Staff Writer
Education Week's research partner, the Editorial Projects in Education (EPE) Research Center, recently released its 2010 Diplomas Count report based on the class of 2007, the most recent year for which data is available. On a national level, the report found that for the second consecutive year, graduation rates have fallen with approximately 1.3 million students failing to graduate.
First published in 2006, Diplomas Count is an annual report on high school graduation policies and rates. It is supported by a four-year, $2.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, for what is known as the Graduation Project.
The Future Job Outlook
In June of 2010, the Center on Education and the Workforce, released its report "Help Wanted: Projecting Jobs and Education Requirements Through 2018." Using a highly detailed job market forecast, the report projects that as our country slowly emerges from this economic crisis, there could be some 60 million Americans with a high school diploma or less trapped in low-skill, low-paying jobs in declining industries.
The report goes on the project that come 2018, 63 percent of all jobs will require at least some postsecondary education, creating a demand of 22 million new workers to fill these positions. Without any type of intervention to offset this drop in graduation rates, there will be a deficit of three million workers forcing jobs to be outsourced to other countries.
So what if you are, or were, one of the statistics that did not graduate high school? With access to a post secondary education, whether online or campus, whether certificate, associate's, bachelor's or higher, you can put yourself in the position to attain employment and start on a new career.
According to the report, it is projected that by 2015, the job creation will catch up to where we have been during this current economic recession. By 2018, our country's employers will need the 22 million new workers with at least an associate, bachelors or higher degree as well as 4.7 million workers with postsecondary certificates.
Now is the time to go back to school to earn your high school degree or equivalency, thus allowing you to continue your education by earning a postsecondary certificate, AA or BA degree. Look at industries that project the highest percentage of employment. You can go to www.bls.gov and search by degree, occupation and even income.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the professional and business services sector and the healthcare and social assistance sectors are anticipated to grow at more than twice the annual average for all industries. According to the report, management, scientific and technical consulting services; computer systems design and related services; and employment services are needed to develop and implement new technologies, ensure compliance with government regulations, provide computer security and develop, improve and maintain computer networks. An aging population will be the driving force for health care and social assistance to accommodate their needs.
Within the four sectors that are expected to exhibit the fastest job growth, you will find some of the fastest growing occupations. For the service and professional and business services sector, the following occupations will see some of the fastest growth including home health aides, physician assistants, physical therapy aides, dental hygienists, dental assistants, medical assistants and occupational therapist aides for the home health care services industry; network systems and data communications analysts, computer software engineers for the information services industry.
Shown within the report is the fact that among the 30 fastest growing occupations, nearly half belong to the professional and related group and have a bachelor's degree or higher as a source of training. There are some occupations that have lower education or training requirements but the fact remains, an education may lead to long term job security.
Whether you are a recent high school drop out or many years, perhaps decades, has passed, you should know that there has never been a better time to get an education than today where an education can be obtained at a traditional campus institution or online in the comfort of your own home.