It doesn’t take an astrologist to find out where the jobs will be in 2021; industries like healthcare & tech are in-demand. Read on to find out more.
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Why do people attend college? Without a doubt there are many reasons, some excellent, some perhaps less so (attending college simply to become the master of drinking games comes to mind). But the likely number one reason for people to attend college is relatively simple: securing a solid job.
The pandemic has not altered this at all, and perhaps has even exacerbated it; now, more than ever, people want to feel secure in their career and job choices. So that begs the question: where will the jobs be in 2021? What industries will see the most growth and opportunity? I’ll endeavor to answer those questions in the blog below.
I’ve touched on this topic multiple times before, with good reason. It's not simply about finding a job that pays well but finding one in a reliable field, in which steady growth or stability is likely or even assured. No need to climb the tallest tower or get a birds-eye view to know where the jobs will be in 2021. Just read on to find out.
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Healthcare
The pandemic is reaching some of its deadliest heights across the nation, and the healthcare industry has taken a battering. However, it is strongly projected to grow over the course of 2021 and beyond.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics released stats on the “Fastest Growing Occupations” in September and, of the 30 on the list, twelve were related to healthcare, whether that’s occupational therapist, physician’s assistant or a marriage and family therapist. The industry as a whole is expected to see 15% growth between 2019 and 2029, which, to quote the BLS, is “much faster than the average for all occupations,” and add about 2.4 million new jobs.
As this article on Indeed.com points out, expected job growth isn’t the only reason to seek out a career in healthcare services: “Not only does this field offer lucrative careers, but it gives you a chance to make a difference in your local community or the world.”
The Indeed.com article also notes that such a career offers flexible location options: all over the United States, and the world, there’s a need for folks in the healthcare industry.
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Technology
Technology is a sector that time and time again shows up in this blog. I’ve written before about cybersecurity as a growing field, and that remains true heading into 2021 and years after. Cybersecurity represents one of the fastest growing sub-sectors, as well as one of the most important for our national wellbeing.
But the field is more than just cybersecurity. That same BLS “Fastest-Growing Occupations” list also included tech jobs like information security analyst, data scientist, and software developer. Nasdaq.com lists software developer and computer user support specialists on their list of ten jobs that will see growth in 2021. Business Insider estimates that information security analysts, a role related to cybersecurity, is expected to see 40,900 new positions between 2019 and 2029 with a median annual wage at $99,730, definitely nothing to sneeze at. These are jobs that will only continue to increase in relevance and boast high wages and low unemployment. Computers, and the jobs that power them, really are ubiquitous now.
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Business, Accounting & Marketing
Business Insider did their own analysis of the BLS data on occupations and came up with a number of jobs tied specifically to business, accounting, and marketing sectors (aside from the healthcare and tech jobs also included). I like to call some of these jobs “evergreen.” There is always a need for the bread and butter roles in business, accounting, marketing (which I would place alongside business), and human resources.
Jobs like marketing manager, human resources specialist, sales reps (especially for technology, as LinkedIn’s 2020 Emerging Jobs Report indicated), and accountants and auditors all made the list. Project management, business operations, marketing specialists, and financial managers were included as well. Even though these jobs are less reliant on technology, they will remain relevant in 2021 and likely beyond.
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Miscellaneous
Besides the jobs in healthcare, technology, and business, and accounting, there is a smattering of job growth predicted in other areas, which I’ve lumped together under the header miscellaneous.
Many of these jobs are technical in nature and include, on the Bureau of Labor Statistics list, wind turbine service technicians and, on the Business Insider list, industrial machinery mechanics and electricians. The Business Insider list and Nasdaq.com list both include construction manager as a career with high demand heading into 2021. Business Insider expects 40,400 new jobs under this title between 2019-2029 with median annual earnings in 2019 at $95,260.
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Wrappin’ It Up
Finding a well-paying and secure job is high on everyone’s life to-do list. We all want careers and employment that provides security, livability, and long-term potential for advancement. The pandemic has made it challenging to find these aspects, to say the least, but not impossible.
The United States is in the midst of an economic crisis not unlike the financial crisis of 2008 and the Great Depression. There are millions of Americans who are unemployed, uncertain of their next step, what they ought to do next. The industries and jobs I’ve listed above offer a starting place for folks looking for a job, a career, a livelihood, a path in this chaotic, tremulous time. May it serve you well and I wish you all luck in seeking your goals.
