Times are changing. Post-pandemic, workers across the country are facing insecure futures. Thousands of old jobs have disappeared, gone forever with closed businesses. Yet, promising new opportunities are evolving, opening doors for those ready to make a change.
Why Do People Change Jobs?
People change jobs for many reasons, from the practical to the personal and sometimes, the unavoidable. Any of these factors can contribute:
Unemployment
More than 22 million people were unemployed at the peak of the pandemic, according to the Congressional Research Service. The retail and food service sectors were the hardest hit, many businesses will never recover. But even before Covid, the workplace was changing. Entire careers were disappearing, made obsolete by advancing technology. Displaced workers facing long-term unemployment need alternatives in growing industries, but many will be vastly different and require training for a whole new type of work.
Low Job Satisfaction
People who aren’t happy at work are more likely to feel stressed. Over time, the impact grows, and eventually, they want out. No one is content with their job 100-percent of the time, but when the negatives outweigh the positives, it’s time to make a change.
A Short Ladder
Climbing the career ladder is a great feeling, but the closer you get to the top, the less room you have for growth. In some industries, top-tier positions are limited.
Few people are motivated to be creative and do their best work without recognition or the possibility of promotion. For many, it’s best to move on before running out of challenges.
Jobs Versus Careers
Jobs pay the bills without long-term commitments. A career is an occupation you build on, cultivating expertise through experience, it’s a labor of love. Jobs can occasionally turn into careers. Entry-level workers can rise through the ranks, becoming supervisors. However, some positions are dead ends both financially and intellectually.
Unexpected Opportunities
Most people know what they want to be when they grow up, but demand in certain fields doesn’t always keep pace with kids’ dreams. There’s more to life than money, but you must make ends meet, and it’s disappointing when you can’t do it by pursuing what you love.
Occasionally, however, market forces change, and the job you want is suddenly in vogue again. When demand for workers is high and training programs are flourishing, it is the ideal time to seize the day. It’s never too late to make a positive career change.
Is Now a Good Time to Change Jobs?
Despite challenges wrought by the pandemic, now may be the best time in decades to train for a new career. As we return to normal, opportunities are expanding in a wide range of fields.
In some industries, like medicine, the pandemic exposed the need for more workers. In other fields, such as computer technology, opportunities are being created as businesses look for new ways to work safely in the future. Popular programs include:
Medical Assisting
Medical assistants manage clinical and administrative responsibilities in doctor’s offices, hospitals, and clinics. Duties consist of:
- Triaging phone calls
- Greeting patients
- Managing the schedule
- Taking vital signs
- Updating medical records
- Collecting biological samples
- Drawing blood
- Performing diagnostic tests
- Administering EKGs
- Assisting with in-office procedures
- Filing
- Ordering supplies
- Patient education
Vocational school classes cover all of these topics, as well as the following:
- Medical terminology
- Anatomy and physiology
- Pharmacology
- Healthcare office procedures
- Laboratory techniques
- Medical law and ethics
Medical Billing
Medical billing specialists work in healthcare offices managing payments and insurance claims. Their role is non-clinical, but a medical background is helpful. Their responsibilities are:
- Coding and submitting insurance forms
- Invoicing and collections
- Light accounting
Vocational classes are geared for beginners and may cover these topics, as well as the following:
- Medical terminology
- Anatomy and physiology
- Pharmacology
- Electronic Health Records (EHR)
- Insurance and reimbursement models
- Legal and ethical considerations
- HIPAA laws
- Customer service
- Medical coding systems
Nursing
Nurses are healthcare professionals. They not only support doctors, but they have an expertise of their own in caring for the ill and promoting preventive care in homes and medical facilities. Many licensed practical nurses have vocational school diplomas. Duties include:
- Providing personal care
- Monitoring patient health and changes in their physical condition
- Administering medications
- Inserting urinary catheters
- Changing dressings
- Managing feeding tubes
- Assisting with therapeutic exercises
- Monitor IV therapy
- Trach care & suctioning
- Supervising paraprofessional staff
Courses include:
- Anatomy and physiology
- Pharmacology
- Pathophysiology
- Microbiology
- Nursing fundamentals
Computer Technology
The pandemic has increased businesses’ reliance on technology. For detail-oriented people with a passion for computer science, it’s a tremendous opportunity. Job descriptions are flexible, there are many exciting roles to choose from. As an IT specialist, you can:
- Maintain computer hardware and infrastructure
- Build networks
- Manage cybersecurity
- Troubleshoot complex applications
- Educate colleagues on safe Internet usage
IT Programs may teach:
- Windows installation & support
- Operating systems
- Technical support concepts
Web Design
Web design specialists integrate graphics and multimedia applications with technical computer skills to create sparkling online content for businesses. Responsibilities include:
- Designing web pages
- Editing video and images
- Organizing content
- Managing e-commerce applications
Vocational courses in web design cover:
- Web content development
- Scripting
- Multimedia editing
- JavaScript
- Database management
- Basic programming
If you’re ready to make a move, you have choices to make. You can go to a traditional college, taking 4 years or more to fulfill your dreams, or you can enroll in a vocational school training program that gets you out of the classroom and earning in a fraction of the time.
Vocational programs save students’ time with career-focused education. You’ll enjoy hands-on training from industry-seasoned instructors. If it doesn’t enhance your practical knowledge, you won’t pay for it. Students are well-prepared to hit the ground running and work in their chosen field the day they graduate.
How Long Does It Take to Graduate from a Vocational Program?
Vocational school programs vary in length, but most take around 7 ½ months to complete if you’re attending full-time. In less than a year, you can get a fresh start. But it doesn’t end there. Vocational schools offer a broad range of benefits to jumpstart your career, such as:
Benefit #1: Relevant Programs
A vocational school may partner with employers to meet their staffing needs with programs in relevant fields. Students learn in-demand skills that build on their existing experience and translate into good jobs upon graduation.
Benefit #2: Flexible Scheduling
Being a full-time student is the fastest way to start a new career, but most schools offer part-time options for adults with lifestyle challenges.
Benefit #3: Smaller Class Sizes
Going back to school can be intimidating for adults, but vocational schools tend to offer smaller class sizes. Limited distractions encourage creative interactions with peers, and students can make the most of their instructor’s industry experience.
Benefit #4: Career Services
Vocational schools support their students with career services after graduation. Advisers assess graduates’ strengths and weaknesses, helping them to find the opportunities that are a good match. Many have exclusive access to positions that aren’t publicly advertised, so it’s a valuable service. It’s one more way a vocational school education is great for changing jobs.
Final Thoughts
For all the hardship it’s caused, the pandemic has also forced people to reexamine their priorities and rethink their futures. Life is too short to work at a job that’s doesn’t fulfill you. Vocational schools have programs to fit every schedule, and they’re as invested in your success as you are. Now is the perfect time to make a change.
Want to Learn More?
Hunter Business School’s professional, career-focused vocational programs, developed with industry input and adapted to the twenty-first century workplace, will provide you with the trade skills and abilities you need in the health care, business, and technical professions.
Hunter Business School offers vocational programs in Medical Assistant, Medical Billing, Medical Office Administration, Sonography, Practical Nurse, and Radiologic Technology training, Computer Technology training, Web Application Design and Development. With a vocational school diploma and the technical skills learned at Hunter Business School, you can achieve the career you deserve.
Contact us today to find out more about our vocational programs on Long Island.