Look Out for Entry Level Jobs in Healthcare
For college students majoring in healthcare, they may be able to find entry level jobs sooner than they think. According to a recent magazine article, the U.S. Department of Labor says nearly 22% of all wage and salary jobs added to the economy between now and 2016 will be in the healthcare industry. Why? It’s the result of an aging population and new initiatives being taken to provide new opportunities in this particular arena.
There are four groups in which healthcare jobs can be classified: (1) managerial, business, and financial, (2) professional (3) service, and (4) office and administrative. While these areas have varying requirements for employment, they do give more people opportunities to work in healthcare who wouldn’t have otherwise been able to do so. For example, if a college student has a background in business, he or she might be able to land an entry level job in the first group of healthcare jobs. There may be many college students and recent graduates who want jobs within the healthcare industry, but don’t want to work with patients.
The type of education and skill set required to work in the healthcare industry depends on the job you’re looking for. Some positions may require only an associate’s degree, but more employers are searching for candidates with more education. According to the article I read, for example, there is an increasing number of entry level jobs in nursing requiring bachelor’s degrees, and there’s even a push for more positions across the industry to do the same. It can never hurt to have a little more knowledge in the field, as this will factor into the salaries of these workers, along with other factors, including position, experience, and location.
One reason to be optimistic about entry level jobs in the healthcare industry is the Obama administration’s new initiatives and legislation to digitize medical records, and use technology to more effectively manage the safety of patients and reduce costs. One example is a new medication administration system designed to track how and when patients receive their medication. Billions of dollars from the stimulus package have been set aside to the labor, health, and education sectors, and the Department of Health and Human Services, which should help to create more jobs in the healthcare industry. Once that money kicks in, employers will need employees who can manage these new initiatives, opening the door for people with experience in information technology.
Some of the employers in the healthcare industry who may be hiring now or in the near future are:
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
- United Health Group Inc.
- Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
- King’s Daughters Medical Center
- Health IT companies
While the overall health of employment may take some time to recover, the demand for entry level jobs in the healthcare industry looks good for college students and recent graduates.
Information provided by Benice Atufunwa.
Source
Black Enterprise Magazine – February 2010
