BLUEPRINTS
Where the Jobs Are Nationwide
The U.S. Department of Labor predicts these occupations will grow the
fastest nationwide between 2004 and 2014, with job openings in each field
increasing more than 30 percent over that decade:
■ physical therapists
■ forensic science technicians
■ veterinary technologists and technicians
■ diagnostic medical sonographers
■ physical therapist aides
■ occupational therapist assistants
■ occupational therapists
■ medic al scientists,
except epidemiologists
COURTESY OF FBI
■ home health aides
■ network systems and data communications analysts
■ medical assistants
■ physician assistants
■ computer software engineers, applications
■ physical therapist assistants
■ dental hygienists
■ compter software engineers, systems
software
■ dental assistants
■ personal and home care aides
■ network and computer systems administrators
■ database administrators
Jason Brewer ’03 (PhD) introduces a sample for
instrumental analysis at the FBI lab. He likes
the variety of forensic investigation.
The Labor Department expects these will be the fastest-growing
occupations requiring a bachelor’s degree:
■ network systems and data communications analysts
■ physician assistants
■ computer software engineers,
applications
■ computer software engineers, systems
software
■ network and computer systems administrators
Among occupations requiring a bachelor’s degree, the Labor Department
predicts these will have the largest numerical job growth:
■ elementary school teachers, except
special education
■ accountants and auditors
■ computer software engineers, applications
■ computer systems analysts
■ secondary school teachers, except
special and vocational education
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook,
www.bls.gov/oco/ocotjt1.htm; Tomorrow’s Jobs, www.bls.gov/oco/oco2003.htm.
semiconductor industry, but when he completed his degree, he found job opportunities in that field limited. He took a postdoctoral position as a visiting scientist in
Quantico and after a year stayed on in a
permanent position.
“I’m in the chemistry unit, so I do
chemical examinations on evidence sent to
the laboratory for investigations from anybody throughout the world,” he says. The
exams are those he was trained to do as an
undergraduate and graduate student, though
he was “completely oblivious” then to the
fact they could be applied in the setting
where he now works. Forensic science programs are springing up throughout the
country, he says, but a lot of his colleagues
are, like him, trained in traditional science.
Brewer’s reaction when he first saw the
state-of-the-art instruments in his unit was,
“Wow.” He’s now been trained in handling
evidence and testifying as an expert witness, and he finds his unexpected career
enjoyable and challenging.
“Each new case is its own individual
project,” he says. “Each offers fairly new
research-type problems to solve, not like
you’d see in a quality-assurance lab where
you would be doing the same thing all the
time.” He may have stumbled into his
high-growth occupation, but he plans to
stay.
Bennett, Bosman and Brewer all know
now that their respective fields are likely to
expand, but occupational projections are
only part of their thinking about their
careers. Conklin recommends taking a look
at these projections, but remembering how
important it is to do work that you love.
She sums it up this way: “The path with
heart will lead to your destiny.”
— Kathleen Kearns
