Our grandparents may have stayed in the same career from high school to retirement, but the average person now switches jobs as many as fifteen times in their lifetime.
And there are lots of great reasons move on if you’re not fulfilled in your current profession. It is important to feel challenged and satisfied with your work. It is not too much for hope for career progression and an increase in income as you move forward. And you shouldn’t have to live with chronic stress, or a work schedule that doesn’t fit around your lifestyle.
If you want to start afresh, now is as good a time as any. But switching from one career into another can be daunting. You want to be sure the industry you are moving into is going to be a better fit, and that there will be jobs available when you start.
Of course, you can’t control all the variables. But check out the list below for some ideas on which industries are currently hiring, and the way to train to get a foot in there.
Information Technology
IT is a big, varied industry providing many different sorts of jobs in a multitude of different businesses. You can work independently, as part of a department, or as an employee of a specialist IT company.
But one this is for sure - the number of available roles for those trained in computer skills are many and only increasing day-by-day. Almost all businesses now have an in-house IT department or outsource to a specialist IT company. It’s one of the most common available roles in job searches and those jobs aren’t going anywhere.
So if you are already computer literate or could see yourself retraining, IT is one of the most secure industries you can move into. There’s plenty of room to move up into bigger salaries, you can hop between different companies to keep things interesting if you tend to get restless in one place.
There are a few certified technical skills you will need to get you started, a bachelor's degree in IT will open you up to more options, and for management roles, you might need to bolster this with business qualifications.
Health Care
As the population continues to grow rapidly, so do the health industries that care for us. If you like working with people and having a positive impact on the lives of others, health care is an incredibly fulfilling industry to move into.
With the over-60 population being larger than ever before, there is currently an urgent need for health-care professionals (check out urgent care jobs for more information). So if you do move into this industry, you can be guaranteed a career and a steady flow of work to support yourself in the future.
The necessary qualifications depend on the specialization you intend to work in. If you want to train as a physician or top level medical professional, you’ll need to look into medical school - something which does tend to be expensive but a fantastic investment if you know this is the right career for you.
Careers in community and social care - including therapy and counselling - have their own specialist qualifications or on-the-job training, but are in equally high demand in most areas.
Skilled Trades
Skilled trades include anything from being an electrician, carpenter, machinist, mechanic, welder or plumber. If you’re good with your hands and like solving practical problems, training in a skilled trade could be perfect for your temperament.
These jobs also tend to be quite active - as opposed to an office job in front of a computer - and better for your health in the long-term.
Whilst less practical university degrees can be difficult to apply to a long-lasting career, training in a skilled trade will set you up with a job for life that only becomes more fulfilling and better paid as you learn and establish yourself.
Most trade jobs are learned through apprenticeships or require a qualification which is much quicker and cheaper to complete than a degree. And because you’re training on the job, you are also paid right away, whilst you are learning.
Skilled traders are in demand all over the country, so if this sounds like the career for you - go ahead and find yourself an apprenticeship.
Transportation
Are you into cars, trucks, trains, boats and planes? Love a long drive? If so, transportation might be the right industry for you.
As trading further nationally and internationally becomes bigger and bigger business, the transportation booms along with it.
And it’s currently a great job to get into as a young person. Baby boomers occupy a large percentage of senior management positions in transportation and logistics companies. In all modes, global and local industry associations have launched programs to attract, recruit and develop young professionals.
Opportunities for advancement in the transportation industry will be abundant in the next five to 15 years. Enter the industry now and gain the experience you will need when opportunities are plentiful.
Again, qualifications depend on the role. But a clean driving record (and specialist licence for certain vehicles), mechanical knowledge and passion, and in-work training are all useful if not essential. However, on the whole - you won’t need a costly university degree and there are lots and lots of opportunities available.
And there we have it! If you are unhappy in your current job and looking for something a bit more “you”, now is as good a time as ever. Use these ideas to get you started on the road to a more fulfilling career.
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