Fastest Growing Occupations of 2011
Of course, occupations go through periods of growth, decline, stagnation, and even death as technology and markets change. Today, the volatility in occupational change is greater than ever before, given the world economies and markets that are in day to day crisis. But jobs are expected to be available to skilled technicians, computer specialists, medical specialists, personal service specialists and many more fields where those who have or who can get the education and training can qualify.
The term "fastest growing occupation" must be applied to the appropriate time frame and with the understanding that the Bureau of Labor Statistics groups jobs into occupational categories that may contain many specific job titles.
There are occupational categories that are expected be hot between now and 2018. Many qualified workers want to know which occupations show the most promise now, while students will want to know what will be good when they graduate and enter the job market.
According to the 2009Bureau of Labor Statisticsreport, the two fastest growing occupational categories were in Bio medical Engineering (72.02 percent) Network systems and data communications (53.4 percent) and Personal and home care aides (50 percent). The remaining fastest growing occupations are listed by percentile.
Occupational categories that had the fastest growth in the 40 percent range were:
Home health aides, Financial examiners, and medical scientists who are not epidemiologists.
Most of the fastest growing occupational categories were in the 30 percent range, including:
Medical assistants, Veterinarians, financial examiners, Biochemists and biophysicists, athletic trainers, physician assistants, skin care specialists, Computer systems and software engineers, physical therapy assistants, self enrichment education teachers, occupational therapist aides, technicians in veterinary care and environmental engineers.
Occupational categories that had growth in the 20 percent range were:
Fitness trainers, aerobics instructors, and occupational therapy assistants.
Educational requirements:
The fast growing job classifications that are listed above have required educational levels. All of the fastest growing occupations require some post high school or post secondary education or training, even if the training is at the basic level, which is short term on the job training.
Having to get extensive post secondary training, as opposed to shorter term educations or on the job training is an important consideration for those who have limited resources for going to school in order to get into a fast growing occupational field.
Post secondary vocational awards are needed for such occupations as fitness and aerobics instructors and skin care specialists.
Associates degrees are needed for environmental engineering technicians, occupational and physical therapy assistants, veterinary techs and dental hygienists.
Masters degrees are required for physicians assistants and physical therapists.
Veterinarians need to earn a first professional degree, while biochemists, biophysicists, and medical scientists other than epidemiologists need a doctorate.
Self enrichment education teachers need work experience in a related occupation.
Moderate to short term training is needed for Home health care and personal aides, physical and occupational therapist aides, dental and medical assistants, and pharmacy technicians.
Long term to moderate on the job training is needed for some compliance officers.
Most of the remaining fastest growing occupations require bachelors degrees. These occupational categories include athletic trainers, biomedical engineers, network systems and data communications analysts, financial examiners, computer software applications engineers, Computer software systems engineers, survey researchers, and Personal financial advisors.
