Choosing a career for the future can be overwhelming when you consider all of the factors: what jobs are available, how much money you’ll make, and what will bring you a personal sense of fulfillment. Though the latter is a choice you’ll have to reconcile on your own, you don’t need a crystal ball to predict what careers will be stable and plentiful in the long term. Un-fog the future by investigating the following, five of the top projected career fields for the next 25 years.
Nursing
Nursing has bountiful job options and great job security. Work at a hospital, private practice, wellness clinic, or retirement home as a registered nurse or nurse practitioner. Nurses are always in high demand and, as long as there are people on the earth who need to be cared for, are here to stay. Beyond RNs and nurse practitioners, expect physical therapists and home health aides to blossom in the job market and remain in high demand.
Engineering
Civil engineers, structural engineers, biomedical engineers, environmental engineers—the possibilities in this sector are endless. Use that problem-solving mind. An engineering degree will give you a unique skill set and numerous job opportunities with excellent salaries. This job market is still growing, so hop on the engineering train and watch it pick up steam in the decades to come.
Teaching (K-12 and college)
It seems that every decade reveals a new and greater need for schoolteachers for all grade levels. Though elementary, middle, and high school teachers do not receive the highest salaries in the United States, education is a solid job field that always has job openings. Go the extra mile and get a doctoral degree to expand your job options to include college professor positions.
Accounting/financial advising
Some say money is the root of all evil, but we still need people to keep track of it. Job market research shows that personal financial advisors, auditors, accountants, and bookkeepers are all among careers expected to grow in the upcoming years. A business management degree will serve you well for any one of these careers (or a number of other business related jobs).
Technology
Yes, this is a broad category, but given the world’s reliance on computers and ever-developing new technology, technology-related careers are a great bet for the long run. Work as an IT analyst, software developer, or systems engineer and earn the big bucks – companies will always shell out good money for good tech help.
The bottom line: healthcare, computers, schools, and money will never go away, regardless of the economy. The future of the stock market may seem foggy, but it’s clear that nursing, engineering, accounting, teaching, and technology are all sound career investments.