Coupled together, healthcare and human services are the largest employer in the United States, with high continued job growth expected. This cluster offers a wide variety of careers, primarily focused around helping people and communities to thrive.
Careers in healthcare and human services often involve direct service with a wide variety of people. Work environments can be fast paced, but many jobs also include lots of documentation and administrative tasks. Healthcare work especially can require many hours on your feet and frequent multitasking.
Opportunities in this cluster are available at every level of education and training. Here are some examples:
Jobs that require a high school diploma or less include childcare workers, personal care aides, manicurists, and physical therapy aides.
Many careers require short-term training–from a few months to about two years— including nursing assistants, dental assistants, paramedics, massage therapists, financial workers, morticians, and cosmetologists.
Careers that usually require a bachelor’s degree include nutritionists, registered nurses, radiation therapists, probation officers, and rehabilitation counselors.
A number of careers in this cluster require graduate education, licensure, and board certifications, such as doctors, physician assistants, pharmacists, therapists, clergy, and social workers.
Is a career in healthcare and human services for you? Keep these points in mind:
- Jobs offer high potential to create positive change and help others, often when they need it the most.
- The high demand and job growth for workers in this cluster means there are lots of career options and advancement potential.
- Handling difficult cases and challenging clients or patients can create stress and burnout.
- Inner-city and rural communities are often underserved by healthcare and social services and have a significant need for workers.
- At facilities that provide care 24/7, it’s typical to work rotations that include some evenings and weekends.
Whatever your career direction, you can find options that fit. Keep exploring at CareerOneStop.org/ExploreCareers
