When choosing a career, you want to consider your passions, skills and income potential. You might also ask yourself: Could a robot do this job? Here are three fields in which the answer is “no”… at least for now!
Two huge factors that threaten job security are outsourcing and automation — jobs are either sent overseas or replaced with computerized or robotic systems.
In a world where whole fields are being made redundant, positions that aren’t easily automated or outsourced can provide job security for both the short and long term. We asked Alison Doyle, job search expert for About.com, to help us brainstorm just a few examples.
Healthcare workers
“As the US population ages, there is an increasing demand for healthcare workers,” Alison says.
“Increasing demand” is putting it mildly. There will be 3.2 million new positions for healthcare workers by 2018, according to Monster.com. Best of all, since healthcare workers have to serve patients in person and with a human touch, they are among the least likely to be replaced by automation.
Of course, some healthcare positions require advanced degrees. More school means more student loans. But these jobs have high projected growth rates and decent salaries, so at least you know you’ll be able to pay the loans back:
Registered nurse: $65,470 per year
Healthcare administrator: $88,580 per year
Physical therapist: $79,860 per year
Not in the mood to go back to school? No worries. You can get these healthcare jobs without an advanced degree (although you may need to get a certificate or on-the-job training of some sort):
Home Health Aide: $20,820 per year
Medical Assistant: $29,370 per year
Dental assistant: $34,500 per year
Pharmacy technician: $29,320 per year
Truck drivers
Companies can outsource a lot of stuff overseas. But one thing they’ll never be able to outsource is hauling goods from one spot to another.
“There’s currently a shortage of truck drivers,” Alison says.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that by 2022, companies will need to hire 192,600 more truck drivers.
The pay is better than you might think — in 2012, truck drivers on average earned $38,200 per year.