Since so many are talking about being more creative during this economic slump, why not think outside the box of looking to work for another in the first place? I know, I know, but stay with me for a moment.

It’s amazing that there are plenty of skill sets that are for whatever reason not “conventional” enough to be taught in schools, but the mastery of which would lead to more autonomy.

Most of us are trained to be employees- nothing wrong with that, but thinking that way can be a kind of tunnel vision that keeps many from learning skills that would allow them to carve out their own path to income and contribution.

One of them is as close as the computer in front of you. No really, for the first time in history, we are 3 feet in front of the world, yet few learn how to use it in a way to render 1) value to others and 2)income for themselves.

There ARE ways to learn this stuff, if you can avoid all the junk and find good and reputable sources.

leavethejobbehind.com

The jobs listed above really fall into 3 categories:
- Healthcare
- Engineering / Applied Sciences
- Sales

These all have pretty clear-cut value propositions: save lives, build things and sell the things you build. So yeah, if you didn’t already know taking sciences is probably a good thing.

However, I do want to warn against health care in the US right now. Yes, an aging population means that people will likely need more healthcare. However, the US has a growing problem with un-insured and under-insured citizens. The current Medicare program is also completely unsustainable at current taxation levels. Empty beds don’t generate any money, but nor do beds filled with citizens who can’t afford to pay for the beds they’re in.

So even if healthcare continues to employ people, there is quite likely to be a squeeze on salaries as hospitals are forced to make cuts to remain profitable. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe that there has ever been an over-supply of doctors, but I also don’t believe that current salaries are sustainable b/c fewer and fewer people can afford care at this cost.

It’s also worth noting that the computer engineer starting salaries listed above are probably very wrong. I work in the industry, MS pays their research people about 7.5k / month (~$90k). These are “entry-level” positions that require PhDs & typically some industry experience. Google pay is in a similar, but both of these are in expensive regions of the country. Plus Google just “laid off” 10k people and MS basically stopped hiring.

So if you graduate from college this year with your programming cert and some web apps under your belt, do not expect to earn 80k to start.

On this topic, i think the biggest thing is communicating this kind of information to younger people in HS and college.

If a student wants to get into green technologies, what courses do colleges really have to offer? Independent studies? I know sciences and engineering courses may help but if we want green careers we also need green educations!

I am just mad you guys did not list house husband b/c Id be all over that!