I just read two interesting articles on potential career paths.
Why Your Major Matters looks at five university majors that should provide good employment prospects in today’s economy.
I believe that what you study is more important than where you study. So I enjoyed reading the findings.
I was also pleased to see that Accounting, Economics/Finance, and Business majors are on their short list.
The other article, 10 Jobs With High Pay and Minimal Schooling Required!, lists careers aimed at those who do not wish to attend university.
It is a decent article and I am glad to include it. Mainly because non-university education is an area that I have neglected discussing to date in this blog.
The neglect may be because I think the bulk of this blog’s readers attend, or intend to attend, university. But university is not for everyone and there are some excellent career paths in other directions.
According to a recent Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) study, Highlights From Education at a Glance 2009, graduation rates from university level programs have increased 18% across OECD countries in the last 12 years. However, only 39% of young adults complete university level education in the 24 OECD countries studied. That leaves a significant number of young adults that do not attend university.
In Europe, one 2006 study found only 21% of the European working population have university education as compared with 38 percent in the US.
In Switzerland, about 31% have advanced education. There are many opportunities to join companies straight from high school and then receive internal training that allows them to advance in the organization.
I know many Bank Client Advisors, Asset Managers (some even have their Chartered Financial Analyst designations), Accountants and Internal Auditors, etc. that do not have university educations. Their training was provided in-house or through external institutions after some period on the job.
As for the list itself, there are some interesting options. I would add Fire Fighter and other health related jobs.
My only caution with those listed is that many of them are extremely high stress positions and may have a high burn-out rate.
Marketplaces tend to be very efficient. If a career offers excellent compensation, there is probably a good reason for it.
Before chasing any job that has above average salary, figure out exactly why it does. Consider all the factors first. Then determine if it is the best path for you.
Good luck.
