Student Feature
Student Success
College Prep and Career Development
There are many career possibilities, but these are some of the top ones our graduates are navigating right now. Curious to see if they’re right for you too? Read on...
Put yourself in a bakery; a fine patisserie or one of those rustic corner spots that turn out fresh loaves, still dusted with flour, like nobody’s business. It doesn’t matter which. Now you’re there; you’re looking at the display; you see delectable eclairs, dainty tarts, unctuous cookies, whole cakes, those freshly baked loaves, not to mention a line-up of coffees, sandwiches, and drinks on the board above you. The choices are staggering. A chocolate croissant sounds and looks good, but so does the lemon poppy seed muffin you find yourself pining for—So what do you pick?
College is a bit like that. The options abound for not just where you could attend, but also what you could study once you get there. Your relatives and friends may think they know a thing or two and offer you advice on what major or field you should enter, but don’t succumb to peer pressure when you make a decision. Do your own research and consider what career is right for you. We just published a primer on How to Change Careers and I recommend a read of that too.
As part of your research, you should know what fields are popular, not because they seem cool or whatever, but because they show growth, benefits, & indicate what other intelligent people in similar shoes as yours are choosing to do. Thus, it helps narrow down the possibilities so you can better decide. Because the only thing worse than picking the wrong item at a bakery is picking no item at all and heading home hungry. Without further ado, here are the top five careers our grads are exploring…
ONE: Business
A classic for a good reason. Studying business prepares you for a range of roles as well as gives you the flexibility to find a specific avenue that you find appealing. Emoni Chaplin, a Coastline student who is also in the United States Navy, took courses in Business and Marketing in order to prepare herself for work as an entrepreneur when she is discharged.
BONUS: If you have more of an affinity for numbers, then consider, like many Coastliners, Accounting or a path toward becoming a Financial Manager. Accounting & Auditing is ranked 12th on Business Insider’s Top 30 Careers list (released April 2021). Accountants earned a median annual income of over $70,000 in 2020 and financial managers earned a median income of over $130,000 in the same year.
TWO: Nursing
Various kinds of nursing and home healthcare are ranked near the very top of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Fastest Growing Occupations List (updated in April 2021). Fields with a medical or biological focus are seeing growth because of aging populations globally and across the United States; gerontology is literally the science and study of aging populations and if you’re looking for that kind of specialization, is certainly worth considering. In a blog with Dr. Tanya Hoerer, we covered both the scientific and the medical aspects of the field, and in previous blogs we’ve laid out more detail on other top jobs.
THREE: Technology
The recent Colonial Pipeline hack, among many others, is a warning sign to the country. And also proof of technology’s continued viability as a high-growth job sector. Information Security Analyst is another high-ranking career on the BLS’ Fastest Growing Occupations List with a median annual income over $100,000.
Previously, Professor Tobi West noted that Coastline’s Program “helps students prepare for entry-level careers such as Cybersecurity Technician and Cybersecurity Analyst.” But she also noted that “not every cybersecurity role is extremely technical. The workforce needs people with knowledge of cybersecurity in every field, including sales, journalism, legal, manufacturing, criminal justice, and the list goes on.”
FOUR: Marketing Manager/Branding
Heather Wrixon, who we recently covered on the blog, took business and marketing courses at Coastline before pursuing her Bachelor’s in Business Marketing. Heather has started her own clothing company and has plans to pursue a Master’s degree eventually. If you’re running your own business or working in someone else’s, knowing how to communicate effectively to customers is imperative.
That’s why marketing manager is ranked 29th on Business Insider’s Top 30 Careers list (released April, 2021). In 2020 the median annual wage for a marketing specialist was over $65,000 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
FIVE: Project Management & Supply Chain Management
Project Management and Business Operations are expected to grow by over 79,000 jobs by 2029. The median annual income in 2020 was over $75,000. Coastline grads definitely have their eye on this career path. The pandemic laid bare the tenuous global supply chain and the need for more experts in this area. Many businesses went remote for the first time and will need to maintain project managers who can delegate, plan, and coordinate across teams, regions, and ideas.
Wrappin' It Up
When you go into the bakery you want to have a plan. Maybe you’ve looked on Yelp and read reviews, maybe you read an article online that said the best item is the blueberry muffin. Maybe you just asked the person behind the counter; they work at that bakery after all, so they might have a favorite item. The point is finding a career that’s right for you isn’t easy. But finding trusted sources can help. Consider some of our other job blogs (linked below) to help you make your decision.
