Why Choose a Career in Healthcare?
A career in healthcare can be an incredibly fulfilling and rewarding choice for individuals who are passionate about helping others and making a positive impact on the world.
Here are some of the key benefits of pursuing a career in healthcare:
- Job Security: Healthcare is a rapidly growing industry, with high demand for healthcare professionals in a variety of roles. This means that individuals who pursue a career in healthcare are likely to have good job security and stability throughout their career. Overall employment in healthcare occupations is projected to grow 13 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations; this increase is expected to result in about 2 million new jobs over the decade, according to the Department of Labor. In addition to new jobs from growth, opportunities arise from the need to replace workers who leave their occupations permanently. About 1.9 million openings each year, on average, are projected to come from growth and replacement needs.
- Competitive Salaries: Healthcare professionals typically earn above-average salaries, with many roles offering the potential for high earnings and opportunities for advancement. The median annual wage for healthcare practitioners and technical occupations (such as registered nurses, physicians and surgeons, and dental hygienists) was $75,040 in May 2021, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $45,760; healthcare support occupations (such as home health and personal care aides, occupational therapy assistants, and medical transcriptionists) had a median annual wage of $29,880 in May 2021, which was lower than the median annual wage for all occupations.
- Opportunities for Professional Growth and Advancement: The healthcare industry is diverse and constantly evolving, providing numerous opportunities for professionals to develop their skills, gain new experiences, and advance in their careers.
- Making a Difference: Working in healthcare can be incredibly rewarding, as it allows individuals to make a tangible difference in the lives of others. Healthcare professionals have the opportunity to directly impact the health and well-being of patients, and to improve the overall quality of healthcare.
- Flexibility: Many healthcare roles offer flexible schedules and part-time options, making it a great choice for individuals looking for a career that can accommodate their lifestyle needs.
- Lifelong Learning: The healthcare industry is constantly evolving, with new technologies, treatments, and research emerging all the time. This means that healthcare professionals have the opportunity to engage in lifelong learning and stay up-to-date with the latest developments in their field.
- Diverse Career Paths: Healthcare is a broad and diverse industry, with a wide range of career paths and specializations to choose from. This allows individuals to find a role that aligns with their interests, skills, and values.
Pursuing a career in healthcare can offer numerous benefits. If you are passionate about helping others and positively impacting the world, a career in healthcare may be the perfect choice for you. Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA) Career Coaches can connect you to apprenticeships, and certification training, and employers.
WSRCA has also launched a Rural Healthcare Initiative (RHI) partnership to increase the supply of healthcare professionals in Central Texas over the next four years.
The RHI program brings together local training providers and healthcare employers to train unemployed, underemployed, and incumbent workers for jobs focusing on direct patient care in the healthcare industry in targeted areas of Central Texas.
The WSRCA Skill-Based Career Progression Lattices are designed to empower job seekers by identifying best practices in workforce development and delivering programs and tools to leverage the existing knowledge and skills of workforce customers to set them on a pathway to career success. Lattices address this objective by visibly highlighting the dynamics of strategic career mobility and the importance of a skilled workforce. Explore!
