Focused ahead
Stable jobs available in many fields for 2022 and beyond
The pandemic has certainly done a number on employment but if the country can return to a new normal of day-to-day life, there may be signs of emerging and re-emerging careers. Despite numerous layoffs and furloughs in 2020, many professions remain in demand and are expected to grow over the next five to 10 years.
If you’re trying to decide on a career path or considering a change of course, here’s our first in a series of summaries of some of the nation’s fastest-growing fields, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:
Wind turbine service technicians
While the overall number of wind turbine service technicians is still small, jobs in the field will grow by 61 percent in the next 10 years. Wind turbine service technicians install, maintain and repair wind turbines. Preparation may consist of an earned degree or certification at a technical school and on-the-job training. The median annual wage for wind turbine technicians was $52,910 in May 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. Current projections don’t take into account any new infrastructure initiative in the years ahead but because wind electricity generation is expected to grow rapidly over the coming decade, additional technicians will be needed to install and maintain new turbines. Job prospects are expected to be excellent.
Nurse practitioners
Nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists and nurse midwives coordinate patient care and may provide primary and specialty healthcare. A combination of factors — high numbers of retiring veteran nurses, aging Baby Boomer and Gen X populations and the increasing prevalence of preventative healthcare — continues to make nursing one of the nation’s fastest-growing professions. Jobs are expected to grow by 45 percent over the next decade. Nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives and nurse practitioners must earn advanced degrees and must also be licensed in their state and pass a national certification exam. The median annual wage for nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives and nurse practitioners was $115,800 in 2019, according to the BLS.
Solar photovoltaic installer
As the United States looks to increase alternative sources of energy, solar photovoltaic (PV)installers will increase by 51 percent over the next 10 years. Solar PV installers assemble, set up and maintain rooftop or other systems that convert sunlight into energy. While the majority of solar panel installations are done outdoors, PV installers sometimes work in attics and crawl spaces to connect panels to the electrical grid. Although installers typically need a high school diploma, some take courses at a technical school or community college. Installers typically receive on-the-job training lasting up to one year. In 2019, the median annual wage for solar photovoltaic installers was $44,890.
Home health aides
A growing demand for home-based health services from the nation’s aging population has triggered demand for employment of home health aides, resulting in projected growth of more than 34 percent through 2029, according to the bureau’s data.
Home health aides, who help elderly or disabled persons remain in their own homes by providing a variety of healthrelated services, are also being hired in record numbers as efforts increase to reduce costs by moving patients out of hospitals as quickly as possible. Home health and personal care aides typically need a high school diploma or equivalent, but some positions do not require it. Those working in certified home health or hospice agencies may need to complete formal training or pass a standardized test. The median annual wage for home health aides and personal care aides was $25,280 in 2019.
Automotive service technicians/mechanics
The number of jobs for automotive service technicians and mechanics is projected to grow over the next decade, according to the bureau’s data. Not only is employment growth expected to create new jobs, many skilled technicians are expected to retire in the next 10 years and will need to be replaced. Also, people are keeping their cars longer in an effort to save money and usually see to it that they’re serviced and repaired to maintain reliability.
Medical assistants
One of the nation’s fastest-growing occupations, medical assistants perform a variety of administrative and clinical duties under the direction of a physician, such as scheduling appointments, maintaining records, recording medical histories and administering medications. This field is projected to create numerous annual job openings because of a large number of new positions, in addition to the need to replace workers retiring or leaving the occupation. Those with formal training — particularly those with certification — should have the best opportunities.
Dental hygienists
Dental hygienists rank among America’s most in-demand occupations, in response to increasing demand for dental care and the greater use of hygienists.
The demand for dental services continues to swell because of population growth, older people increasingly retaining more teeth and an increasing focus on preventative dental care. As dentists’ workloads increase, they are hiring more hygienists to perform preventive dental care, such as cleaning, so they may devote their own time to more complex procedures.