High Growth Occupations Revealed by O*NET

There could be a bright light in your career future! Despite the tough economy and high unemployment rates, O*NET OnLine (US Department of Labor) says there are “bright outlook” occupations. These are defined as “occupations expected to grow rapidly in the next several years, will need large numbers of new job openings, or are new and emerging occupations”.

If you are considering a career change or simply interested in what fields are the best high-growth prospects, why not check out the list? The links contained within the list will take you to specific information about each occupation, including job description, salary level, education and training, and outlook for the future. Many of these occupations are also identified as “green jobs”.

Here is an A-B-C sampling of some of the “bright outlook” occupations:

Adaptive Physical Education Specialists
Biofuels Processing Technicians
Cardiovascular Technologist and Technicians
Energy Auditors
Fuel Cell Engineers
Green Marketers
Hydroelectric Plant Technicians
Industrial Ecologists
Janitors and Cleaners
Landscape Architects
Mapping Technicians
Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists
Online Merchants
Precision Agriculture Technicians
Quality Control Analysts
Recycling Coordinators
Solar Energy Installation Managers
Training and Development Specialists
Urban and Regional Planners
Video Game Designers
Water Resource Specialists

Many of the bright outlook occupations do not require a 4-year degree, so obtaining the necessary training to switch careers may be do-able for you. Consult with a career counselor to determine what might be the “best fit” option for you.

I was pleased to see that one of the “much faster than average” growth occupations is for Special Education Teacher, Pre-school, Kindergarten, and Elementary School. This is the field my daughter has trained for and is actively pursuing in her job search. Hurray for bright outlook careers!