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No degree required
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October 22, 1998: 10:37 a.m. ET
Good careers exist for those who hit the job market out of high school
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Not every job hunter has a college degree, but the popular perception that you need at least a college diploma to get a good job may need to be challenged.
Growth in several key employment areas, especially health care, will be enough to insure that not having a college degree doesn't mean you can't take home a respectable salary.
In fact, occupations requiring post-secondary education account for only three out of every 10 jobs in the United States, according the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Conversely, jobs requiring a high school diploma or less make up 40 percent of the total U.S. workforce, the BLS said.
The jobs available to people with high school degrees are a mixed lot, ranging from low-paying cashier jobs to financial services sales workers who have above average earnings.
The good news is occupations that require high school degrees or training are expected to have above average growth during the next eight years, according to a government study.
Workers with a high school degree can thank, in part, the baby boomers for their increased job prospects. As many boomers begin to reach their golden years, their health care needs have increased dramatically.
Of the 10 fastest growing occupations in the United States, six do not require a college degree and all are related to health care, including personal and home care aides, physical and corrective therapy aides, home health aides, medical assistants and occupational therapy assistants.
The salaries for these positions also vary but occupational therapy assistants, for example, earn a respectable average annual salary of $27,000 with only moderate, on-the-job training required.
Many other occupations, such as blue-collar worker supervisors, electrical and electronic technicians/technologists ($31,700) and automotive mechanics ($25,700), also do not require a college degree, yet offer higher than average earnings.
Setting your sights
High school graduates have been helped by a strong economy which has expanded many areas of the business sector. As these firms grow, they are forced to battle it out for workers, which has also helped push wages higher.
But all non-college jobs are not the same. BLS studies show the ones which require the most training are the highest-paying of non-college positions, but these are also often the most difficult to get.
Job seekers with high school diplomas face tangible challenges in the workplace, but they sometimes face a self-created challenge as well, according to Nancy Pistler, president of Target Solutions, a Cincinnati, Ohio-based employment consultation firm.
"Individual graduates have to face the reality of what their expectations are," said Pistler, who explained these job seekers often have unrealistic expectations about what jobs they are qualified for.
The better jobs are often the ones which might be, at least on the surface, the ones which might not create enthusiasm among high school grads, she said.
Factory work can pay well but might not be what many people have in mind when looking for work. Other types of jobs which might value manual dexterity over other types of skills may also pay better but not be as satisfying to these prospective workers.
Getting into position
People with high school diplomas who want to position themselves for these jobs need to take a two-pronged approach: Acquire basic skills necessary for all jobs and build on them toward a specific job.
The basics include communications skills, basic mathematics ability and good language skills. While these may seem pretty fundamental, Pistler said they aren't universal.
"There is a shortage," she said. "Many of these businesses are going right to the high schools to find these types of people now."
Next, Pistler said you shouldn't be pessimistic if you have a short resume. You'll just need to be realistic.
"If you have the basic writing and math skills, write to your targeted companies. Say that you're a high school grad and that you've worked hard. Most people don't realize that they have to sell themselves," she said.
"Many companies are desperate for workers and would be glad to have people like this."
Additionally, you're not just stuck with whatever you have on your resume when you graduate. You may have to lower your sights a little but you can acquire some more skills along the way.
Increasing your abilities is becoming more and more important in a changing economy, according to Gerri Fiala, policy and research director at the U.S. Employment and Training Administration.
"What we're seeing in this labor market is that jobs are growing faster, but demanding higher levels of skills," she said.
Fortunately, those who are looking to beef up their workplace capabilities have some options. The federal and state governments all offer such programs.
These programs range from teaching high school students who don't plan on attending college ways to apply what they've learned in high school to workplace situations.
The federal government also has workplace training programs aimed at adults. "It provides a mix of services, including additional occupational training and work experience, if necessary, to help them out," said Fiala.
If you would like to find out more about the various training programs available in your area, you can check out the Department of Labor's One-Stop Career Center website.
The DOL also provides job listings and free resume posting services at its America's Job Bank site.
Despite the somewhat brighter job outlook for high school grads, it would be a mistake to assume college is not worth considering if you have the opportunity to grow.
College graduates do indeed, on average, make more than their high school counterparts. Additionally, more jobs that require college degrees are, in total, being created than ones that require high school diplomas.
Still, if the U.S. economy manages to keep up its pace, high school graduates could continue to find themselves in position for better-paying jobs than they had in the past.
-- by staff writer Randall J. Schultz
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