| The news keeps coming in, and it's not encouraging. | | | | engineering. And if tuition costs have you pondering the |
| Declining home prices and the resulting slowdown in | | | | decision, keep in mind that environmental engineers |
| the American economy have put manufacturers, | | | | earned a median salary of $72,350 in 2007. |
| investment bankers, and retail employees out of work. | | | | |
| With less to spend on luxuries--and less credit from | | | | Recession Proof Career #3: Education |
| banks and lenders to draw on for large | | | | Over the coming decade, careers in education--higher |
| purchases--less money is circulating through the | | | | education in particular--are expected to remain stable. |
| market. Industry analysts fear that this cycle could | | | | Fred Crowley, economist of the University of Colorado |
| have long ranging effects on the U.S. job market. | | | | at Colorado Springs, notes that UCCS typically enrolls |
| Fortunately, there's a light at the end of the tunnel. | | | | more graduate students during a recession. And |
| Ethan Harris, chief United States economist for | | | | though during the last recession the university coped |
| Lehman Brothers, describes the U.S.'s current | | | | with hiring freezes and frozen wage increases, |
| economic woes as a "slow-motion recession." | | | | Crowley noted, "No one actually lost their jobs here." |
| According to Harris, "In a normal recession, things kind | | | | In K-12 education careers, opportunities are likewise |
| of collapse and you have nowhere to go but up. But | | | | expected to remain welcoming. According to the |
| we're not getting the classic two or three negative | | | | National Center for Education Statistics, increased |
| quarters. Instead, we're expecting two years of | | | | retirement, higher student enrollment, and teacher |
| sub-par growth." | | | | turnover should add 2.8 million teachers to the |
| In the meantime, job seekers can look to other parts | | | | workforce over the next eight years, with the greatest |
| of the economy for career security. According to | | | | gains at the preschool and kindergarten levels. Though |
| outplacement firm Challenger Gray & Christmas, | | | | surprising to some, kindergarten teachers earned a |
| at least five areas should see steady growth and | | | | median salary of $45,120 in 2007. |
| offer excellent career prospects in the coming years. | | | | |
| Recession Proof Career # 1: Healthcare | | | | Recession Proof Career #4: Security |
| Health care is one area of the economy where | | | | Though the economy may have its ups and downs, |
| growth has been little affected by the credit crunch. | | | | the importance of local and national security personnel |
| Employment of nurses has remained especially high: | | | | remains constant. The Department of Defense and |
| currently the largest healthcare occupation (employing | | | | the Department of Homeland Security may need to fill |
| 2.5 million), nurses are expected to add another | | | | an additional 83,000 jobs over 2008 and 2009. In order |
| 587,000 new jobs to the workforce by 2016. In 2007, | | | | to help train new applicants, many universities and |
| registered nurses earned a median salary of $60,010. | | | | colleges are offering associate's degrees and |
| The need for new applicants has grown at such an | | | | bachelor's degrees in homeland security, as well as |
| alarming rate that many employers are recruiting | | | | certificate programs in security. |
| workers laid off in other sectors of the economy. | | | | Additionally, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects |
| Faced with a growing patient population, Clair Young, | | | | employment of police officers and detectives to grow |
| chief nursing officer at the Cleveland Clinic, wants to | | | | about as fast as the average for all occupations--7 to |
| add 300 new nurses to her staff of 3,800. The | | | | 13 percent--between 2006 and 2016. |
| applicants are being lured from other parts of the | | | | Recession Proof Career #5: International Business |
| economy with tuition reimbursement and flexible | | | | Although the recent banking and credit crunch has |
| schedules. "Unfortunately," says Young, "one of (our) | | | | sent painful shockwaves through the world economy, |
| strategies is capitalizing on the recession." | | | | a few international business careers should remain |
| | | | stable, even during a recession--in particular, finance |
| Recession Proof Career #2: Energy | | | | and accounting careers. Steve Birkshire, Regis |
| With high demand for fuel causing widespread uproar, | | | | University professor explains, "(b)ecause of the issues |
| energy companies have generated tremendous profits | | | | with Enron and all new requirements--combined with |
| and may need to expand their workforces. In | | | | the shortage in the field--that's going to keep |
| February, Exxon Mobil posted the highest profits ever | | | | accountants in business. They're really protected." |
| recorded by a company, with net income rising 3 | | | | According to the BLS, job openings for accountants |
| percent to $40.6 billion (The company's $404 billion in | | | | will increase by roughly 18 percent through 2016, with |
| sales exceeded the gross domestic product of 120 | | | | the best prospects for those with a college degree |
| countries). Reacting to backlash from groups disgusted | | | | and/or CPA certification. |
| at the high profits, Exxon revealed the scope of its | | | | A Golden Opportunity |
| investment in discovering and developing new sources | | | | Job hunters may wonder what it will take to land a job |
| of energy: more than $80 billion between 2002 and | | | | in the new economy. Experts advise job seekers to |
| 2006, and an additional $20 billion in 2008. | | | | keep an open mind. Nelson Bolles, author of What |
| The turmoil of gas prices and the effort to implement | | | | Color is Your Parachute, advises job hunters to grow |
| alternative fuel sources have spawned tremendous | | | | comfortable working "in the service of new |
| growth in environmental engineering. According to the | | | | technologies." Staying involved in continuing education is |
| Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), environmental | | | | also important. Relevant coursework in new job |
| engineers should expect employment growth "much | | | | skills--especially computers and software |
| faster than average" through 2016, with an estimated | | | | applications--are a must-have for today's job hunter, |
| 25 percent more jobs to open in the field. Job seekers | | | | and many recession-resistant jobs require extensive |
| can take advantage of these projected openings by | | | | postsecondary education. Most importantly, however, |
| earning a bachelor's degree in environmental | | | | job seekers should maintain a positive attitude. |