Top Trending Career Options
What are some of the most promising career options for your child’s future?
There are literally hundreds of emerging opportunities, as well as many traditional options available in our region. Keep reading to learn more about some of the best careers in top demand.
Registered Nurses and Medical Professionals
Depending on the field your child may want to pursue, there are a number of options. If your child values interacting with patients and wants to become a registered nurse (RN), they will need either an associate degree in nursing, a Bachelor of Science in nursing, or another accredited diploma from a nursing program. If they are interested in becoming a practicing physician, they will need a medical degree in their chosen field, on top of a four-year degree.
In northeast Indiana, job growth for RNs is expected to be 12 percent in the next decade. Many more healthcare-related jobs—some requiring certifications, not degrees—are also expected to increase in availability.
Click here to search medical jobs in our region.
Data Analysts
If there’s one field that has positively exploded in the last decade, it’s the field of data analytics. Big Data is more than a buzzword—it’s a growing field with lucrative opportunities for college graduates. In fact, the projections for careers in the fields of computer and information research scientists (which also includes data analysts) are among the strongest out there.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the projected national growth rate for jobs in the field is 16 percent. This is more than three times the average national growth rate for jobs, which is 5 percent. Couple this with a 2018 median industry pay of more than $118,000 and you’re looking at an opportunity for your child to make some serious money. Of course, it’s also recommended that they have a master’s degree in computer science or another related field if they want to break into the industry.
Data science is also a promising field for people looking to break down walls and shatter glass ceilings in a traditionally male-dominated industry. An article from Forbes detailed that only 26 percent of the jobs in data science in the US are held by women. Thankfully, there are terrific programs out there looking to change these numbers. Girls Who Code is one such program designed to offer clubs and immersion programs for girls from third grade through college. The program teaches girls all about the exciting world of computer science and how they can break into this dynamic field themselves.
Overall, data science job growth is expected to be 82 percent in the next decade in northeast Indiana.
Click here to search data analyst jobs in our region.
Plumbers and Electricians
Not all the best careers for the future will require a four-year undergraduate degree. There is a desperate need to fill many jobs in northeast Indiana with skilled laborers. There’s a serious demand for skilled positions like plumbers and electricians, and these are well-paying jobs with promising career prospects.
In northeast Indiana, it is anticipated that job growth in the next decade will be 6 percent for plumbers and 12 percent for electricians.
One of the best things about skilled labor positions is how quickly your child can potentially enter the workforce. Many of these positions require a high school degree and often an associate degree in a related field, but don’t necessarily require graduation from a four-year university. If your student is looking to work with their hands in a high-demand field, they should give serious thought to a career as a plumber, an electrician, or in another other skilled trade.
There are apprenticeship programs available in our area for anyone eager to start their career. Your child can explore career opportunities in fields like the energy industry and find a variety of careers, from electrical technicians to power plant operators. They can even find available apprenticeships with specific companies in their industry of interest. One place to look for trade apprenticeships is the Northeast Indiana Building & Construction Trades Council.
Click here to search apprenticeships in our region.
Dentists and Dental Hygienists
Just like they require medical care, people still need to visit the dentist, regardless of how the economy is doing. As baby boomers keep getting older, they’re going to require more dental care. The same can be said for the health-minded millennial generation.
Your young adult will need an associate degree in dental hygiene to start a career as a dental hygienist. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 11 percent annual growth nationally in this important field over the next 10 years. For a career as a dentist, your child will need a bachelor’s degree followed by a doctor of dental surgery (DDS) or doctor of medicine in dentistry (DMD) degree.
Software Developers
Whether it’s your favorite social media platform or that new app you can’t get enough of, you have a software developer to thank for that. It’s hard to overstate just how important software developers are to the modern world. Practically everything you see on your phone or computer was built by a software developer. From the utility apps that let you type reports, to programs that help you schedule and track, down to your favorite video game, they’re all thanks to the hard work of software developers. And developers do much more than build the programs themselves. They’re also responsible for the updates and fixes that keep your favorite applications running smoothly. It’s no wonder developers are in such high demand.
Software developers are also one of the hottest occupations on the market right now. U.S. News & World Report ranked it as the top career overall in its list of the 100 best careers for 2020, as well as number one in both STEM and technology fields.
In northeast Indiana, career growth for software developers is expected to be 26 percent in the next decade.
If this is a career your child is interested in, they will need a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field, and many companies will look favorably on an advanced degree.
Click here to search software developer jobs in our region.
Cybersecurity Experts
Just as the world increasingly becomes even more digital, the need for cybersecurity has grown too. Data breaches are a huge deal and expose the private information of both customers and companies. According to IBM, the average total cost of a data breach is $3.92 million. With so much on the line, it’s no surprise that companies are willing to pay handsomely for someone to protect their data.
Median salaries for cybersecurity experts can start at $80,000 for IT security consultants and can reach six figures for other positions, such as a security director.
Job growth for information security analysts in northeast Indiana in the next decade is expected to be 6 percent.
The best way to help your child start a path in cybersecurity is with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, engineering or another related field.
These are only a choice few of the many careers with promising futures. The most important career is the one that is right for your child. YF:MIYO is here to help students plan for their careers by exploring what’s available in northeast Indiana to create a life they’ll love.
Alternative Energy Installers and Technicians
No matter how you may feel about climate change or the continued use of fossil fuels, there’s no question that the role of alternative energy in the world is only going to increase. Whether it’s through the increased application of wind energy, wider use of solar power or developing new electric cars, alternative and renewable energy are vast fields with virtually limitless untapped potential.
One of the most exciting things about alternative energy jobs is how broad the field’s career spectrum is. There’s a career for your child in everything from construction to engineering, installation and alternative-energy research.
In fact, wind turbine technician is the fastest-growing job in America, and employment is expected to grow by an incredible 108 percent by 2024. For this specific position, your child will need to complete a two-year program at a technical school, in addition to a high school diploma.
Click here to search alternative energy jobs in our region.
Mental Health Professionals
The stigma toward seeking help with mental health is lessening at a time when people arguably need the services of mental health professionals more than ever. It’s not a profession that can be automated, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a caring ear from a robot. That’s why there’s an expected growth rate of 22 percent in the field of substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors.
In northeast Indiana in the next decade, the job growth rate for substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors is expected to be 13 percent.
Society, and insurance companies, are recognizing the growing importance of mental health. This means that there is going to be a much higher demand for professionals who are properly trained in providing mental health services. This includes psychologists, therapists, counselors and social workers. Like many other medical professions, mental health professionals may also qualify for student loan forgiveness through Federal Education Loans for Service.
If a career in mental health sounds right for your child, they will need a master’s degree in clinical social psychology or social work, or a doctorate in psychology, to become a licensed psychotherapist.
Click here to search careers for mental health professionals in our region.
Veterinarians
People love their pets, and they’re willing to pay a lot of money to take care of them. If your child is a compassionate person who loves working with animals, becoming a vet may be a great career for them.
To become a veterinarian, your child will need a four-year degree in a field like biology, zoology, chemistry or physics. They’ll also need a doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) degree from an accredited program.
Once they have their degrees, they can stand to make a good living as a veterinarian. The 2018 median pay for vets was $93,880 and the projected growth rate for the next decade is 18 percent, more than three times higher than the national average.
The job growth rate for veterinarians in northeast Indiana is expected to be 13 percent.
Click here to search veterinarian jobs in our region.
Artificial Intelligence
Instead of worrying about a robot taking their job someday, what if your child was the person designing the robot? Artificial intelligence is a dynamic and growing field with a wide variety of occupations, ranging from robotics engineers to natural language processing to artificial intelligence researchers.
Because it’s such a new and exciting field, there’s a lot of room for growth in the artificial intelligence industry. What’s more, it can be a very lucrative career. The New York Times reports that top researchers at big companies are finding salaries in the high six figures. If getting into AI sounds like something your child may want to do, they’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree, but a master’s degree in computer science is recommended if they want to be placed into one of these larger roles.
