Are you interested in a job that won't disappear anytime soon? Read on for six booming careers.
Could a robot do your job now or in the future? It's not a good
feeling - to worry that you could be replaced by something with cameras
for eyes and oil for blood. So if you're thinking of changing careers,
you might want to choose one that has a good chance of avoiding the
artificial intelligence revolution.
One good way of doing that is to stick to careers that require a
person-to-person connection, says Dr. Anthony P. Carnevale, director of
Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce. These
jobs will be difficult to automate or offshore in the future.
The other trick, of course, is to make sure a career has high demand and growth.
Checked out these six careers that should be around for the foreseeable future, robots or no robots.
Eternal Career #1: Registered Nurse
Job Growth 2010-2020:* 26 percent with 711,900 new openings
Taking your blood pressure, fine. Temperature? Okay. But when you
need advice about recovering from an injury or help getting comfortable
in a hospital bed, do you really think metallic grips and a digitized
voice will suffice? We didn't think so. And according to Carnevale, we
will need nurses for the foreseeable future.
Carnevale says that nurses will always be needed, because so far, no
one has lived forever. "We all need health care sooner or later," he
says. "So there's a nurse out there in all our lives."
He adds that he doesn't see them getting replaced by machines or off-shored because of the hands-on nature of their job.
Next step: Click to Find the Right Nursing Program.
What to Expect: If you like working closely with
people to help them recover from injuries or illness, stay healthy with
at home treatment, and manage chronic medical conditions, nursing might
be for you since that's what they do, according to the U.S. Department
of Labor. Nurses may also help doctors with diagnoses and trauma care.
Education Options: The Department of Labor says
there are three common educational paths to pursuing the job of nurse - a
bachelor's of science in nursing, an associate's degree in nursing, or a
diploma from an approved nursing program. Registered nurses must also
have a license.
Eternal Career #2: Elementary School Teacher
Job Growth 2010-2020:* 17 percent with 248,800 new openings
It's pretty simple: Would you want a robot teaching your kid reading,
writing, and arithmetic? Of course not. Plus, the need for education is
not going away. Carnevale says that he can't see a day when elementary
education is not mandated by the government, creating a steady need for
teachers.
As for job openings and growth, he says there will be plentiful
opportunities since teaching is a profession with some of the oldest
workers. "So retirement of existing teachers will add openings to the
new jobs created," he says.
What to Expect: Elementary school teachers do the
very important job of teaching our next generation the basics of
everything from math and reading to science and social skills, says the
U.S. Department of Labor.
Education Options: All states require elementary
school teachers to have a bachelor's degree in elementary education, and
public school teachers must also be licensed, says the Department of
Labor. And while private schools don't necessarily have the same
requirements, the Department says they usually seek teachers with
bachelor's in elementary education.
Eternal Career #3: Police Officer
Job Growth 2010-2020:* 8 percent with 54,600 new openings
Hollywood might enjoy imagining a future in which we are policed by
droids or machines, but back here in reality, experts such as Carnevale
are having trouble believing it. So a career as a police officer could
offer some protection for you, as well as the people you serve.
"We will always need police officers, because we don't live in a
perfect world," says Carnevale. So there will always be crime and laws
to enforce - as long as we live in societies.
Again, as with teachers, Carnevale says retirement will add to the
job opportunities for police officers. He adds that it's also a job in
which employers are increasingly seeking out candidates with bachelor's
degrees for entry-level positions.
What to Expect: Unfortunately, there will probably
always be a need for the type of work police officers do. In this
occupation, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, an officer's
duties range from patrolling areas and arresting suspects to filling out
that infamous paperwork (maybe we can get the robots to do that part).
Education Options: Police candidates must have at
least a high school diploma and graduate from their agency's training
facility, says the U.S. Department of Labor. Many agencies also require a
college degree or some college coursework.
Eternal Career #4: Social Worker
Job Growth 2010-2020:* 25 percent with 161,200 new openings
Can you imagine a future in which social work is automated or
off-shored? "Please see the robot behind door number one for substance
abuse, and the robot behind door number two for feelings of isolation in
a digital age." Undoubtedly, this is another occupation that requires a
human touch.
Much of social work falls under the heading of health care, the
biggest driver of jobs of any industry, explains Carnevale. And, he
says, as a compassionate society, this career will always be a staple of
the health care field. He adds that there is an increase in the need
for these workers, because baby boomers are reaching the age at which
they are becoming more dependent on others and may need more counseling.
Carnevale also says that due to the very personal nature of social
work, it's highly unlikely that these jobs will be replaced or
off-shored. Apparently, computers and call centers don't do a great job
with empathy.
Next step: Click to Find the Right Psychology Program.
What to Expect: According to the U.S. Department of
Labor, there are two main types of social workers. One is a
direct-service social worker, who helps people solve their everyday
problems. The other type is the clinical social worker, who diagnoses
and treats mental, behavioral, and emotional issues.
Education Options: The Department of Labor says that
a bachelor's in social work is the most common required degree for this
career, but the Department says employers may also accept a bachelor's
in a related field like psychology or sociology.
Eternal Career #5: Medical and Health Services Managers
Job Growth 2010-2020:* 22 percent with 68,000 new openings
After witnessing the spaghetti bowl of red tape the health care
system has become, no sane person could see its management as something
to be automated or off-shored. Hence, Carnevale says administrative
positions in health care will be with us for a while.
"Our health care system is grossly inefficient, and finding ways to
make it efficient is vital," says Carnevale. That fact, he says, will
create a great demand for good managers in the field.
Because of the intricacies and complexity of the work needed, it will
be live humans working closely with institutions that fill these
positions, Carnevale explains.
What to Expect: According to the U.S. Department of
Labor, medical and health services managers plan, direct, and manage
health care facilities like hospitals, clinical departments, and even
physicians' practices.
Education Options: The Department of Labor says
prospective health care administrators have a bachelor's degree in
health administration. It also says that master's degrees in health
services, long-term care administration, public health, public
administration, or business administration are common.
Eternal Career #6: Engineer
Job Growth 2010-2020:* 11 percent
Are you a tinkerer with a curious mind? Well, the role of engineer
might be right for you, and if so, you may find yourself in demand in
the future.
"Engineers are really innovators. They make things work. So
engineering is expertise in problem solving," says Carnevale. And he
doesn't see this innovative job going to computers or machines.
He says that while the need for engineers will never go away, the
types of engineers in demand will change over time. "For instance, civil
engineers are taking a hit right now, because building is down," he
says, "but most experts expect that to turn around by 2016." In fact,
the U.S. Department of Labor expects growth in this occupation from 2010
to 2020 to reach 19 percent with 51,000 new openings.
Next step: Click to Find the Right Engineering Program.
What to Expect: Pursue the career of civil engineer
and, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, you could end up
designing and overseeing the building of large construction projects
such as roads, buildings, airports, tunnels, dams, and bridges.
Education Options: The Department of Labor says that
civil engineers have a bachelor's degree in civil engineering or one of
its specialties. The degree program should be approved by ABET
(formerly the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology), which
is required to work as a professional engineer.
