September 26, 2006 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Healthcare employment for workers without a bachelor’s degree

Overall, healthcare occupations are projected to provide more than 3 million job openings between 2004 and 2014 for workers without a bachelor’s degree.

Projected net job openings for workers without a bachelor’s degree, selected healthcare occupations, 2004-14
[Chart data—TXT]

The occupation nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants is projected to have the most openings among such jobs, with over half a million projected openings. The next highest number of openings is for registered nurses, followed by home health aides.

Training varies widely in the healthcare field. For example, the most significant source of preparation for home health aides is 1 month or less of on-the-job training. Nursing aides usually need vocational training, but a large number of aides have also taken college courses—either to earn certifications, qualify for specific jobs, or prepare for other, higher paying healthcare occupations. Registered nurses almost always have some college training, and the majority actually hold bachelor's degrees.

In part because the skills they need are becoming more complex, healthcare workers are getting more training. Having a job in one occupation while training for another is a common advancement strategy for healthcare workers.

These projections data are from the Employment Projections program. To learn more about jobs for workers without a bachelor’s degree, see "The 2004-14 job outlook for people who don't have a bachelor's degree," by Olivia Crosby and Roger Moncarz, Occupational Outlook Quarterly, Fall 2006.

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