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This article outlines some major career areas in the future. While it didn’t target North Dakota specifically, overall the information provided applies to us. With North Dakota’s aging population there will be many jobs in the health fields. Right now there are 100s if not 1000s of information technology jobs available in North Dakota. With North Dakota’s growth in the energy sector, there will be jobs in all areas. For each energy sector job there are a minimum of 6 support jobs (i.e. teachers, grocery store clerks, sales people—not retail, although there will be many of those also—police, mechanics, computer savvy people). The list goes on. Please look at yourself and your needs for the career which will support you in the life you’d like to live.

10 Great Career Fields for the Future

By Mark Riddix

Picking the right career field can keep you from experiencing disappointment when job hunting. There is so much competition for jobs right now and little job growth in many industries. That is why it is important to find a career track that is growing and not contracting.

So, what are the best jobs in America? That question can be difficult to answer. You need to consider the best potential for job growth, pay, stress level, job satisfaction, and other factors. I thought it would be most helpful to look at these jobs by their broader career fields.

Let’s take a look at ten of the best career fields to work in over the next 10 years based on all of these factors.

10 Best Career Fields in Demand

1. Medical Field

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA), Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants

The medical field is ripe with growth potential. As everyone probably knows, nurses are in high demand. The average nurse practitioner makes $85,200 per year, and the demand is expected to increase 23%. Nurse practitioners can perform many of the same functions as doctors such as prescribing medicine and treating illnesses.

Becoming a nurse practitioner requires a master’s degree in nursing and certification. With an aging population, the demand for healthcare is expected to double over the next decade. Physician assistants have climbed up to number 2 in the best jobs in America. They conduct physical exams, prescribe medicine, and treat illnesses. What does a physician assistant make? A physician assistant averages $92,000 per year and job growth is expected to rise a remarkable 39%.

One career that you may not have heard about is a nurse anesthetist. Certified nurse anesthetists (CRNA) are in demand and make more money than many family physicians. According to CNN Money, the average base salary of a CRNA is $189,000, whereas the average salary for a primary care physician is $173,000. So what does it take to become a nursing anesthetist? A CRNA must be a registered nurse and have at least one year of full-time nursing experience. Most CRNA’s obtain a master’s degree in anesthesia and pass a national certification exam.

2. Technology Sector

Software Architects, Systems Engineers, Software Engineers, IT Analysts

How would you like to work in the fast-growing tech sector? Information technology is the #1 field in terms of expected job growth over the next decade, which makes systems engineers among the most highly sought after professionals today. The average salary for a systems engineer is $87,100, and the career field is expected to grow 45% over the next 10 years. To become a systems engineer, you need a bachelor’s degree in engineering.

Software architects have taken the title as the best job in the country with job growth of 34% and an average annual salary of $119,000 per year. These innovative engineering professionals are responsible for helping to analyze and store data. The engineering field is not the only IT field experiencing growth. Entry-level information technology analysts make $60,000 and above. Experienced IT analysts make over $82,600 per field, and job growth for the next decade is expected to be about 30%.

3. Financial Services

Accountants, Actuaries, Financial Advisers

Are you good with numbers? You could find a rewarding career in the financial services industry. Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) make an average of $74,200 and10-year job growth is expected to be 18%. As more companies are doing away with pension plans, employees will need help with retirement planning. Job growth for financial advisers is expected to be 41% over the next decade. The average financial adviser makes $101,000 per year.

Actuaries measure the statistical probability of certain events occurring. The actuarial field has a projected growth rate of 24% and an average salary of $129,000. Actuaries can make as much as $300,000 per year. All of these finance-related fields typically require an undergraduate business degree.

4. Education Arena

College Professors, Elementary School Teachers, High School Teachers

A bad economy means increased enrollment in colleges and universities. As students return to school, there is an increased need for college professors. The average salary for a college professor is $70,400 and the 10-year growth rate is projected at 23%. College professors enjoy great flexibility in their work schedules, freeing them to do a variety of other tasks.

Do you love working with kids? You could become a school teacher. Elementary, middle, and high school teachers make an average of $50,200 annually and future job growth is 18%. Teaching at the collegiate level normally requires a graduate degree in a related field.

5. Technical Jobs

Physical Therapist Assistants, Dental Hygienists, Veterinary Technicians

Many technical jobs require certifications but do not require that applicants obtain a college degree. Physical therapist assistants earn approximately $42,000 and the physical therapy field is booming. The 10-year growth rate is 42%. Physical therapist assistants are responsible for developing treatment plans, documenting treatments, and modifying specific treatments to the needs of the patient.

Dental hygienists clean teeth, take X-rays, and perform routine oral procedures. Hygienists make $68,152, and the field is growing at a rate of 43%. Veterinary techs perform medical tests, prepare vaccines and tissue samples, and take blood samples. The average salary is $30,000, and the 10-year growth rate is 35%.

6. Business Services Jobs

Environment Health Specialist, Construction Estimator

Service jobs are still the lifeblood of the United States economy, accounting for more than 70% of all jobs. Environmental health and safety specialists are expected to be big beneficiaries of this trend with 10-year job growth expected at 28%. Median pay is expected to be a healthy $71,000 per year.

Estimators are important to customers because they help to determine whether a project will make money for a firm or become a money loser. A construction estimator position requires lots of experience and accuracy. The average pay is solid at $68,000 per year and job growth is expected at 25% over the next ten years.

7. Sales Jobs

Sales Director, Sales Executive, Senior Sales Professional

Sales are incredibly important to any company from software companies to financial service firms. Sales executives are needed to motivate staff and help companies reach their revenue goals. They have to be outstanding at customer relations and place employees in the best position to close deals.

Sales may be a high stress, high pressure occupation but it pays very well. Sales directors earn an average annual salary of $142,000, and senior sales executives are not far behind with an average salary of $127,000 per year.

8. Consulting Jobs, Management Consultants, Healthcare Consultants

Companies are looking for ways to save money on employee costs and one of the best ways to do this is by outsourcing projects. This is why consultants are expected to be in incredibly high demand. Companies do not have to provide benefits or pay healthcare costs for consultants.

The consulting industry is expected to see double digit growth over the next decade. Management and healthcare consultants will see job growth of 24%, making this one of the most lucrative industries for job seekers to get into.

9. Engineering Jobs

Project Engineer, Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer, Environmental Engineer, Biomedical Engineer

There is a dearth of math and science majors in universities and the engineering industry is reflecting that. Companies are having an increasingly difficult time finding quality engineers.

Structural, civil, project, and environmental engineers will see job growth ranging from 24% to 31% over the next decade. Biomedical engineers will see job growth at a whopping 72%. The minimum salary is expected to be $76,000 with some engineers easily making more than six figures a year. The work is low stress and the job satisfaction is incredibly high.

10. Middle Management Jobs

Research and Development Manager, Product Manager, Risk Management Manager

Mid-level management is just as important to a firm as top-level management. They are responsible for supervising many of the day-to-day functions and maintaining smooth interactions with management and staff.

Risk management managers help to mitigate risks and keep firms from potential risks that can cripple them. Job growth for this field is expected at 24% with an average salary of $107,000. R&D managers make sure that new projects and products are developed, tested, and properly brought to market. Product managers oversee the launch and implementation of new products and processes. These are all important job functions in which most current employees see continued job growth in their professions.

Final Word

Technology and business evolve quickly, and new careers come and go just as fast. Because of this, it’s important to choose a career field that will be in high demand for the foreseeable future and sharpen your skills over time.

What do you think are the best jobs to have over the next 10 years? Are you pursuing or currently working in any of these career fields?

Mark Riddix is the founder and president of an independent investment advisory firm that provides personalized investing and asset management consulting. Mark has written financial columns for Baltimore and Washington, D.C. area newspapers and is the author of the book, Your Financial Playbook.

May 2011

According to many "experts", today's long-term jobs crisis is not about the financial meltdown. It is about a global talent showdown. The basic cause is more technology than ever are changing the world of work. The global economy will be more technical driven with each passing year. The US Department of Labor finds that 62% of all US jobs now require two-year or four-year degrees and high or special after high school training or apprenticeships. By 2020 these talent requirements will increase to include 75% of US jobs.

The World Future Society predicts that over the next decade the amount of new technology introduced into the US economy will equal that of the last 50 years. At the same time baby boomers around the world are retiring leaving companies without the educational and technical skills business needs. While in the past each generation has been better educated and better prepared for the future than the last, this is not true with Generations X and Y who are the boomers replacements.

While younger workers are "tech junkies," they lack the skills or even interest in careers in designing, making, repairing or applying and managing many 21^st-century technologies. What many students and their parents consider "cool" prestigious," or "sexy," jobs are based on an outdated 20^th century career culture.

Too many young people lack the required high reading, math, science and communications skills for growing 21^st century careers. Instead of jobs in business related fields, science, technology, engineering and math are expected to be the areas of growth in jobs. While engineering is at the top because these are the people who usually invent things, installing, applying and maintaining these technologies offer many opportunities as well.

According to Peter Drucker, we have entered an age of knowledge technologists. We are becoming a knowledge-based workforce. Many of those jobs cannot be outsourced to foreign countries because they are local. There will be a wide range of skills and income levels with those highest skills level workers receiving the highest pay.

Between 2010 and 2020 it is estimated the United States will lack the qualified talent to fill anywhere from 12 to 24 million essential jobs throughout the economy. We are now hearing from employers who have applicants who do not meet minimum job qualifications.for The future will be very bright for those who are ready for a future which changes rapidly as jobs come and go and who understand skills can be obsolete.