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Top Careers: A look at the recent trends in the job market

Aaron Benson BEN01015@BYUI.EDU Scroll Staff

As technology changes and as the population ages, the need for trained professionals in health care and computer technology grows at a faster rate than any other occupational groups, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Of the 10 fastest-growing occupations listed by the BLS, nine of them are in the computer technology and health care fields.

Sid Ahrendsen, career development specialist at BYU-Idaho, agreed that these two fields have the brightest job outlook for graduating students.

The health care industry is expected to generate an increase of 1.7 million jobs from 2002-2012, a 27.5 percent increase, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, which is published by the BLS. Careers in the health care industry range from practicing physicians and surgeons to pharmacy technicians and dental hygienists.

The computer technology industry is projected to increase by 1 million jobs, a 33 percent increase, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook. The fastest growing jobs in the industry are computer software engineer, computer systems analyst and computer support specialist.

Ahrendsen, who has been working as a career specialist for five years, attributes the increase in demand for health care professionals to the large aging generation know as the baby boomers.

As technology develops, he believes that traditional jobs, like farming and manufacturing, are being replaced by the new technologies. So, as health care and computer industries grow, other industries are shrinking.

Other occupational groups that are projected to grow faster than average include community and social services, education and library, protective services, and business and finance.

In choosing a career, Ahrendsen said that students should pursue that which interests them.

“It is easier to develop the necessary skills for a career than to develop interest in the subject,” said Ahrendsen. “Your chosen career has to hold your interest for 30-40 years.”

Students who wish to learn more about available careers and the projected demand for such can find help in the Career and Academic Advising offices in the Spencer W. Kimball Building, as well as in the satellite advising offices in each of the university colleges.

“We are keenly aware at BYU-Idaho of the job market, and we’ll keep up with it,” said Ahrendsen. “We want to meet the expectations of the students coming here.”