with many career choices which take less than 1 year to train. Pharmacy Technician, Medical and Dental Assistants are potential career paths which require 6 months to 1 year of training. The outlook is very good. Pharmacy Technicians and Aides according to The Bureau Of Labor Statistics - Occupational Outlook Handbook {OOH} are expect to see an increase in hiring “by 25 percent from 2008 to 2018, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.” Dental Assistants and Medical Assistants are expected to see even better increases for the same time frame of 36% and 34% respectively.
With the highest salary (median: $47,000 and 90th percentile: $75,000) of the 5 careers mentioned, Paralegals are expected to see a 28% increase in hiring between now an 2018. Paralegals work in legal, federal/executive branch, corporations, insurance carriers, and employment service industries. The outlook, salary, and diversity of opportunities/work environments makes this one a very attractive career choice.
An office administration certificate program taking from a few months to 1 year can prepare those who are preparing for a fast-paced job as an Administrative Assistant. A large profession with over 4.3 million workers in virtually all industries available makes the Administrative Assistant opportunities very attractive. Usually the “glue” that keeps the office/executive/manager together, Administrative Assistant hiring is expected to increase by 11% (about the national average), and salaries range up to $45,000/year.
There are many other careers with similar training requirements and expected to see growth which were not covered in Yahoo Education’s article. You can research your favorites using www.bls.gov/ooh, www.rileyguide.com, and even some of the major job boards. Doing research on potential careers - including information interviews - can help you find the work you love.
