Career Pathways Explorer

Healthcare is the maintenance and improvement of physical and mental health through medical services. These services include the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of illness, injury, or disease. Professionals in the healthcare industry include individuals working in the fields of dentistry, nursing, occupational therapy, medical imaging, and many more.

Job Outlook

Employment of healthcare occupations is projected to grow 18 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations, adding about 2.4 million new jobs. Healthcare occupations are projected to add more jobs than any of the other occupational groups. This projected growth is mainly due to an aging population, leading to greater demand for healthcare services.

Competitive Salary

The median annual wage for healthcare practitioners and technical occupations (such as registered nurses, physicians and surgeons, and dental hygienists) was $64,770 in May 2017, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations in the economy of $37,690.

Healthcare support occupations (such as home health aides, occupational therapy assistants, and medical transcriptionists) had a median annual wage of $28,710 in May 2017, lower than the median annual wage for all occupations in the economy.

Source: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/home.htm

Advanced manufacturing involves the use of innovative technologies to create new or existing products.

Job Outlook

Employment of architecture and engineering occupations is projected to grow 7 percent from 2016 to 2026, about as fast as the average for all occupations. About 194,300 new jobs are projected to be added. Most of the projected job growth in this group is in the engineer occupations, as their services will be in demand in various areas such as rebuilding of infrastructure, renewable energy, oil and gas extraction, and robotics.

High Wages

The median annual wage for architecture and engineering occupations was $79,180 in May 2017. The median annual wages for all occupations in this group was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations in the economy, which was $37,690.

Source: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/home.htm

As a subsidiary of the overarching discipline of computing, information technology in education involves the design, implementation and maintenance of technology solutions and support for users of such systems. IT focuses on crafting hardware and software solutions as applied to networks, security, client-server and mobile computing, web applications, multimedia resources, communications systems, and the planning and management of the technology lifecycle.

Job Outlook

Employment of computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow 13 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations. These occupations are projected to add about 557,100 new jobs. Demand for these workers will stem from greater emphasis on cloud computing, the collection and storage of big data, and information security.

High Wages

The median annual wage for computer and information technology occupations was $84,580 in May 2017, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $37,690.

Source: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/home.htm

The business industry includes all activities associated with producing products for sale or selling goods and services for profit. The business industry includes careers involving marketing, administrative support, finance, hospitality, tourism, and more.

Job Outlook

Employment of business and financial operations occupations is projected to grow 7 percent from 2018 to 2028, faster than the average for all occupations, adding about 591,800 new jobs. Globalization, a growing economy, and a complex tax and regulatory environment are expected to continue to lead to strong demand for accountants and auditors. In addition, increasing usage of data and market research in order to understand customers and product demand, and to evaluate marketing strategies, will lead to growing demand for market research analysts.

Competitive Salary

This median annual wage for business and financial occupations was $69,820 in May 2019, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $39,810.

Source: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/home.htm

The architecture and construction industries are involved with designing, planning, and building buildings and other structures.

Job Outlook

Employment of construction and extraction occupations is projected to grow 10 percent from 2018 to 2028, faster than the average for all occupations, a gain of about 704,000 new jobs. Overall growth in the economy and population will increase demand for new buildings, roads, and other structures, which will create new jobs in construction and extraction occupations.

Employment of architecture and engineering occupations is projected to grow 4 percent from 2018 to 2028, about as fast as the average for all occupations. About 113,300 new jobs are projected to be added. Most of the projected job growth in this group is in the engineer occupations, as their services will be in demand in various areas such as rebuilding of infrastructure, renewable energy, oil and gas extraction, and robotics.

Competitive Salary

The median annual wage for all construction and extraction occupations was $47,430 in May 2019, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $39,810.

The median annual wage for architecture and engineering occupations was $81,440 in May 2019. The median annual wages for all occupations in this group was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations in the economy, which was $39,810.

Source: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/home.htm & https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/home.htm

The transportation industry involves the movement of goods, animals, or people from one location to another.

Job Outlook

Employment of transportation and material moving occupations is projected to grow 4 percent from 2018 to 2028, about as fast as the average for all occupations, adding 483,100 new jobs. Material moving workers are expected to be needed to move materials in nearly all sectors of the economy. Additionally, the economy depends on truck drivers to transport freight and keep supply chains moving.

Competitive Salary

The median annual wage for transportation and material moving occupations was $32,440 in May 2019, below the median for all occupations of $39,810.

Source: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/transportation-and-material-moving/home.htm

Logistics positions involve organizing and executing complex operations. Logistics can include coordinating the movements or actions of many people, goods, or facilities for the completion of a larger goal.

Job Outlook

Employment of logisticians is projected to grow 5 percent from 2018 to 2028, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Employment growth will be driven, in part, by the need for logistics in the transportation of goods in a global economy.

Competitive Salary

The median annual wage for logisticians was $74,750 in May 2019, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $39,810.

Source: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/logisticians.htm#tab-1

Administrative support technology reinforces the day-to-day operations of other organizations. The processes employed in this sector (e.g., general management, personnel administration, clerical activities, etc.) are often integral parts of the activities of establishments found in all sectors of the economy.

Versatility

The very nature of administrative roles means that you'll be tasked with a wide range of daily responsibilities. This will build a robust skillset, making you an adaptable, resourceful, well-rounded asset to any organization.

Career Trajectory

Because administrative professionals work in a vast array of industries and within numerous departments in an organization, they can be promoted to a variety of positions. Exploring and refining their skills may lead to a more narrowly defined specialty or proficiency.

Compensation

The median annual wage for office and administrative support occupations was $34,740 in May 2017.

Source: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/home.htm

Apprenticeship is an arrangement that allows you to enter a paid role with an employer that has an educational or instructional component in which you obtain workplace relevant knowledge and skills.

You receive a paycheck as any other employee does and increases in pay as you learn new skills. Your hands-on career training is specific to the industry and, in many cases, the employer you're working with. You also may earn credit toward college degree or credential programs.

A credential is a formal document that is usually earned by taking an assessment or a series of assessments in which you prove your competencies (skills or work performed) in a certain area. Credentials include degrees or certificates from colleges and universities as well as certifications earned through professional organizations and accrediting bodies.

Credentials prove to employers that you have the competencies (skills or work performed) needed to be successful in a certain occupation. Rather than testing your competencies directly, employers rely on credentials to verify whether an individual is qualified for a position. For example, a Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) certificate from the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) demonstrates to an office looking to fill an open administrative support position that a potential employee has all the competencies necessary to fulfill the requirements of that job.

Workplace skills are Knowledge to Work's collection of frameworks not associated with specific credentials, occupations, or apprenticeships. Each framework lists multiple competency statements that outline the knowledge, skills, and abilities you may be required to exhibit in any career.

As you can with any credential, occupation, or apprenticeship on KnowledgeToWork.com, you may sign up for a free account and select a workplace skills framework as one of your educational goals. Doing so loads all competency statements from that workplace skills framework into your learning plan and dashboard, which allows you to track your learning progress to competency attainment.