More Hot Jobs
Openings are also predicted for these 10 occupations, which are largely immune to outsourcing and downsizing.
AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE TECHNICIAN AND MECHANIC
* SALARY RANGE $23,530-$54,530
* EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE postsecondary certificate program
* As vehicles become more technologically advanced, repairing and servicing them will require specialized training. In June, Massachusetts's new Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund gave a $499,991 grant to the Asian-American Civic Association in Boston and its partners to recruit and train auto technicians.
BOAT MECHANIC SALARY RANGE
* EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE long-term on-the-job training
* Duties include repairing the electrical and mechanical equipment of boat engines. In June, Massasoit Community College in Brockton and Canton and its partners received a $424,518 grant to increase the number of mechanics in Southeastern Massachusetts; currently, there are an estimated 1,600 unfilled boat mechanic jobs in the state.
CLAIMS ADJUSTER, EXAMINER, AND INVESTIGATOR
* SALARY RANGE $33,900-$72,620
* EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE long-term on-the-job training
* These workers - who review claims to insurers, report payment irregularities, and confer with attorneys during litigation - are unlikely to be replaced by technology or outsourced, since damaged property must be personally inspected.
COMPUTER SYSTEMS ANALYST
* SALARY RANGE $52,400-$99,180
* EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE bachelor's degree
* Duties include fixing computer problems and reviewing user requirements to automate or improve existing systems.
DENTAL HYGIENIST
* SALARY RANGE $47,260-$84,660
* EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE associate's degree
* These workers clean teeth and check for signs of oral disease.
MEDICAL AND CLINICAL LABORATORY TECHNICIAN
* SALARY RANGE $24,890-$45,680
* EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE associate's degree
* Duties include performing lab tests in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. In June, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and its partners - including Children's Hospital Boston and New England Baptist Hospital - received a $500,000 grant to train current hospital employees to become medical lab technicians.
PARALEGAL AND LEGAL ASSISTANT
* SALARY RANGE $31,040-$61,390
* EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE associate's degree
* An increasingly litigious society means more work for those who help lawyers by researching legal precedents and preparing documents.
PHYSICAL THERAPIST
* SALARY RANGE $50,330-$88,580
* EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE master's degree
* An aging US population ensures a heavy demand for those who provide treatments and exercises that relieve pain, increase strength, and improve the mobility of sick or injured patients.
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT
* SALARY RANGE $57,110-$94,880
* EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE bachelor's degree
* These workers provide healthcare services - including conducting physicals and sometimes prescribing medication - under a physician's supervision.
POSTSECONDARY TEACHER
* SALARY RANGE $36,590-$99,980
* EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE doctorate
* These workers include college and university professors and also graduate teaching assistants, technical education teachers, and business, computer, and management training faculty members. 