Health-care Occupations to Dominate Nation's Fastest-Growing Jobs

Health care, the nation’s largest field of employment, is about to become even larger.

By 2014, this sizzling field is expected to grow by more than 27 percent, compared with 14 percent for all other fields combined. This growth will account for the addition of 3.6 million new jobs, according to The Editors at JIST, co-authors of the Health-Care CareerVision Book and DVD.

With the demand for health-care workers growing, the job market is booming with diverse opportunities for all types of people. Students, job seekers, and career changers are more likely than ever to find a promising health-care career that connects to the education and training they already possess or are willing to pursue.

In their book, The Editors at JIST identify the fastest-growing jobs in health-care, based on information from the U.S. Department of Labor. These in-demand careers range from jobs that require only short-term, on-the-job training to those that require a professional degree, achieved through years of education, training and internships. The following list represents the top ten fastest-growing occupations in health care:

1. Home health aides
   Percent growth: 56 percent
2. Medical assistants
   Percent growth: 52.1 percent
3. Physician assistants
   Percent growth: 49.6 percent
4. Physical therapist assistants
   Percent growth: 44.2 percent
5. Dental hygienists
   Percent growth: 43.3 percent
6. Dental assistants
   Percent growth: 42.7 percent
7. Physical therapists
   Percent growth: 36.7 percent
8. Forensic science technicians
   Percent growth: 36.4 percent
9. Veterinary technologists and technicians
   Percent growth: 35.3 percent
10. Diagnostic medical sonographers
    Percent growth: 34.8 percent

The Editors at JIST warn that just because the health-care field is rich with growth and opportunities, doesn’t mean landing a job will be easy. “Remember that the job market consists of both job openings and job seekers. The figures on job growth and openings don’t tell you how many people will be competing with you to be hired.”

To ensure job seekers are prepared to beat out competitors, The Editors at JIST suggest job seekers, “speak to people who educate or train tomorrow’s workers. They probably have a good idea of how many of their graduates find rewarding employment and how quickly. People in the workforce can also add helpful insights into this issue.”

Health-Care Career Vision Book and DVD is available at all major bookstores and from the publisher (http://www.jist.com/ or 1.800.648.JIST).