There’s always demand for well-trained and highly skilled professionals who are near-experts in their discipline and can manage loads of responsibility. Employers are looking for competent individuals in a variety of fields, ranging from information technology to nursing.
Currently, counseling is one of the fastest growing fields of work that requires a master’s degree. Through 2018, substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors will be especially high in demand; this field is expected to grow by 21 percent through 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Their job is to help people recover from addiction to drugs, alcohol or gambling. They ensure that addicts adopt the healthy behaviors needed to live a normal life. Similarly, the field of mental health counseling has been predicted to grow by 24 percent. These counselors treat individuals or groups of people with issues like depression, anxiety, trauma, stress and grief.
Social work is another occupation for caring and community-oriented individuals that’s expected to grow over the next several years. There will be high demand for medical and public health social workers; 22 percent growth is expected by 2018 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Their responsibility is to care for people who suffer from chronic or terminal illnesses. Many more mental health and substance abuse social workers will be needed as well. Like the counselors who treat people who suffer from the same problems, they offer services like group and individual therapy, crisis intervention, and social rehabilitation. Growth is expected to be at 20 percent. Physical therapy is another form of therapy that’s expected to grow significantly in the coming years. Employment has been predicted to increase by 30 percent. PTs assist with the rehabilitation and recovery of people who have been physically injured or debilitated by accident or illness. With both counseling and social work, it’s necessary to obtain a license in order to practice. Many states require a master’s degree in the discipline.
Environmental scientists and specialists will have a wealth of employment opportunities through 2018. The field is expected to grow by 28 percent because of the extra stress placed on the environment due to the growing population. It’s their task to identify problems and find solutions that eliminate pollutants and other hazards to the environment. They deal with issues such as recycling, degradation and conservation.