Why School Psychologists Get Up in the Morning 38.4 Billion Reasons to Work in the Pet Industry The Truth about Teaching Why "Journalism" Is In This Newsletter Six Rewarding Careers in Social Services

How to Jump to the Front of the Job Line

By Gabby Hyman
Learning & Life Columnist
July 18, 2006

You don't need to stay in a dead-end career. Turn your life around in a hurry. Enroll in short-degree and certification courses designed to accelerate learning and position you for jobs that consistently maintain high demand in the marketplace.

Here are five careers with quick and easy college preparation that hold value over time:

Business Administration

Associates degree and certification courses in business administration get you up to speed in head-spinning time. Almost every service, financial, and manufacturing sector needs qualified administrators now. Secretarial, payroll, operations, and maintenance administrators advance quickly in their professions.

Human Resources Assistants

Any business with more than a few employees depends on human resources assistants to hire, train, and process benefits for its workers. A short-course or associates degree program in HR will launch you headlong into the field. Additional certification courses can help you prosper.

Healthcare Administrators

Plain and simple, healthcare is America's fastest-growing career field. Associates degree and certification courses provide the ultimate fast-track into the profession. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that jobs for healthcare administrators will enjoy "rapid employment growth" for at least the next decade.

Visual Communications

You'd be hard-pressed to name a career field that doesn't employ the services of graphic designers. Certificates and associates degrees in visual communications are especially solid in preparing individuals with little college experience - as well as for those who already hold a degree in another field. Why? Because these accelerated courses focus on technical skills.

Criminal Justice

We live in a dangerous, post-9/11 world. Demands for increased homeland security, computer security, and border protections have sparked the development of fast-paced, short-course criminal justice programs to mint fresh graduates as quickly as possible. If you've wanted a career in law enforcement, corrections, security, paralegal, or courts, associates degree and specialized certification courses can put you on the firing line in quick order.

Soruce

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Learn More about these Careers



About the Author
Gabby Hyman has created online strategies and written content for Fortune 500 companies including eToys, GoTo.com, Siebel Systems, Microsoft Encarta, Avaya, and Nissan UK.

More Career Tips Articles

Add to My Favorites

	Location: --- All Locations --- Online ------------------------ Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico ------------------------ Alberta British Columbia Manitoba New Brunswick Newfoundland Northwest Territories Nova Scotia Nunavut Ontario Prince Edward Island Quebec Saskatchewan Yukon Territory London Degree: --- All Degrees --- Associate Bachelor Master Doctoral Diploma Certificate Coursework Subject: --- All Subjects --- Architecture Arts and Design Beauty and Cosmetology Business Communication and Media Computer Culinary Education Engineering Health and Clinical Legal and Law Enforcement Liberal Arts and Humanities Other Science Social Services Travel and Hospitality Vocational/Technician Program: --- Select a Subject ---

	Associate's (AABA) - Criminal Justice Administration Associate's (AABA) - Healthcare Administration More Programs Digital Design Fashion & Retail Management More Programs

	Get the training you need to succeed. Find a school in your region that can help you advance your career.