High Demand Jobs

The hottest job market now and in the future is going to be in the health care industry.  The need for doctors, registered nurses, limited practical nurses, certified nursing assistants, physical therapists, are all going to be needed desperately. 

Hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities and in home care required help will be in high demand as our aging population is now living longer than ever before. The trend now is to age in place, which means that there will be needs for trained personnel to assist them in their home. Therefore, LPN’s and CNA’s will be very busy fulfilling these needs.

Most state now require complete criminal background checks as well as current TB vaccinations on all their medical student applicants.

Training required for an LPN (Limited Practical Nurse or LVN- Licensed Vocational Nurse) will take approximately a year to complete and can be done at universities, community colleges and technical schools. There will also be a requirement to have hands on experience working in a medical setting in many states. The cost is between $8,000 and $20,000 depending on the school selected. Then you must take a state certification test and register with the state nursing registry and pay your dues.

Salaries will average between $40,000 and $48,000 right now but expect this to increase as demands for LPN’s increase in the coming years.

CNA ( Certified Nursing Assistant) training can be done extremely quickly depending on what state you are living in, determines their requirements. Classes can be from four weeks to twelve weeks in length and the cost will run between $400 and $800. Because of the high demand for these positions, many hospitals, nursing homes and long term care facilities will help you with your tuition with a commitment to work for them for a period of time after graduation. Usually you will be asked to commit to them for a year’s service, while others will ask you to just repay the amount of the tuition that they paid up front.

Salaries will start around $18,500 to $20,000 depending on the state, the shift differentials and the number of hours you work.  You will need to take a test, get registered with your state nursing agency and pay your licensing fees.


Plumbers and Electricians

Plumbers on a national scale make between  $36,000 and $67 ,000 a year while Apprentice wages, average from $27,000 to  $42,000 per year.

Trade Schools, on line classes, apprenticeships with hands on work can range from 3-5 years.
Licensing is required by the state in order to work independently. Some states also require licensing at the county and city levels as well as at the state level.

Some universities run classes under their Mechanic and Repair Technologies Studies, Construction Management and Trade Programs.Manual dexterity, good physical condition for lifting, mathematics abilities are all requirements to doing this type of work. As a Master Plumber you will probably want to start your own company and hire others to help you. Then you will also need to be sure to have good bookkeeping skills to keep track of wages, taxes paid out to others and of course materials lists.

Electrician

Apprentice programs where you learn to read blueprints, electrical theory, electronics and math. You will work 3-5 yrs with an electrician learning the trade. State testing and licensing is required. Classroom as well as on the job training, which usually is from several years to as many as six years before you are ready to strike out on your own and take the state test and get your license which would allow you to work o your own and have your own business.

Trade schools, the Armed Forces and universities that offer a trades curriculum will be places to get your education. Then you will need to find a good company to work for to do your apprenticeship training.

Salaries range from $36K- $64K depending on your location and your experience. Master Electricians will usually own their own business and have crews with both experienced and apprentice electricians working for them.

Auto Mechanics

There will always be the need for an experienced mechanic to get under the hood of your car and fix whatever is wrong.  With today’s automobiles and all of the computerized functions and machines that can be plugged in to analyze the problems, pinpointing a problem is much easier than it was in years past.

Many begin their training with classes in high school and many schools actually have shops where people can bring their automobiles to be repaired by students at a reasonable price. Of course these students are supervised by an experience teacher, guiding them in their diagnosis and repair of problems.

You will use both mechanical and electronic skills to perform your job. There are Associate degree programs offered by Technical Schools and universities and the Armed Forces. Having good English skills, so that you are able to read repair manuals to use with good diagnostic and problem-solving skills, and be trained in computer and basic electronics, should have the best chance of obtaining employment.

Salaries will average from $23,000 to $44,000 per year.

Home Repair People Home Remodeling Contractor

The ability to go into a home and assist with general home repairs from replacing a faucet, putting down needed flooring, refinishing kitchen cabinets, to painting or building a patio or an outbuilding

Older homes have many areas that may need fixed whether it is replacing plumbing in the bathroom to fixing a ceiling fan or redoing a kitchen.

Or adding handicap features to a bath or widening door openings and building ramps. In newer homes it would be more like adding decks and patios, perhaps water features to yards.

If you are not able to perform all of these tasks yourself, you will need to subcontract out work, such as extensive plumbing or electrical work, which will need to have a certified licensed contractor and be inspected by a city or county inspector before you get paid for your work done.

You will want to be licensed as a general contractor and be bonded.
Knowledge in architecture and carpentry skills are a must along with manual dexterity.

Low overhead because you can work from home is a definite advantage and there are going to also be tax breaks, so be sure to inquire.

Knowledge of the construction trade skills and knowledge of how things must be done and when will be a must for knowing when to schedule certain repairs and subcontractors.

 Bookkeeping skills, to record, wages, withholding taxes, materials purchased lists, office and  business operating expenses.

Home Inspection Service

You will inspect every part of a home for structural integrity, from the foundation, electrical, plumbing, a/c heating and insect damage.
You need to have a solid knowledge of local building codes so that you know what aspects of a home are passable and what are not.

You will require certification, city and county permits and a business license. Your state may also require that your company be bonded.You will need errors-and omissions insurance protecting your assets in case of mistakes.

If you have experience working for a construction companies that is a plus, since you’ll already have many contacts and know local, regional and state requirements for certification and also job referrals.
Equipment investment will be about $500 for the basic tools to do your job. You may need to spend a little more to buy non-invasive electronic inspection devices.  You will need ladders, gloves, coveralls, masks and a hard hat while crawling into attics and below in crawlspaces. You will also need to have a pickup truck or panel truck to haul it all.

You can also purchase a home inspection business franchise from $45,000 to $150,00 which will provide all the hands-on-training and materials you need.  Check out The Franchise zone for information on franchises.
You can also get information and training from programs offered by America Home Inspection Society and the National Association of Home Inspectors, Inc.  for less money.   Depending on your location, and the type of environment you are working in, salaries can range from $50,500 to $75,000 per year to start.