Guest post by Adrienne Carlson, writer on the topic of online engineering degrees. Adrienne welcomes your comments and questions: adrienne.carlson1@gmail.com
Students close to graduating and recent graduates, take heart: Some industries are hiring new employees. Look here:
· Healthcare and pharmaceuticals: The healthcare sector and the pharmaceutical industry will present employment opportunities in step with the aging of our population and with increasing environmental challenges. If the practical work of a nurse or pharmacist is not for you, look for administrative, management, or project roles in hospitals and other healthcare settings. Healthcare related records management and research are obvious niches for information professionals.
· Education: In a society believing that education is the foundation on which our children’s futures are built, schools and academic institutions are always going to be in need of qualified teachers and educational support professionals. In addition, with the loss of many jobs in recent times, people are heading back to school in droves to upgrade their skills or move to a different line of work. Today's emphasis on new instructional methods - using various forms of e-learning such as podcasts, webinars, and the like - could prove to be an opportunity.
· "Mobile" industries: The companies supporting every kind of mobile gadget need information savvy personnel. Think Geographic Information System based technologies for starters and look closely at the job opportunities at the "data supply" end: How did those maps get into the GPS in the car?
· Renewable energy, disaster preparedness, and other climate related domains: With climate change and the need to wean the world off fossil fuels, the need for scientists and engineers will persist - along with the need for information professionals to work with them.
If you think you’re in the wrong industry or one that does not seem to be looking up, be willing to make a shift. It may necessitate crossing career lines and taking an entirely new path, but if that’s what it takes to put food on the table now and build a foundation for the future, that’s just what you must do. You may need to go back to school and earn another degree or take a certificate course, but the time spent will be justified when you are able to find a job and banish "unemployment" from your dictionary.
Comments