getahead Guide to Career Advancement
Hot Fields for 2015 and Beyond By Rodney Welch
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f you’re in the market for a job, your best bet is to look for a position where the demand is high — and those jobs aren’t restricted to waitressing, delivering pizzas or manning a cash register. Instead, with some training at Midlands Technical College or another local or regional institution, you could find yourself in one of several jobs that not only can’t be filled fast enough, but which also deliver solid, and sometimes high, wages in today’s competitive marketplace. Changes in the fields of industry, computer technology and human services have opened up a broad range of opportunities at every educational level, especially at technical colleges.
Industrial Programs
There are eight different industrial programs at Midlands Technical College — and job placement isn’t a problem in any of them, according to Alan Clayton, department chair of industrial technologies.
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Graduates of either the machine tool or HVAC technology programs generally enter the work force with starting salaries of $40,000. Welders might start out with annual salaries of $45,000 to $60,000. Within a couple of years, they could be making six figures, Clayton says. Training in mechatronic and automotive technology can also lead to wages in the same range. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, in 2012 the annual median pay for an electro-mechanical technician with an associate’s degree was $51,820 per year. For an automotive service technician with a high school diploma and on-thejob training, the annual median figure was $36,610. Clayton says MTC industrial graduates often find work in Columbia-based
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Welders might start out with annual salaries of $45,000 to $60,000. Within a couple of years, they could be making six figures.
jobs such as Chicago Bridge & Iron, SCE&G and FN Manufacturing. Another frequent employer is Pure Power Technologies in Blythewood, which manufactures diesel fuel injection systems. Graduates also find jobs at the many car dealerships throughout the Midlands. Besides being lucrative, Clayton says that all of these positions could attract people who are at a crossroads in their careers.
“If I can get them in and tour them through my lab,” he says, most people will find some career to their liking — even ones who may not think of themselves as mechanically inclined. Clayton mentions the case of his own son. A dedicated film and music fan in need of a stable career, he went back to school at 27 and became proficient in the machine tools program. continues on page 24
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Hot Jobs, continued from page 22
“His passion is still music and movies, but machine tools — there’s a creative aspect to that,” Clayton says.
Computer Technology
Midlands Technical College offers two-year associate degree programs in computer programming and network systems management. There are three different tracks under programming. • Application programming teaches Java and COBOL — old-school computer languages which are still in demand by local employers. • Database development can lead to IT jobs in many types of companies.
GRE Not Required The thought of taking a standardized entrance exam in order to apply for grad school may seem daunting. That’s why Lenoir-Rhyne University offers the Career Admissions Track. The Career Admissions Track is designed for applicants who have distinguished themselves in the workplace or community.
Master’s Degrees available in: • Counseling • Human Services (online) • Leadership (online) Learn more at Columbia .lr.edu or visit us during one of our Spring Open House events.
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• Internet programming can lead to website design and maintenance positions. “All three tracks have a specialization,” says Patrick Wright, MTC’s information systems technology, “and most of the larger employers need all three types.” Wright says jobs in all of these areas are always available in the region, even if not in the immediate Midlands area. “Usually, statewide there’s no problem. It depends on when they enter the market, based upon the demand.” Wright says that new computer programming graduates usually have a starting salary in the $30,000 range, and it can go as high as $60,000. Major local employers include Blue Cross-Blue Shield, Colonial Life, state government, Aflac and SCANA. Network systems management jobs are restricted to larger employers — such as AT&T, hospitals or school districts — but graduates have high placement rates and salaries (sometimes well into the $90,000 range) to match. For people with a background in the information technology field who are either unemployed or underemployed, MTC also offers the IT Scholarship program, where fast-paced, highly intensive training can lead to certifications that put people back in the workforce. According to Lori Mack, project manager for MTC’s Growing Resources for IT (GRIT) program, the college boasts a placement rate of over 70 percent for people in the fields of programming and network communications and systems analysis and network support. Salaries can range from a low of $30,000 to a high of $80,000. The program has a focus on major local industries involved in health care, IT and insurance. Recent students have found jobs with Seibels Bruce, Colonial twitter.com/freetimessc
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The average salary for social and human services work was $28,850 in 2012.
Life, state government and many small businesses.
Human Services This field deals with a number of social issues, ranging from domestic problems to substance abuse to homelessness to mental illness. Graduates have a basic understanding of human behavior, as well as the skills to intervene, help resolve crises and get people back on track. “Our students can be found in DSS, working with mentally challenged individuals, working with victim’s advocates,” says Mary Rawls, MTC’s human services director. Graduates have high placement with a number of local non-profits such as Sistercare — for victims of spousal abuse — or the Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School or any number of local ministries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, the average median pay for social and human service associates for 2012 was $28,850. The salary increases with additional training, and Rawls says graduates are often placed in positions where they can continue their education and increase their opportunities and earnings potential.
What Keeps a Job in Demand
Jobs in these fields aren’t just plentiful because they are vital, but also because the Baby Boom generation is retiring. Every month, more than 250,000 people turn 65. “Our big problem is not placing students,” says Clayton of the industrial technologies department. “Our big problem is getting enough students into the program to meet the demand.” December 31, 2014-January 6, 2015
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Ten Steps to Take If You’re Thinking About a New Career By Anne Postic
A
re you ready for a change? Have you realized that your college major has nothing to do with what you love?
I get it. I have a master’s degree in social work, and I’m a freelance lifestyle and food writer who couldn’t social work her way out of a paper bag. The only thing I use that education for now is having long, boring talks with my kids when they’ve misbehaved. (Random parenting tip: Long, boring talks with Mom about your feelings and motives are far worse than being grounded.) But I digress. If you’re ready for something new at work, look before you leap.
brainstorming, making sure you haven’t forgotten about volunteer experience that might be relevant.
Clean up your social media presence. If you’ve been in the same field for a while, you might have gotten lax about this. Update your LinkedIn profile, because you know who goes on LinkedIn
more than once every six months? Your new boss, that’s who. It should go without saying, but delete the drunk pictures from Facebook and Instagram, and clean up your language on Twitter. Google yourself and see what you find.
areas to see how you might feel living there.
Find out what qualifications you will need.
How long can you pay your bills if your new plan doesn’t work immediately? In a new field, you might not be able to command the same salary that you could before. Research salary ranges in your area and make sure they meet your expectations and needs.
Will an advanced degree lead to a higher pay grade or more opportunities? Before you pay for more education, understand exactly what’s necessary. In some fields, an advanced degree isn’t required, but it can change how far you can go. In others, experience is more important. Can you afford the education you need and could you get any required certification or license?
Be realistic about the availability of jobs. How committed are you to staying in one place? How much freedom do you have in terms of geography? Explore options in your area before you decide. If you would consider moving, visit other
Make an honest and brutal assessment of your personal finances.
Can you afford to take an apprenticeship or an internship? Young adults today have been talked into working for free. That doesn’t always work for everyone else. (Frankly, the kids don’t like it, either, but they may not have children, mortgages, car payments or expensive booze habits.) If you can’t afford to work for free, consider keeping your current job and volunteering after work hours and on weekends to gain experience.
Ask yourself why you want to make the change. Clarify your expectations of the new field you’re considering. Are you changing careers because you hate your boss at the law firm or because you’re genuinely interested in being a chef? It’s a cliché, but also a good idea, to consider what you would do all day if you didn’t have to work. Sadly, you probably can’t eat pizza and watch Netflix professionally. Make sure you aren’t just running away from a job you hate. Make the change because you are excited about something new.
Research the field you’re considering. Get to know people in that industry, and find out what they do all day. Can you picture yourself leading a similar life? Would you enjoy it? You’ll only be good at things you enjoy — not all day every day, but most of the time. Is the job something you would enjoy discussing at a cocktail party? P.S.: If the answer is yes, that’s great, but don’t talk about it at every cocktail party.
Edit your résumé. Some of your skills and past jobs will have a place in your new career. Rewrite your résumé, emphasizing experience you have that will make you a valuable asset to a new company. Spend some time
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Google yourself to see what a prospective employer might find about you online.
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Make a list of people who could recommend you, and let them know they might be getting a few phone calls. Now is the time to take people who admire you out to lunch and remind them how great you are. (Yes, this is money well spent, even if you are about to be broke.) Talk to them about your career change and let them know why you think you’d be great.
More Resources From job listings to jobhunting advice, here are some online resources you might want to check out.
It’s all about the Training.
avidcareerist.com bls.gov dice.com
When you’re ready to start applying for jobs, brush up on your interview skills.
glassdoor.com
It might have been a while, and the questions might be different. Talk to other people in the field and find out what to expect. Ask a brutally honest friend to practice with you and give you feedback. Listen to it.
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indeed.com jobsearch.about.com linkedin.com monster.com simplyhired.com usajobs.gov
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