The 3 Best Industries for Career Changers

The 3 Best Industries for Career Changers The 3 Best Industries for Career Changers The 3 Best Industries for Career Changers If you're looking for a job, you've probably come to realize that it's a jungle out there with a lot of job seekers chasing too few job openings. People who have worked in stressed industries, such as finance or newspaper publishing, have found it especially rough since the recession has erased many jobs. For most of us, career planning takes us only as far as the next job. Few people have a formal plan for what they might want to do in, say, five or 10 years. But taking a longer view might not be a bad idea, especially if you have plenty of years left before you retire. There might not be a perfect industry to be in right now, but when the economy turns around, some industries will recover more quickly and easily than others. If you're considering a career change, think about opportunities in these three industries, which are all expected to see job growth in the coming decade. HEALTH CARE Aging Baby Boomers (people born between 1946 and 1964) will be placing more demand on the nation's health care system for at least the next two decades. That's a big reason the federal government foresees about 3 million new jobs in the health care industry from 2008 through 2016. The need for nurses and physical therapists will be especially great, as will the need for medical records specialists and health information technicians, as the industry uses more technology for billing and service delivery. CONSTRUCTION As goes the economy, so goes the construction industry. When the economy begins to turn around and businesses are again able to borrow money for development, the construction industry will benefit. Also, the growing emphasis on going green will call for more environmentally-friendly design, which will increase demand for environmental engineers, scientists, and other specialists. Then, of course, builders will want to hire more people to build the structures. Altogether, the government sees an increase of about 3 million jobs in this industry through 2016. EDUCATION Much of the expected job growth will require education beyond high school. That means colleges, universities, and career institutes will need more people who can teach. The government sees a 23 percent growth in these roles through 2016. If you'd like to transition into a career in education, find out the required credentials for the teaching role you'd like to pursue, and acquire any additional training or certifications you'll need. Have you moved into one of these industries after working in another? Tell us about your experience.