What's the 2015 job market going to look like and what college degrees will be in highest demand?

[Poll_Blind]

I have a friend who is working towards his doctorate in psychology. I think he's really close to getting his bachelor's degree in psychology but he wants to continue on and get his masters and, hopefully, his doctorate. He'll probably be able to achieve that but we've both talked a bit about what his earning and employ-ability potentials are in the field and neither he nor I as his friend really have a good idea where he's going to (have to) go to to start paying off his debts from school and earn a living (hopefully) reflecting that level of schooling.

He probably won't have his doctorate by 2015, it really depends, but it got me to thinking (with the absolutely fucking crazy situation our country is in) just exactly what college degrees are going to be worth sinking that kind of money into in the job market of 2015.

An opportunity also opened up for me- kind of a pleasant surprise I guess- to sell off property I own and convert that into at least a bachelor's degree, if not a master's degree. Finally, a college education which could increase my earnings potential which is not that great at the moment, especially in Oregon. I would probably be able to live rent-free on a portion of that property so living expenses would not be very high and I'm kind of tempted to do it. I have the full support of everyone in my family if I choose to pursue this, which is emboldening.

But, LOL, I have no idea what kind of skills are going to be in demand with practically everything being shipped overseas. My natural inclination is towards a science degree of some sort, as I don't see liberal arts degrees being big money earners in the wasteland of 2015. I'm a guy pushing 40 who's been doing "ok" but I am starting to feel my balls in my throat when I think about how opportunities (especially in Oregon, which have never been good) are going to shrink as this country further declines economically.

I can't see the light of the freight train barreling down the tracks but just about everyone in my state can hear it.

Does anyone work in a field which tracks this sort of thing, or has experience or knowledge about where the job market is heading for college graduates? Most of the things I've read have not been that optimistic for college graduates unless they're the hard sciences, which makes sense, but...well...I toss it up to DU for ideas.

Any thoughts?

PB

[villager]

1. Farming. Hydroponic gardening. Land use planning. Alternative transportation.

anything that will help us survive the collapse of the current grid! Best of luck, happy path-finding!

[Poll_Blind]

6. Yeah, I have to say I have been thinking also not just about what money I could make but what I....

...could get in barter for a certain skill in a situation like that. Unfortunately, I'm not cut out for doctoring or prostitution so two of the best fallbacks in hard times are right out. I do like the thought of agriculture, especially because I think that places like Oregon will have to start relying more on locally-farmed vegetables, etc., given the inevitable rise in prices for trucking things in.

PB

[Trajan]

2. Offshoring Specialist

Doubt you will need a PhD for that ...

[grahamhgreen]

5. Crap - you beat me to it!

[Hello_Kitty]

13. I'm pretty sure there's a couple of those on this site

Always can be counted on to defend bleeding jobs out of the country.

[grahamhgreen]

3. PHD in outsourcing. Seriously,

Finance.

[Poll_Blind]

8. That's so darkly true, probably, but my goal is to be able to earn a better living WITHOUT...

...preying on others or contributing to the destruction of what's left of America. It makes me sad what everything's fallen into, and where it's heading.

PB

[Lint Head]

4. Psychiatrists specializing in the effects of torture.

[msongs]

7. nursing or anything related nt

[Poll_Blind]

10. You're the second person to suggest nursing. If I migth ask, what is the...

...angle you're thinking of? The aging baby boomers, the rising need for medical care, period, something else?

Really interested if there is something specific you're thinking of.

PB

[Curmudgeoness]

14. They say that physician's assistants will be a growing field.

They can do anything that a physician can do short of surgery, and work under the supervision of a physician. They help keep costs down by saving time for the doctor, and also allow patients more time with a health care professional. Win/win.

[HockeyMom]

15. Sounds like what paralegals

were supposed to do. Where are they now? They use secretaries, or law students, to do this work and pay them far less.

Just my two cents, but you don't want a job that "supports" somebody else.

[Poll_Blind]

18. I kind of agree but I think it depends on the way the business is set up.

Specifically, I've been in a few dental offices where basically you have a licensed dentist or two who are basically the stars of the show and then a whole host of people around them who are supporting that. I once found myself in a dentist office like that and the dentist himself, while probably a good dentist (technically), was creepy in the extreme and all his assistants sort of had a look of fear about them as they did their work.

Kind of a creepy vibe. I don't know so much about the paralegals but I remember when I was much younger (1985-90) that was a "big" thing to go after, because honestly law schools are usually terribly difficult to get into and expensive when you do.

Thanks...

PB

[Curmudgeoness]

21. I don't know, almost every job supports someone else.

We can't all be the boss, and we all don't even want to be the boss. If it is a good living, and you like what you are doing, it doesn't really matter. At least, not to me.

[Poll_Blind]

17. A PA was also HEAVILY suggested to me by another friend. I didn't know the details...

..of it so I was a little leery. I know they have a great deal of responsibility but when I was a younger person I had considered medicine and then- oh, look I can make money playing with computers! (15+ years later, here we are)

That, paralegal (as someone also mentioned in this thread) and orthodontic assistant (?) were things that had been suggested.

Thanks, I'll probably look into that more just to see what it entails, etc.

PB

[Horse with no Name]

25. Actually yes and no

(I'm a nurse)What I have seen in my profession is the culling of older experienced nurses and replacing them with young inexperienced nurses because they are cheaper.
Old nurses remember what quality patient care consists of and are willing to fight to maintain that standard. Young nurses don't remember that so they aren't going to fight for something they have no idea about. They aren't going to fight about having too many patients because (in some cases)the artificial shortages fueled people to go to nursing school and now there are plenty of nurses in certain parts of the country without jobs. When I look at employment listings at large hospitals that used to be pages long--you see a few postings.
So, when you chew up and spit out the older nurses, you will assure a cycle of constant job demand, however, the longevity of a career is something to be concerned about.
It didn't used to be that way.
There have been many insidious changes to my profession--and with the "corporatization" of hospitals, many of them will include union busting and pressure--taking a once in-demand job and turning it into another "industry" where people fear for their jobs on a daily basis.

[Poll_Blind]

26. Thanks for that, I have kind of rolled that over in my mind about a couple of...

...things because though I'm still a terribly handsome man, I can nolonger pass for 25 like I could 10 years ago. I know that ageism exists and I know that, straight-up, certain professions can be harder on the older (read more-experienced) members of the field. I don't know all that much about nursing (a friend of the family is one but never really talked to her much about it) but a long time ago I was working as quality assurance at a high-end enterprise software house which had a number of really experienced software engineers.

One of them cryptically joked to me one day "You know what they do with engineers over 50?"

"What?", I replied.

"They take them out back and shoot 'em."

I didn't get the "joke", I was so green back then, but he was basically talking about what you're describing about taking older nurses out and putting younger ones in. That's not true everywhere but it is something very important to think about.

Thanks

PB

[Horse with no Name]

31. Something to also know

Nursing has one of THE HIGHEST RATES of on-the-job injuries in any industry. I believe that is one of the reasons why the ageism exists in our profession. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that repeated strain tends to become more bothersome as we age and someone that is 50 is more likely going to be injured than someone who is 25.
I still look pretty young too, but I have experienced the ageism. It is scary out there but honestly--I don't think anyone that is even approaching the age of 50 should consider nursing.
NOW, with that being said, there is one job out there in health care that looks promising. Depending on your skill set and what you really want and how much time you want to invest doing it--I would strongly suggest looking into Physical or Occupational Therapy. Those are very lucrative fields and offer a lot of independence.
COTA's and LPTA's are also very much in demand and depending on what part of the country you live in, most always pay as much as RN's and I don't see the ageism in these fields as of yet.
They are two-year degrees and the courses can be found at community colleges.
Good luck.

[Poll_Blind]

32. One of the first things my girlfriend suggest was Phys/Occu. Therapy.

I was kind of like "That's out of left field, don't you think sweetie?" I'm going to take another look at that. Thanks.

PB

[KurtNYC]

9. MRI technician, Cat Scan technician

medical imaging in general. It can't be off shored and it can't be done by untrained people. The pay is quite comfortable and demand is strong. It is a skill that will get you a job ANYWHERE in north america.

[Poll_Blind]

19. Interesting, the university in my town is one of just a few in the country.....

....(so I've been told) which has their own MRI on-site. I'll have to check into that as well.

Thanks for the ideas and I agree: Jobs that can't be offshored and can't be done by untrained/unskilled people.

PB

[bluestate10]

11. Hard sciences and math disciplines will lead the future.

Liberal arts degrees are valuable, if the holder comes with an active imagination. The people that dominate the future will be those that have boundless imagination and boundless energy. A liberal arts degree holder that meets that last characterization will have a better future than a hard sciences or math major that does not.

[Curmudgeoness]

12. Seriously, you have to think about what you want to do.

Your working life is a LONG ordeal. You do not want to be doing something you hate just because it was the field you thought would be good for you in the future.

But don't be stupid either. There are some majors that will never get you anywhere (think social work---you have to be just plain devoted for that, and willing to live in poverty).

Medical fields will probably still be in demand, with an aging population (all us baby boomers are starting to creak).
Government ain't going away, regardless of what the Reps are wanting to do.
Good IT people as so hard to find, and worth their weight in gold if they are good.
Accountants will be needed to hide all the rich people's income.

But more than anything---go with what you think you can see yourself doing for 40 years or more.

[Poll_Blind]

16. Oh, no, I absolutely agree. I've already taken some college and done...

...well in biology and anatomy, zoology, etc. Not so great in chemistry but some of my natural inclinations lean there. I think I would be happier than a pig in shit pursuing a linguistics degree or a majoring in linguistics with a minor in computer/information science. Since some of that kind of thing has been a hobby of mine anyway, in the past, I feel I would be likely to do much better. But then again, I knew a girl who got her doctorate in folklore and it was her driving passion but I don't know how well it turned out- 'cause ya gotta eat!

I agree about social work and I'm not sure how I'd come out one something like that. I agree it takes a very dedicated person, especially in this world.

I agree about the medical fields, probably government (people in government with degrees are relatively sought after, in my town at least). I don't know if I agree about IT degrees because it seems like everyone and their brother does that sort of thing. While the boom in the 90's was VERY nice, financially, I'm a little leery of pursing that further. It's been a passion of mine and I've turned some good money with computer-related work but...I kind of worry about remote admins on satellite links from India doing the admin for company X or Y if they can pay them 10k less a year.

I also agree about the accounting thing though I don't think I have a good head for it.

A choice like this is an interesting mix of passion and sober economic objectivity (or the attempt, anyway). Thank you for your thoughts!

PB

[Curmudgeoness]

20. LOL, yep, you gotta eat. And you seem to have your head on straight.

You are thinking it all through.

Chemistry isn't as hard as it seems once you figure out how it works---just like math. It makes no sense, and all of a sudden, if you are lucky or have a great teacher (what happened to me), it will just all click. I love it because it is so solid---no gray areas. At least, not that I know about.

You may be right about IT, but I am not so sure. Yes, there are a lot of people running around acting like they know what they are doing. But there are not a lot of people who do know what they are doing. I work in an accounting firm, and we have an IT guy who we could not live without. No one in India can do what he does. Someone in India is not able to set a network up, continually update software, and keep the bugs out (and they are always there). Hell, our phone system is now on the computer system. And of course we are all idiots, so we need him to hold our hands and show us what to do. But you may be right that the market is saturated already.

Good luck. :hi:

[AdHocSolver]

22. Research jobs that require your physical presence to do the work, and cannot be readily eliminated.

If you like computers, think of system administrator, rather than programmer. Programming can be done from any location given the Internet. A system administrator takes care of computer hardware and software. While some software updates and fixes can be done remotely, hardware problems and some software problems requires the sys admin to work on-site. Since I assume from another post that you already work in the computer field, getting up to speed should be easy for you, and your experience with computers should give you an advantage in a job search. From an employer's point of view, you are merely enhancing your skills which is a plus in your favor, whereas making a complete career change at your age may work against you.

If you are artistically inclined, consider becoming a hair stylist. I once had an acquaintance who was a hair stylist. She was in her mid twenties, lived in an upscale apartment, and drove a Cadillac. She made a fortune in tips beyond a comfortable salary. Besides being talented and very personable, she had a loyal clientele who would follow her if she moved to another company.

Some other posters suggested the medical field. While many jobs require your physical presence, having worked several years in hospitals, I recommend some heavy duty research before entering the medical field. The image of hospitals that most people have is far different from the reality. Do some volunteer work at a hospital before committing to the field.

Another suggestion I have is to research community colleges in your area before committing to a four year college. Many community colleges have good two-year programs and cost less. Many of the instructors have work experience in their field, and the students are often more realistic about their studies. Research whether you can transfer credits to a four year college should you want to take more credits. If you take some courses and find out that the field is not for you, you will have spent less money to learn that lesson.

I would recommend forgetting about going beyond a four year degree. The number of jobs requiring an advanced degree are fewer in number, the job search is much more competitive, and you risk becoming "over qualified" (meaning nobody will want to hire you at a reasonable salary for your training). Experience is more valuable to do the work than extra schooling.

[HopeHoops]

23. Head Burger Flipper and Advanced Pizza Delivery Technician

That is, of course, unless the trend takes a serious dive.

[AngryAmish]

24. Material Science

It is changing the world. And I don't just mean the nano stuff. 3D printing/manufacturing/construction is a huge disruptive force.

Bad part abut it is you have to be really smart. Really smart, like two or three standard deviations to the right side of the curve.

[Poll_Blind]

29. Would be so interesting but I'm not sure if I'm smart enough for that.

Only in deviance itself am I two or three standard deviations to the right side of the curve. But I am fascinated with fabrication, especially where things are going nowdays. I might peek around and see what kinds of skills are required and what subjects are important. Great idea, really. At least to explore.

PB

[ElsewheresDaughter]

27. root cellaring, wild ediable plants and medicinal herbs, planting, harvesting and preserving

[Poll_Blind]

30. Between classes given by my county and some of the great herbal resources in...

...the area, also on my list is learning about those things you mention. Except for the root cellaring, Eugene seems to be filled to the brim with people who can help one learn about those things. Plus, there's a county fair and it's always been my deepest desire to see a jar of something I canned with a blue ribbon on it. "All other green beans shall bow down to my pickle brine!"

I know it's shallow but...

PB

[ElsewheresDaughter]

28. environmental sciences,...dowsing