Top 15 Recession Proof Jobs for College Graduates and Others

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By Patty Inglish, MS


Recession Proof Employment With and Without a College Degree

Some careers maintain success and stability even during periods of recession and economic depression in America. One senior citizen once told me his story of success, beginning his tale with the comment, "We'll, you gotta eat!" He was referring to the food business, and mostly grocery retail and wholesale.

This particular gentleman lived from about 1910 through the 1990s, experiencing The Great Depression as well as a few recessions. He spoke of being able to purchase a pound of hamburger or 10 hot dogs for 5ยข in the early 1930s, and of how he found long lasting employment.

In high school, he worked part-time for a local small grocery before air conditioning was weidely used. He told me how they put sawdust on the floors to absorb moisture, expeecially in hot weather and always in the meat department. After graduation, he went on to work in our city's first Kroger grocery store and later purchased a franchise for a convenience/grocery store and continued his success into the retirement years. He said he always had work, even when his friends lost their jobs during the Depression Years and during recessions.

For some, then, grocery wholesaling or retail operations is a recession proof career field, despite rising prices.

This idea is the basis for economists' and financial experts' advise to people to invest in Consumer Staples - things we need to have in order to simply exist and survive, no matter the economy. It is a good bet, then, that if you work in Consumer Staples, you will keep your job long-term in up and down economies and even disasters, all other factors being equal. Consumer Staples include groceries, health care services and products, health & beauty aids and home products like soap, utilities and energy, and a few others. Some professionals advise that bars and taverns will continue to thrive during recessions, as well as the use of tobacco. remember that the first business to reopen in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina was actually a tavern that stayed open despite the water damage, located on the edge of the undamaged sector of the city .

This article will present stable long-term employment oportunities for College Graduates throgh 2020 and beyond, with another 5 high growth career fields that do not require extensive classroom training.


Recession Proof Jobs For Grads 2008 - 2020

Reports coming from national economists, labor specialists, and the National Association of Colleges and Employees state that employers are offering signing bonuses and higher starting salaries from 2008 onward, than in the past two decades and will continue to do so in several occupations, despite economic recessions.

These occupations are high demand jobs suitable to graduates that are specializing in the career fields of Business, Finance, and Information Technology and earning related academic degrees.

The Millennial Generation (b. ~ 1980 - 2000) is nearly as large as the Baby Boom Generation. This means that not only will Millennials require additional and longer-term Health/Medical care and wellness services, as have the Boomers, but that they require additional years of Financial Planning, because they will live longer in the advent of increasing medical advances. They may even work greater numbers of years and own more businesses or own them for longer periods of time.

Until 2100 AD or so, Millennials will continue to be top consumers of Information Technology advances, comptuers, and gadgets and they will be tracked in additional new databases globally. They will be emoployees, business owners, and consumers of products and services made avaiable in by the expanding worlds of Engineering of all kinds. Many will join the ranks of engineering-degreed Private Space Explorers, working for major corporations. Increasingly, they will also work in and consume the services and products of Green Industries.

Looking at data from the US Department of Labor, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, and employment and labor specialists around the country, we have the results listed below, with some videos.

The industries doing the most hiring and expecting the highest percentages of job growth in high demand occupations nationwide through 2020 are the arranged by salary:

Sales & Finance

Marketing Managers

College Major Studies/Degree Required: Advertising or Journalism

Median salary: $98,720; Forecasted job growth: HIGH

Financial Managers

College Major Studies/Degree Required: Finance

Median salary: $90,970; Forecasted job growth: HIGH

Financial Managers

Marketing Managers

Computer Software

Computer Systems Software Engineers

College Major Studies/Degree: Computer Information Science [CIS]

Median annual salary: $85,370; Forecasted job growth: VERY HIGH

A Day in the Life - Computer Software Engineer

Engineers

Chemical Engineers

College Major Studies/Degree Required: Engineering

Median annual salary: $78,860; Forcasted Job growth: Moderate

Electrical Engineers

College Major Studies/Degree Required: Engineering

Median annual salary: $75,930

New Jobs Forecast: 10,000+

Mechanical Engineers

College Major Studies/Degree Required: Engineering

Median annual salary: $69,850

New Jobs Forecast: 10,000+

Civil Engineers

College Major Studies/Degree Required: Engineering

Median salary: $68,600; Forecasted job growth: HIGH

Electrical Engineering - New Inventions

SpaceDev's ILO Human Servicing Mission; Return to the Moon

Computer Systems

Computer Systems Analysts

College Major Studies/Degree Required: Computer Information Science and Systems

Median salary: $69,760; Forecasted job growth: HIGH

Financial Analyst / Investment Banker

Finance/Accounting

Financial analyst

College Major Studies/Degree Required: Business Administration

Median salary: $66,590; Forecasted job growth: HIGHEST of the Top 10.

Accountants

College Major Studies/Degree Required: Accounting

Median salary: $54,630; Forecasted job growth: HIGH

Additional Recession-Proof Occupations; Education at All Levels

 

Education. This includes Certified Teachers, as well as Teacher's Assistants & Aides that do not all require degrees. Adult Education Instructors and self-improvement teachers may or may not require a degree.

The Baby Boomer Generation of teachers is retiringthrough 2030, and many of them are finding that teaching is simply not the job of their dreams or abilities in the first place. That leaves many positions on in Pre-K-12, adult education, life skills training, after school programs, college prep tutoring, summer and year-around work-and-learn, work readiness soft skills training, job skills training, and more. Moreover The Millennial Generation is just as large as the Baby Boomers and are having more children to fill up K-12 than the Boomers had. America needs 3,000,000 more teachers by 2015 and then, even more teachers will be retiring. National initiatives to require and mandate Pre-K 3 (age) and Pre-K 4 raise the number of required teachers considerably through to at least 2050.


Renewable Energy

Energy & Environment

Energy provides occupations the require anything form a high school diploma to a PhD in engineering. It should be the most productive and expansive of national industries in 21stcentury America. Many states and counties, as well as increasing numbers of cities in the US have Green Initiatives and plenty of green reconstruction and new green industries. Green Industries advocates will be pleased to note that Oil will suffer 80% retirement of its 2008 work force by 2018. These vacant jobs in oil, coal, and gas are likely to attrite; coal mining already becoming defunct in the early 21st century. Alternative and renewable energy sources and nuclear energy are likely to rise in importance and new job openings through 2100.

Health Care

Educational required can vary from a high school diploma or GED to a PhD, MD, or other professional degree. This field is wide open for jobs and opportunities for advancement. Not only human health care, but veterinary health care is growing. Psychiatric and psychological services are also fast growing job opportunity fields within Health Care.

Half of all of the 30 Fastest Growing Jobs in the USA are health related, per the US Department of Labor and state and local labor board statistics. Some of these jobs include LPNs, RNs, nurse practitioners, medical assistants, physician assistants, physical and occupational therapists & aides, Workers Compensation nurse consultants, and home health aides. A national nursing shortage is expected to last until 2050 and beyond. California hospitals especially employ a lot of Travel Nurses at higher wages, even paying their rent, and entice permanent nursing staff via $3,500 - 7,500 in a signing bonus. They also offer $3,000+ in yearly Professional Development - continuing education and relocation assistance, paid time off for education, overtime pay, and 3, 12-hour shift workweeks to include 4 days off EVERY week. Some hospitals allow nurses to work 2 12-hour weekend shifts and have FIVE days off.

Security

Security is a growing industry with unlimited potential, not because of Homeland Security requirements, but because of COMPUTER INFORMATION. Computer information security will continue to increase with the expansion of Information Technology applications and inventions. Industrial security job openings will add to this matrix of opportunities.

Aside form these openings, the US Border Patrol lists numerous job openings as well; and the Defense and Homeland Security agencies expect 83,000+ job openings to come available through 2010, with additional openings thereafter.

Security work can require a high scholl diploma/GED or higher education level.

Service Industries

The abundance of service related positions may wax and wane a bit within the economic climate created by each additional US presidential adminstration and its policies in America, but the US has trended more and more toward a service based economy since the 1980s.

In the 21st century, this is becoming more evident as well and will continue to do so.

One segment of the service industry that continues to grow steadily is the food preparation business at all levels of enterprise, from hotels and fine dining to fast food establishments and aerospace applications such a living places on the Moon.

In Central Ohio, for instance, our newly welcomed immigrants to the area have found gold in food preparation and service. In many instances, they have banded together in groups to work in dining establishments, saved their money together by sharing housing and other expenses, and purchased their own join-owned restaurant franchises after just a couple fo years.

These groups of individuals have worked hard and been most successful, and have increased the level of good customer service in our metropolitan area.

Comments

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In The Doghouse profile image

In The Doghouse  says:
7 months ago

Patty,

A wonderful list of jobs that will be available during a recession or anytime. My son is finding a niche in the national security industry... go figure! These are all wonderful suggestions, and yes, you gotta eat!

Patty Inglish, MS profile image

Patty Inglish, MS  says:
7 months ago

Thanks In The Doghouse. Much success to your son!

Nicki B profile image

Nicki B  says:
7 months ago

This is a really great resource for me as an university student... still not quite sure which path I want to take, but this will help to decide. Thanks for the hub.

-Nicki B.

Patty Inglish, MS profile image

Patty Inglish, MS  says:
7 months ago

I envy college students today - so much more opportunity for both men and women. New worlds to explore as well.

Best of success to you!

Hein Marais profile image

Hein Marais  says:
6 months ago

Wonderful Hub. Great Information.

Patty Inglish, MS profile image

Patty Inglish, MS  says:
6 months ago

Good city for jobs: http://hubpages.com/hub/Stockton-California

Patty Inglish, MS profile image

Patty Inglish, MS  says:
6 months ago

Look at successful resumes at

http://hubpages.com/hub/Resumes-From-Real-Life

Brian Kopp profile image

Brian Kopp  says:
5 months ago

I love your hub

ad-agency profile image

ad-agency  says:
4 months ago

I wonder if kids in grade 10-12 are ever shown a list like this; they should be.

Patty Inglish, MS profile image

Patty Inglish, MS  says:
4 months ago

That is a brilliant idea, ad-agency! Our work began with 13 year olds, but 10 year olds could benefit and have fun with it as well. Thanks for the idea and I hope everyone that reads this will pass it on to parents and teachers. It could be part of Social Studies.

Patty Inglish, MS profile image

Patty Inglish, MS  says:
4 months ago

"Kina" 77.238.193.57 (RIPE/Amsterdam). Stop leaving irrelevant profanity on Hubs.

Chad  says:
4 months ago

You forgot "criminal" with the way the economy is going, and a completely dem government, criminal would be the idea profession. We'll have record job loss, an overwhelmed police force and strict gun control. woot for criminal being number one.

Patty Inglish, MS profile image

Patty Inglish, MS  says:
4 months ago

Interesting observation, Chad.

Of course, the underground economy seems to be growing more rapidly in the last 5 years as well.

christopher247  says:
3 months ago

Are we trully living in a "recession" ??

Patty Inglish, MS profile image

Patty Inglish, MS  says:
3 months ago

I can;t tell form my own life - I maintain a minimal carbon footprint and do not spend much money or make large purchases. I know many senior citizens that returned to work in the last 2 years, though, so that may be an indication of recession or bad retirement planning.

smichael308 profile image

smichael308  says:
2 days ago

Great hub! Lots of great suggestions

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