Like countless others, you’re probably doing a fair amount of web browsing for topics like “when will the pandemic end?” or “when will there be a COVID-19 vaccine?” 

The answer isn’t always an easy one, with realistic answers like November 2021, when most Americans will likely have received two doses of an as-yet-to-be-developed vaccine and there may be a slow return to normalcy.

During this time of quarantine, it can feel like our lives are on hold. In September 2020, the unemployment rate was 7.9%, with stalled improvements from the quicker rebounds we saw in previous months. Even movies have pushed back their release dates until sometime in 2021. 

But just because so many aspects of our lives are on hold, that doesn’t mean we have to wait until the threat of the pandemic is lifted to make a change for the better. 

A technical program like those offered at the Center for Employment Training is a smart way to pivot into a new field and emerge on the other side of COVID-19 with a brand-new set of skills, ready to take on the job market. Here’s what you should know:

Challenging and Unique Times

One of the most important things to realize about these strange times is that, like the virus, the economy and the job market are not behaving exactly the way we would expect them to. How do we know this to be true? 

First of all, this is unlike the recession of 2008, where jobs slowly and gradually dropped off, with the housing collapse at the center of the issue. Back in March of this year, everything shut down all at once. From February through April, Americans lost 22 million jobs. As soon as May, when things started to open back up again, 2.5 million people got their jobs back or found new ones right away. However, some jobs may never come back, like many in the restaurant industry.

So what jobs are coming back? Here’s where the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects to see higher-than-average growth between now and 2028:

  • Healthcare support occupations
  • Personal care and service occupations
  • Computer and mathematical occupations
  • Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
  • Community and social service occupations
  • Construction and extraction occupations

In-Demand Jobs for a Post-Coronavirus World

Most experts agree that the economy will look very different after the pandemic and so might the kinds of jobs that are most in demand. Some industries, like the restaurant, retail, and travel industries, may be slow to recover while others will see new growth.

What are some jobs that are expected to take off even after the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic? According to Grow.com, here’s where we can expect to see booming fields now and into the future:

  • Truck driving and logistics: During the pandemic, we’ve seen how important it is to keep shelves and warehouses stocked. As supply chains start to open up, many people may continue to shop online rather than in person, which means we will see an increase in jobs related to the supply chain. At the Center for Employment Training (CET), we offer the following programs:
  • Jobs in software and technology: As more people work from home, they may need additional support to make this happen. So much work is being conducted online, and online assistance is more important than ever before. CET offers these related programs:
  • Jobs in healthcare: Demand for those in the healthcare field was already on the upswing before the pandemic, and this has not changed in the past few months. There will always be a need for healthcare workers, and the increase in the use of practices like telemedicine services is actually increasing the number of jobs for those who support doctors, including medical assistants and more. CET offers the following medical-related programs:

Pivoting During a Pandemic

At the Center for Employment Training, our programs have always been designed to get our students ready for rewarding careers in growing industries in a time frame of six to nine months, and these pandemic times are no different. We help our students find fulfilling work at good paying jobs, and that’s never been more important.

Our opinion? There’s no better time to enroll in an affordable, accessible program to learn new skills and prepare for work in a new field than right now. While the job outlook is on a slow upswing, you’ll begin your training and finish as things start to hopefully clear up. 

Are you ready to adapt to this new job climate? You can start at CET as early as tomorrow! Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you make it happen.