Published in the March 2010 issue of Next Step Magazine.
http://www.nextstepmagazine.com/nextstep/articlePage1.aspx?artId=3556&categoryId=62
America is going green, and going green is going to take a lot of work. With the spotlight on the environment, new job opportunities are opening up.
These “green-collar” jobs provide good wages, and the training is affordable—usually requiring an associate degree at most. And with the help of $500 million in federal stimulus funds, many new training programs are appearing in order to meet the growing demand.
A study by the American Solar Energy Society showed that American green-collar jobs totaled more than 9 million in 2007, and as many as 37 million can be created by 2030. These jobs include building energy-efficient homes and businesses, restoring habitats, installing solar panels and wind turbines, and producing biofuels.
Find a job in: energy efficiency
Some of the fastest growing green-collar jobs involve designing and building modern, environmentally friendly buildings, and weatherizing homes and businesses to make them more energy efficient.
In order to help families and businesses save energy, workers insulate attics and walls, put caulking around windows, and install energy-saving appliances like solar water heaters.
Energy efficiency has created new careers in green architecture and energy auditing, while putting a new spin on traditional careers like heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) technicians, carpenters, electricians and plumbers.
Find a job in: renewable energy
Because of concerns about global warming and high oil prices, renewable energy—power generated from natural sources like the sun, wind and geothermal heat—is making up a growing part of our energy use. Solar power is another fast-growing field.
Career opportunities in solar energy include solar system installers and managers, solar engineers and engine assemblers. Meanwhile, wind has the potential to provide 20 percent of the nation’s energy needs, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
This means more engine assemblers, machinists and mechanical engineers are needed to build wind turbines. And then there’s geothermal energy, which is created by drilling wells into underground reservoirs to tap steam and very hot water. This requires welders, mechanics, plumbers, architects, geologists and hydrologists.
Find a job in: alternative fuels
The same concerns driving renewable energy have helped the growing popularity of alternative fuels, including biodiesel, ethanol and fuel cells.
In 2007, there were 1.8 million alternative fuel vehicles sold in the United States, according to the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. These jobs are likely to grow even more as a result of legislation that requires the U.S. to sell 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels by 2022.
Some jobs in alternative fuels are ethanol plant and systems operators, ethanol plant technicians, electrical maintenance mechanics and biodiesel lab technicians.
Find a job in: habitat restoration
Habitat restoration is the process of cleaning up polluted habitats in order to re-establish healthy, self-sustaining ecosystems.
Along with many nonprofit organizations nationwide, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service implements numerous conservation projects. Someone with a career in habitat restoration might restore salmon spawning beds, remove toxic algae and invasive species, plant native trees and other vegetation, or teach kids about protecting the environment.
Get your green education at a community college
“Community colleges have a large role to play in vocational skills training, especially in this day and age, with green-collar jobs,” says Linda Kurokawa, director of Community Services and Business Development at San Diego’s MiraCosta College (miracosta.cc.ca.us).
MiraCosta offers training for future solar and wind installers. These one-week accelerated courses give students hands-on preparation for longer, more involved apprenticeship programs offered by unions in San Diego.
Florida’s Palm Beach Community College (pbcc.edu) is offering a new degree program in alternative energy.
At Central Carolina Community College (cccc.edu), students can study green building, biofuels, sustainable agriculture, ecotourism or organic culinary arts.
Los Angeles Community College District’s (laccd.edu) green building program is a “living laboratory” for students, who are helping to revamp campuses with solar panels and power-generating windmills.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
So You Want to Work in Health Care?
Published in March 2010 issue of Next Step Magazine:
http://www.nextstepmagazine.com/nextstep/articlepage1.aspx?artId=3545&categoryId=62
If you like helping people and are looking for a challenging career with an excellent job outlook, the growing field of health care may be for you.
Some careers involve a great deal of direct patient care, while others allow you to work behind the scenes by examining X-rays or developing nutrition plans.
There are as many educational paths to a career in health care as there are occupations in the field.
“The curricula for many health careers require a strong background in science and math,” says Dr. Lori Gonzalez, dean of the College of Health Sciences at the University of Kentucky (uky.edu). “But beyond the coursework, the successful health care professional has a desire to make a difference in the lives of others.”
Here’s a look at some of the career opportunities that are available and how you can prepare for them.
Job: Medical assistant
Years in school: 1-2
Training: Associate, certificate
Average salary: $22,000-$24,000
About the job: Medical assistants perform administrative and clinical tasks in the offices and clinics of physicians and specialists in order to keep them running smoothly.
Job: Registered nurse (RN)
Years in school: 3-4
Training: Diploma from a hospital school of nursing, associate, bachelor’s
Average salary: $58,000
About the job: RNs work in collaboration with physicians and other health professionals to assess symptoms, administer treatment, monitor patient progress, and act as educators and advocates for patients, families and communities.
Job: Radiologic technologist
Years in school: 1-4
Training: Certificate, associate, bachelor’s
Average salary: $42,000-$65,000
About the job: Radiologic technologists are allied medical professionals who perform diagnostic imaging procedures, such as X-rays, MRI scans and CT scans.
Job: Pharmacist
Years in school: 6-8
Training: Doctorate
Average salary: $107,000
About the job: Pharmacists dispense drugs prescribed by physicians and advise physicians and other health professionals on the selection, dosages, interactions and side effects of medications.
Job: Physical therapist
Years in school: 6-9
Training: Master’s, doctorate
Average salary: $68,000
About the job: Physical therapists work closely with injured or disabled individuals to improve function and mobility and relieve pain while promoting overall fitness.
Job: Physician assistant
Years in school: 2-6
Training: Master’s; some associate, bachelor’s degrees offered
Average salary: $65,000-$80,000
About the job: Physician assistants provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventative care to patients under the supervision of physicians.
Job: Registered dietitian
Years in school: 4-5
Training: Bachelor’s
Average salary: $42,000-$55,000
About the job: Dietitians develop nutrition programs to promote good health, prevent allergic reactions, and alleviate the symptoms of illnesses. They may oversee the nutrition of patients in hospitals and other institutions, design nutrition programs for communities, or consult with food service managers.
Job: Licensed practical nurse (LPN)
Years in school: 1
Training: Program in practical nursing at a vocational school or community college
Average salary: $31,000
About the job: LPNs care for sick, injured, convalescent or disabled patients under the supervision of physicians and registered nurses. They check vital signs, administer injections, apply dressings, collect samples, and keep patients comfortable.
Job: Clinical laboratory technician
Years in school: 2-4
Training: Associate; additional training is required for specialization
Average salary: $32,000-$62,000
About the job: Clinical lab technicians discover the presence or absence of disease by examining lab specimens.
Job: Physician
Years in school: 10-15
Training: Doctoral degree from a medical school
Average salary: $150,000-$300,000
About the job: Physicians examine patients, evaluate medical histories, make diagnoses and prescribe treatment. They may work in a particular specialty, such as anesthesiology, internal medicine, pediatrics or surgery.
Susan Tucker, a professor of Allied Health at the University of Oklahoma (ah.ouhsc.edu), says that one good way to find a career match in health care is to meet with a health care professional or discuss options with a virtual advisor at virtualadvisor.org.
“A next step might be to spend some time shadowing or observing a health professional at work, which is an excellent idea to get a feel for what a day in the life of a health professional is really like,” she says.
Health care professionals agree that no matter what path you choose, one of the most rewarding aspects of this field is the opportunity to have an impact on others’ lives.
June Larson, a registered nurse and associate dean of Health Sciences at the University of South Dakota (usd.edu), says, “I have had the opportunity to work with people at the most vulnerable times in their lives, and they have given me so much more than I ever gave them. In that interchange between the nurse and the patient, there is a helping/healing relationship that binds you forever.”
http://www.nextstepmagazine.com/nextstep/articlepage1.aspx?artId=3545&categoryId=62
If you like helping people and are looking for a challenging career with an excellent job outlook, the growing field of health care may be for you.
Some careers involve a great deal of direct patient care, while others allow you to work behind the scenes by examining X-rays or developing nutrition plans.
There are as many educational paths to a career in health care as there are occupations in the field.
“The curricula for many health careers require a strong background in science and math,” says Dr. Lori Gonzalez, dean of the College of Health Sciences at the University of Kentucky (uky.edu). “But beyond the coursework, the successful health care professional has a desire to make a difference in the lives of others.”
Here’s a look at some of the career opportunities that are available and how you can prepare for them.
Job: Medical assistant
Years in school: 1-2
Training: Associate, certificate
Average salary: $22,000-$24,000
About the job: Medical assistants perform administrative and clinical tasks in the offices and clinics of physicians and specialists in order to keep them running smoothly.
Job: Registered nurse (RN)
Years in school: 3-4
Training: Diploma from a hospital school of nursing, associate, bachelor’s
Average salary: $58,000
About the job: RNs work in collaboration with physicians and other health professionals to assess symptoms, administer treatment, monitor patient progress, and act as educators and advocates for patients, families and communities.
Job: Radiologic technologist
Years in school: 1-4
Training: Certificate, associate, bachelor’s
Average salary: $42,000-$65,000
About the job: Radiologic technologists are allied medical professionals who perform diagnostic imaging procedures, such as X-rays, MRI scans and CT scans.
Job: Pharmacist
Years in school: 6-8
Training: Doctorate
Average salary: $107,000
About the job: Pharmacists dispense drugs prescribed by physicians and advise physicians and other health professionals on the selection, dosages, interactions and side effects of medications.
Job: Physical therapist
Years in school: 6-9
Training: Master’s, doctorate
Average salary: $68,000
About the job: Physical therapists work closely with injured or disabled individuals to improve function and mobility and relieve pain while promoting overall fitness.
Job: Physician assistant
Years in school: 2-6
Training: Master’s; some associate, bachelor’s degrees offered
Average salary: $65,000-$80,000
About the job: Physician assistants provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventative care to patients under the supervision of physicians.
Job: Registered dietitian
Years in school: 4-5
Training: Bachelor’s
Average salary: $42,000-$55,000
About the job: Dietitians develop nutrition programs to promote good health, prevent allergic reactions, and alleviate the symptoms of illnesses. They may oversee the nutrition of patients in hospitals and other institutions, design nutrition programs for communities, or consult with food service managers.
Job: Licensed practical nurse (LPN)
Years in school: 1
Training: Program in practical nursing at a vocational school or community college
Average salary: $31,000
About the job: LPNs care for sick, injured, convalescent or disabled patients under the supervision of physicians and registered nurses. They check vital signs, administer injections, apply dressings, collect samples, and keep patients comfortable.
Job: Clinical laboratory technician
Years in school: 2-4
Training: Associate; additional training is required for specialization
Average salary: $32,000-$62,000
About the job: Clinical lab technicians discover the presence or absence of disease by examining lab specimens.
Job: Physician
Years in school: 10-15
Training: Doctoral degree from a medical school
Average salary: $150,000-$300,000
About the job: Physicians examine patients, evaluate medical histories, make diagnoses and prescribe treatment. They may work in a particular specialty, such as anesthesiology, internal medicine, pediatrics or surgery.
Susan Tucker, a professor of Allied Health at the University of Oklahoma (ah.ouhsc.edu), says that one good way to find a career match in health care is to meet with a health care professional or discuss options with a virtual advisor at virtualadvisor.org.
“A next step might be to spend some time shadowing or observing a health professional at work, which is an excellent idea to get a feel for what a day in the life of a health professional is really like,” she says.
Health care professionals agree that no matter what path you choose, one of the most rewarding aspects of this field is the opportunity to have an impact on others’ lives.
June Larson, a registered nurse and associate dean of Health Sciences at the University of South Dakota (usd.edu), says, “I have had the opportunity to work with people at the most vulnerable times in their lives, and they have given me so much more than I ever gave them. In that interchange between the nurse and the patient, there is a helping/healing relationship that binds you forever.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
