This study found on the Tri-City Herald Web site finds that more than 60% of participants are worried about losing their jobs, and many are going back to school to train for a new career. Some of the most popular industries are business, economics, radiologic sciences and computer science. Medical assistant programmes and paralegal courses have also shown an increase in enrolments.
The fear of losing their job is making some Washington workers take a fresh look at their careers, says a new study released Tuesday.
About 57 percent of respondents, with an annual income of $40,000 or less, said they would change careers if nothing stood in their way, according to theWorkplace Confidence Survey, sponsored by Everest College, which has six campuses in the Seattle area.
About 65 percent of survey respondents reported suffering from work-related stress about potential pay and job loss. A total of 502 adult Washington workers were interviewed for the survey in early March.
For many feeling stuck in their jobs, the recession is an opportunity to do something different, said Maureen Moriarty, a career transition coach and founder of Pathways to Change in Sammamish. A lot of her clients are talking about going back to school to learn new skills needed for jobs in the health care industry, which has survived the recession better than most sectors of the economy.
Aging baby boomers and the rising demand for health care has sustained the industry’s growth, said Chris Weber, an economics professor at Seattle University. He said unemployment may continue to rise, even after the recession is over.
That makes going to school a nice option, said Randy Rogers, regional vice president of Northwest operations at Everest College, which sponsored the survey.
Enrollment in nursing and dental hygiene programs at Columbia Basin College continues to remain strong, said college spokesman Frank Murray. The number of CBC students in all disciplines this spring increased 12.3 percent compared to the same period last year, he said.
Medical assistant, radiologic sciences, computer science, business/economics and paralegal are some of the programs that have seen an increased enrollment, Murray said. Health care related jobs are particularly in high demand in the Tri-Cities, he said.
Enrollment at Everest College campuses has been rising in the last 15 months, Rogers said. More people want to improve their job prospects, he said.
Personal and home care aides, medical assistants, pharmacy technicians, legal and accounting administrative assistants and dental assistants are considered to be among the top recession-proof careers, he said.
People can use grant money to pay for college, he said. A number of funding resources are available for those planning to go back to school, Rogers said.
Workers today need to be lifelong learners with the globalization of the economy and quick-paced technological changes, Moriarty said. That’ll help take care of some of their work-related stress, she said.
Tags: business, career change, career switch, computer science, economics, jobs, medical, paralegal