8 hot jobs to snag in 2012
Job: Home health aide.
Average annual salary: $21,760.
One of the easiest ways to tap into the burgeoning health care profession is to become a home health aide. These workers help take care of elderly, handicapped or disabled people at home.
“Many elderly folks would prefer to remain in their homes as they age,” career counselor Roy Cohen says.
That has caused explosive demand for home health aides, which usually requires only a high school diploma and on-the-job training.
This can be a starting point for people who want to get training to eventually become a nurse or physician assistant. As a result, the position could provide some workers with both a job and a fresh start.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates home health aide jobs will increase by 50 percent by 2018.
“If the bottom fell out of your job tomorrow, you could start as a home health aide and then work your way up,” career management author Martin Yate says.
