It’s no secret that job growth in 2008 did not get off to the best possible start. Talk of a national recession driven by high gas prices and poor real estate sales has caused employers in many industries to either have to lay off many workers or hire new ones at a slower rate. But while many other industries are suffering, the health care job is still in abundance.
Despite the current employment situation, approximately 3 million new healthcare jobs are expected to be created by 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This projected job growth is higher than that of any other industry. As of 2006, over 14 million US citizens held jobs in health care, 438,000 of which were self-employed.
In an industry summary the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that of the 20 fastest growing occupations in the nation, 7 of them are healthcare related. Since most workers in this industry have jobs that require less than a 4 year college degree, the education necessary to have a career in healthcare is easily obtainable. Throughout this sector the most educated workers usually work in diagnosing and treating patients.
Since the healthcare industry continues to be extremely varied, one is not limited to one type of working environment. Approximately 85 percent of those who do not work in hospitals have jobs in establishments that employ less than 20 individuals. On the other hand, over 70 percent of those that do work in hospitals are employed by institutions that have at least 1,000 workers. This means that if one does not feel they can handle the stress of a crowded medical facility then they always have to option of working in a more personal setting.
In 2006, 19 percent of those with jobs in healthcare were part-time workers. Considering the occurrence of positions that require fewer hours and the fact that many health care facilities are open 24 hours a day, there are positions that can fit into any schedule.