With the economy continuing to decline and no reasonable end in sight, many people are looking to change career paths or get involved with a job that has some staying-power. Healthcare jobs are often considered recession proof, and the industry is usually hiring in one corner of the country or another.
During February 2009, the healthcare and social assistance sector employed 16,070,200 workers throughout the country, according to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. Also during February, the sector saw its unemployment rate increase from 3.7 percent to 4.1 percent. During January, the sector had 645,000 job openings and 480,000 hires.
The healthcare and social assistance sector is made up of establishments that provide health care and social assistance for individuals. There are many career opportunities within the sector, including jobs in ambulatory healthcare services, hospitals, nursing and residential care facilities and social assistance.
In 2007, there were 773,730 home health aides; 606,020 licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses; 194,010 medical and health services managers; 1,257,790 nursing aides, orderlies and attendants and 2,097,590 registered nurses.
In January, workers in the healthcare and social assistance sector worked an average of 32.5 hours per week and earned an average of $19.67 per hour, a slight increase from the average pay of $19.65 per hour in December 2008.
The occupation that pays the most is medical and health services managers at an average of $83,470 per year, followed by registered nurses at $62,510 per year; licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses at $38,710 per year; nursing aides, orderlies and attendants at $23,660 per year and home health aides at $20,520 per year.
As for the future, the healthcare and social assistance sector is expected to greatly increase. In 2006, the sector employed 15,930,300 workers. That number is expected to increase to 19,979,500 workers by 2016, an increase of more than 25 percent.
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