Chapter 13 Learning About Careers 251
today. This means it is your responsibility to manage your own career
and watch for new opportunities.
Keep career fl exibility in mind as you explore various occupations and
nontraditonal careers. Success in tomorrow’s workplace will require self-
reliant individuals who can easily adapt to change, transfer skills to new
situations, and learn new skills.
Using the Career Clusters
Some of the most important and up-to-date resources to help you
make career decisions are the career clusters. As you recall, the career
clusters group occupations by common knowledge and skills. The
following pages contain a description of each of the 16 career clusters
and a partial list of possible occupations within each cluster. The career
clusters icons are being used with permission of the States’ Career
Clusters Initiative, 2008 (www.careerclusters.org). While reading about
the career clusters and the occupations they include, think about your
interests, aptitudes, and abilities. What careers spark your interest? Do
they link to interests that ignite your passion? Do these careers fi t your
aptitudes and abilities? How might certain careers link to your values
and goals?
13-2
These jobs require a
two-year college degree.
Top Jobs through 2016 Requiring an Associate Degree
Occupation Total Job Openings
Registered nurses 3,092,000
Computer support specialists 624,000
Legal secretaries 308,000
Paralegals and legal assistants 291,000
Radiologic technologists and technicians 226,000
Dental hygienists 217,000
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
13-3
These higher-paying
jobs require at least a
bachelor degree.
Top Jobs through 2016 Requiring a Bachelor Degree
Occupation Total Job Openings
Elementary school teachers (except special education) 1,749,000
Accountants and auditors 1,500,000
All other business operations specialists 1,261,000
Secondary school teachers (except special and
career/technical education)
1,096,000
All other teachers (primary, secondary, and adult) 805,000
Computer software engineers, applications 733,000
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
What additional
technological and
societal trends will likely
impact careers of the
future?
Reflect
Further