Totorus

Photo credit by Lafayette College

It can sometimes be difficult to predict what jobs are going to be in high demand in the market from one year to the next. Some people may spend years in school just to find that the job that they trained so long for is now obsolete, while other people may find that the jobs they've been doing for years are replaced by computers or other machines. However, there are certain jobs that will be in demand for the foreseeable future, and it's these jobs that people would be well advised to try if they're looking for stability.

Computer programmers and engineers are at the top of the list of growing jobs and industries. While this isn't news to most people, the computer and IT industry needs professionals who are well trained, able to think outside the box, and to problem solve. With the rapid progress that's being made in computer and technology applications, new employees are always needed to help program the technology to fulfill all the roles it was intended for.

The health care field is also expected to grow in a number of different directions. With the increasing elderly population positions for at home care professionals and similarly trained nurses in retirement communities are expected to increase quite a lot. In addition, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and other positions dealing with prescription drugs are expected to increase due to the increased demand for medication by the public. Of course traditional positions such as general practitioners, surgeons, and hospital nurses will also remain stable and likely increase in the future.

Other health care positions are expected to increase as well. Psychologists, counselors, and mental health professionals are already in high demand, and they're going to be in even greater need in the future. Often lumped into this category of health care professionals are substance abuse specialists and drug abuse counselors. Rounding out this list are physical therapists and rehabilitation counselors, which are positions expected to see a great deal of growth.

Lastly, experts in the hard sciences such as chemistry, geology, and others are likely to see a great deal of growth in their fields. Whether it's environmental research dealing with climate change, or applying science to crime and public policy, it's a good idea to invest some time and effort to become a scientist if that's what really intrigues you.

It's important to remember that just because demand for a field or a type of job isn't predicted to shoot through the roof that it you can't still find work in that area. On the contrary many jobs that people thought were going to shrink or disappear, such as makeup artists for the theater and costume designers, are doing well given the current economy. If you really want to become a part of a given line of work, and that job isn't vanishing like typesetters did in the past, then pursue it. How many open positions there will be is just one consideration, and you shouldn't choose your future career on how easy it will be to get a job without considering other factors.