Which College Program Offers Most/Best Jobs?

[manofsan]

I'd like to ask about which college programs offer the best employment chances upon graduation.
(ie. which college grads are in greatest demand, in terms of number of jobs and better pay, and for which occupations, professions)

I'm middle-aged, and so I'm looking for a program that's 2 to 3 years in length.

Also, where can I go to research such labor/job stats for myself? Anybody know of any good sites for this?

[underjeep]

The answer you want looks something like this:

for example (fake values)
1. doctor 90% avg employment upon graduation
2. nursing 85% avg employment upon graduation
3........


but the truth is is that it's very difficult out there for any type of worker and networking is very important. No college program will guarantee employment. On some cover letters prospective employees say "I am willing to work for free for your company for one month to see If I am be of any help". Other applications make reference to government plan's that say "hire someone 19-29 and the provincial government will pay for half of his/her wage for the first three months."

furthermore alot of college programs aren't needed to get a job, you can get college training for becoming a train conductor but it's not required to apply to CP rail.


Conclusion: it's a gamble and there is no guaranteed job at the end of any college degree but to boost your chances get high grades and do lots of co-ops

[manofsan]

I hear what you're saying - but even still, not all occupation types are in equal demand.

So what occupational group(s) associated with college-level educational programs are in the most demand?
Which have the most job openings and best salary compensation?

[Lostwords]

I'd like to ask about which college programs offer the best employment chances upon graduation.
(ie. which college grads are in greatest demand, in terms of number of jobs and better pay, and for which occupations, professions)

I'm middle-aged, and so I'm looking for a program that's 2 to 3 years in length.

Also, where can I go to research such labor/job stats for myself? Anybody know of any good sites for this?

It is very difficult to predict these things. It in the same ball park of please tell me which stocks will goes up in 3 years so I can buy it now and reap the benefits of it.

My advise to others is always to pick something you like and something you wants to learn. If it doesn't work out in the employment front, at least you get something out of it.

Let say for example that you hear there's a big demand in mobile programming. You took the advice and take a mobile programming certificates. Chances are, many are on the same boat as you and you'll be competing with them for the jobs. Furthermore, by the time you graduated 2 or 3 years from now, the positions that are so high in demand now is probably been fill by others that looking for job.

[manofsan]

I hear what you're saying, however forecasting stronger demand for an industry seems easier than forecasting which individual companies will do well. I'm a big follower of technology news, and often read about which industry segments are ramping up in activity. The problem is that not every bright occupation is associated with a college-level program, and university tuition costs are crazy these days.

I was thinking that if I could find the right college program associated with some promising occupation with good employment prospects, then that's the best I can hope for in regards to maximizing my employment chances. I'm trying to find some good sites which offer job market information for GTA/Ontario/Canada, and was hoping others here might know of some good websites.

[eudaii]

RPN- practical nursing (2 years)
RT- respiratory therapy (3 years)

both have 90%+ employment rate within 6 months of graduation. RPNs start at around 45k and RTs around 60k

[underjeep]

Honest statistics for large areas don't exist, they just don't plain and simple. All you will find are articles with journalists' opinions.

Heck even colleges for one program for one year don't give out honest statistics they find multiple way to skew them, for example schools will ask all previous year's students if they have found a job, all those that haven't found a job are given a 2 week employment opportunity to work for the college, if you decline it you aren't looking for a job in their eyes. The final statistics will say "% of students that have a job from those that are looking for a job 95%!"

Anyways opinions are the only things that exist, and my opinion is healthcare or simple trade work / manual labour in the middle of nowhere.

[manofsan]

Yeah, I've heard that these clinical technician jobs are a good bet, because they can't be outsourced (you can't do Respiratory Therapy, etc over the phone from across a distance)
So I've read that careers like cardiac monitoring technician, etc can offer $60K, and reasonable security, etc. And they're part of this trend of growing healthcare jobs for the elderly, etc.

They just sound like horribly depressing jobs, though - like you'd be stuck working at an Old Age Home.

I dunno - since I already have a number of years of experience as a programmer-analyst in IT, I was also wondering which newer IT skills are more in demand? Anybody know of a college offering programs in mobile computing, cloud computing, etc?

[RSX-S]

Yeah, I've heard that these clinical technician jobs are a good bet, because they can't be outsourced (you can't do Respiratory Therapy, etc over the phone from across a distance)
So I've read that careers like cardiac monitoring technician, etc can offer $60K, and reasonable security, etc. And they're part of this trend of growing healthcare jobs for the elderly, etc.

They just sound like horribly depressing jobs, though - like you'd be stuck working at an Old Age Home.

I dunno - since I already have a number of years of experience as a programmer-analyst in IT, I was also wondering which newer IT skills are more in demand? Anybody know of a college offering programs in mobile computing, cloud computing, etc?

Cloud, virtualization, automation.

Many companies will stop hosting their own datacenter, and move everything to those million sq-ft datacenter hosted by giant service providers.

Research: PaaS, SaaS, IaaS.

[manofsan]

Cloud, virtualization, automation.

Many companies will stop hosting their own datacenter, and move everything to those million sq-ft datacenter hosted by giant service providers.

Research: PaaS, SaaS, IaaS.

Okay but can this be learned at the college level?
What kind of programs would offer this?

[IceBlueShoes]

Okay but can this be learned at the college level?
What kind of programs would offer this?

This is something you should be contacting the college directly.
They'll point you in the right direction.

[manofsan]

Cloud, virtualization, automation.

Many companies will stop hosting their own datacenter, and move everything to those million sq-ft datacenter hosted by giant service providers.

Research: PaaS, SaaS, IaaS.


This is something you should be contacting the college directly.
They'll point you in the right direction.

I want to thank you guys for your responses. But I've googled around for college-level programs, and after looking at their curricula, none of them explicitly/specifically mention the XaaS stuff (SaaS, PlaaS, IaaS).

I'm thinking that those giant cost-saving 3rd-party datacenters are going to be located in Bangalore :cry:
So maybe their colleges teach XaaS

I'm thinking that XaaS will rely upon a smaller number of elite highly-adept skilled personnel.

[RSX-S]

I want to thank you guys for your responses. But I've googled around for college-level programs, and after looking at their curricula, none of them explicitly/specifically mention the XaaS stuff (SaaS, PlaaS, IaaS).

I'm thinking that those giant cost-saving 3rd-party datacenters are going to be located in Bangalore :cry:
So maybe their colleges teach XaaS

I'm thinking that XaaS will rely upon a smaller number of elite highly-adept skilled personnel.

You need following skills to manage those cloud services.

Distributed Computing
General Networking Skills
General System Administration Skills
Automation (such as scripting)

and the biggest one Virtualization

A combination of these skills will prepare you for the XaaS type jobs eventually.

[manofsan]

In order for me to find out where to get training on cloud computing, XaaS, etc - then I'd need to find specific names of products, platforms, languages, etc. Even the cloud is going to be product-based. There are going to be cloud vendors.

All I know of is VMware stuff like Vsphere, which offer cloud capability. And then there's Azure. But that's all I've heard of.

[Rainne]

You should just go into Practical Nursing.

[siriuskao]

In order for me to find out where to get training on cloud computing, XaaS, etc - then I'd need to find specific names of products, platforms, languages, etc. Even the cloud is going to be product-based. There are going to be cloud vendors.

All I know of is VMware stuff like Vsphere, which offer cloud capability. And then there's Azure. But that's all I've heard of.

You are right, IT product specific therefore nobody will hire "SaaS/PaaS/IaaS" expert (buzzword) without mentioning the exact product that's required for the job.

Therefore, you should looking for sysadmin/network admin type of positions. You can get an idea on the requirements by searching Monster, etc. Without experience, the mostly likely entry-level position that leads to those roles is help desk.

For virtualization (enterprise-level, not to be confused with running VM on your desktop) you need to have experience in sysadmin, storage (SAN/NAS), and network.

[etoilethay]

I am in the same boat. I have worked for non profit organization for several years before I got laid off. I am eligible for second career program so I applied to the public administration post grad certificate program. Now, with the government cuts on the program, I am not sure what to do next!
There is no real data that can predict even in a general way what the labour market will be like in the next few years.
Common sense implies jobs in health field and seniors. Yet, these jobs are not for everyone.
I have interest in web development but I don't want to take such training as no companies hire web developers on perm basis. Just contract work.

[manofsan]

You are right, IT product specific therefore nobody will hire "SaaS/PaaS/IaaS" expert (buzzword) without mentioning the exact product that's required for the job.

Therefore, you should looking for sysadmin/network admin type of positions. You can get an idea on the requirements by searching Monster, etc. Without experience, the mostly likely entry-level position that leads to those roles is help desk.

For virtualization (enterprise-level, not to be confused with running VM on your desktop) you need to have experience in sysadmin, storage (SAN/NAS), and network.

Hi, I have 8 years of experience as a programmer and sysadmin. I was fortunate, because my workplace was very heterogenous in their technologies. I have experience in web application programming/development (ASP.NET, Java), sysadmin in Windows servers, Unix/Linux/AIX, Sharepoint Administration (CMS), Mainframe (System390 zOS, JCL), and of course SQL (TSQL, DB2-SQL).
I also have experience in IVR programming (Interactive Voice Response) on VoiceGenie.

So I'm not looking for a help desk job.

Sometimes I think I should just forget coding, because it can be more stressful being a "code monkey", and instead go into the sysadmin/networkadmin side.

But there's a lot of outsourcing going on right now. Beyond the outsourcing to cheaper countries, there's now the increasing outsourcing to the subscription model (XaaS/Saas/PaaS/Iaas). That endangers not just programmers, but also the admin-side people as well. The only people who seem protected are the Business Analysts, because they're more wedded to the customer (internal/exeternal), and they can do some of the configuration of these subscription-based software.

Maybe it's time for me to go back to engineering (ie. not the software kind, but the traditional engineering disciplines)

[siriuskao]

Hi, I have 8 years of experience as a programmer and sysadmin. I was fortunate, because my workplace was very heterogenous in their technologies. I have experience in web application programming/development (ASP.NET, Java), sysadmin in Windows servers, Unix/Linux/AIX, Sharepoint Administration (CMS), Mainframe (System390 zOS, JCL), and of course SQL (TSQL, DB2-SQL).
I also have experience in IVR programming (Interactive Voice Response) on VoiceGenie.

So I'm not looking for a help desk job.

In that case, you should be looking for sysadmin jobs. Help desk is an entry point for newbies.



Sometimes I think I should just forget coding, because it can be more stressful being a "code monkey", and instead go into the sysadmin/networkadmin side.

...

As an ex-sysadmin, I wouldn't say sysadmin type of work is automatically more fun than grinding out code. In reality, most admins are doing operational work. Very few of them are doing architecture and design. If your sysadmin life is "exciting" than you are probably doing it wrong :) (e.g. fire-fighting daily)

[Blanket_Man]

I'm disillusioned by the degree I'm doing now and was thinking of going into IT but reading some of these responses makes me even more depressed

[Syne]

A lot of people are suggesting Nursing, but I must warn you, Nursing programs (especially the RPN program) are so over-saturated right now for this exact reason. People looking for job security, a high employment rate, etc. The grades you need to get in now are high. I'm a fairly new Nursing grad and a few years ago I needed an 85%+ overall GPA in bio/chem/math/english. There were 200 seats, with over 5000 applicants. There's no mature student acceptance, you need the pre-admission requirements (math, chem, bio, english) so you'd have to take them through continuing-ed. Also, I can't speak for every school, but my college did a pretty good job at weeding out the people who had no interest in the profession itself, but were just there for the job prospects, money, etc. Many of the people I started school with weren't there by the end of it all.

What about mature applicants with an existing degree? Do they actually want you to get pre-reqs if you already have a degree (and in my case another 2yr diploma and two other recognized certs in different fields)?

If you've already done an undergrad program and want to change to the nursing stream, I would think it shouldn't be too difficult.

[Ascott]

There's no appropriate or correct answer to this. Look at where you're intending to work and asses the job market in that area. Different regions are going to need different educated/skilled labour.

[BananaHunter]

I have to say nursing as well. Be warned that the job is stressful. It's one of the few jobs where I believe union demands are reasonable and the good pay is well deserved. It terms of being over saturated, I think there's some truth to it. But keep in mind we have an aging population. While there are lots of students, I also think there's a growing demand for it. And as other posters said, it's really hard to forecast the job market. If you want to forecast, then consider the jobs that are hard to outsource. You can eliminate a lot of tech jobs. That leaves you with business program, and nursing. I really can't think of many non-university routes that are safe. The other route are the trades.

A lot of people say do something you like. I think the reason for that is not because to make yourself happy, but because you have the highest chance of success this way. When you like something, you are likely to do more of it. When you do more of it, you'll become good at it. If you're good at it, you can make a career out of it. People with the same education differ in success because of motivation and talent. But I want to emphasize motivation. When you are motivated, you'll naturally take steps to put yourself ahead. If you're a wishy washy person, you'll just slack off and piss away all your opportunities. Having finished university and now working, I can tell you that there are many bright minds that are wasted in school. Some people get cocky when they ace a test without studying. Your attitude in life probably matters more than your talents.

There are people who get amazing grades but think networking and career info sessions are a waste of time. Some people just think there will be a job waiting for them when school is over. There are people who think outside the box and do extracurricular "learning" to give themselves and edge. If you're motivated enough, I think it doesn't matter much which field you pick.

[divx]

I'd like to ask about which college programs offer the best employment chances upon graduation.
(ie. which college grads are in greatest demand, in terms of number of jobs and better pay, and for which occupations, professions)

I'm middle-aged, and so I'm looking for a program that's 2 to 3 years in length.

Also, where can I go to research such labor/job stats for myself? Anybody know of any good sites for this?

if you just want to make lots money, go to fort mac, any job is good, even mcdee job pays over $16/h.

[spike1128]

if you just want to make lots money, go to fort mac, any job is good, even mcdee job pays over $16/h.

I laughed a little after reading this thread. There is not such thing as a bad profession or a good profession that guarantee jobs. It's all a gamble.

If everyone think nursing is easy, go to the hospital at night time. See what they have to put up with. Then you will not want to be a nurse after that. Neither is being a doctor. The amount of schooling is not worth the time. Doctors mostly come from wealthy families/high middle class families, poor people need not apply.

In order to keep up with the local inflation in fort mac, one need to make a high wage/salary. 16/h means nothing if you are living there. Also, the young kids wants a good job sitting at the office not work in the oil fields doing blood/sweat physical labor.

[abelkwh]

What about mature applicants with an existing degree? Do they actually want you to get pre-reqs if you already have a degree (and in my case another 2yr diploma and two other recognized certs in different fields)?

If you've already done an undergrad program and want to change to the nursing stream, I would think it shouldn't be too difficult.

what was yr first degree in? u could try to find a diploma program that can utilize the transferable skills that u acquired from the first degree and apply it to the 2nd diploma or degree that u are seeking. Say for example, u had a background in business, u could use it for IT, or even engineering or the medical administrative side.

Besides, the medical field, like doctors, nurses, the other highly demanded field these days are in science, research or engineering. U could try for a diploma in engineering tech or something. I read from some statistics in Canada, especially Alberta and Saskatchewan, that there is a strong demand for power engineering techs as well as instrumentation engineering techs. Getting a job that pays around 60 to 70K per year after u graduate from a 2 yrs program is pretty worth the money, if u are in these 2 engineering tech programs. In fact, i know of a few friends who graduated this year from Power engineering tech, whom got job offers even before they graduated from their Diploma program and draws about 60K PA for starters!

[pushit]

http://www.workingincanada.gc.ca/home-eng.do?lang=eng

Check out this site to find out which professions are in demand for different areas throughout Canada.

Your best bet may be either a health care, finance, or trade-related profession it seems.
Social services...not so much (personal experience...graduated over a year ago and still cannot find full-time work)

[Wilmega]

I've been researching alot in Supply Chain Managment/Logistics - seems to be an untapped field with lots of opportunities.

[TodayHello]

The one that teaches you a hard work ethic while simultaneously destroying your notion that a hard work ethic, in and of itself, will lead to your success

[RFDGypsy]

RPN! they would rather hire an rpn when they can since RN's cost more per hour.

[Wildcat64]

Engineering Technology Diploma programs, Civil, Power or Environmental 1 to 3 year time investment at a community college near you and be prepared to relocate to Alberta or up north to start a career. Salary range 75-100+ thousand depending profession and location.