Whole new careers are being created almost daily, it seems. Advances in medicine, the Internet, robotics and other new technologies keep expanding the options for your future career. Now you can choose to be a cytotechnologist or an XML developer, a change manager or an undersea medicine physician, along with hundreds of other new and traditional careers. 

All this can make planning for your future career seem a little overwhelming. To help, government and private agencies have produced a wealth of research on what tomorrow's job market will be like. Since predicting future job trends is not an exact science, there are some differences of opinion. But let's look at some trends many experts agree on.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, computer-related careers will continue to be hot. Its top five fastest growing occupations through 2008 are:

• Computer engineers (up 108 percent)
• Computer support specialists (up 102 percent)
• Systems analysts (up 94 percent)
• Database administrators (up 77 percent)
• Desktop publishing specialists (up 73 percent)

Of course how fast a career is growing doesn't tell the whole story. Though desktop publishing specialists will grow 73 percent, the total number of additional jobs is only 19,000. On the other hand, retail salespersons, cashiers and general managers /top executives are each expected to add more than half a million new jobs, though their growth rates are less than 20 percent.

Experts also predict that the health care field will continue to grow as the Baby Boomers grow older and as medical advancements continue. Half of the top 25 fastest growing occupations are in health care, from medical assistants (58 percent growth) to physician assistants (48 percent), from medical records technicians (44 percent) to respiratory therapists (43 percent). Registered nurses are expected to add 450,000 jobs, the seventh largest job growth, though this is "only" a 22 percent increase.

Will you be in demand?

These few growth trends are only the tip of the iceberg, so it's not a problem if none of the jobs mentioned above are interesting to you. Out of the thousands of other careers, there are sure to be a number that will fit you. But an overview of the working world can help you see how to prepare for the careers of the future.

How have things changed in recent years? "Procedures that took hours or weeks a few years ago can now be performed in minutes or even seconds on high-powered computers," writes Barbara Eklund in the Career Information Center (Volume 13). "Rapid, ongoing change is a basic characteristic of the new economy.

"Ever-improving telecommunications systems have...made the worldwide market a reality. This means that American corporations must compete on a global basis. To do this they need more information, more-advanced technology, more-highly trained workers, greater flexibility and, of course, increased productivity." So your future employers will be looking for highly trained and adaptable workers. "Flexible organizations require workers to continue to learn new skills and, if necessary, change their jobs," said Allan Salt, former director of the ILO Training Department.

Education is essential. "The number of new jobs open to Americans with four-year bachelors degrees will rise twice as fast as the number of jobs requiring short-term experience and training," according to career site www.embark.com.

In the job market of tomorrow, training and learning won't stop when a full-time job begins. Careers are changing so rapidly that there is a "need for lifelong learning," according to Jeffrey Hallett in his book, Worklife Visions.

Charting your career path

Planning and preparing for your career is a challenging task, but it can be rewarding. Here are some of the basics:

• Find out about yourself. This is a lifelong process, but so is career planning. In your school years, the idea is to write down the things you enjoy and are good at. What are your favorite subjects, hobbies, activities, sports and so on? Writing these down will give you an idea of some of your interests.

  Your aptitudes--things you have natural talent for—can be harder to find. You may not have tried any activity in which you could demonstrate your ability in a certain area. That's one reason it's good to try new things.

  You'll also find out things you don't like, which can help you avoid getting stuck in a career you don't like.

  You may find, as many people do, that the most difficult person to see clearly is yourself. You need a mirror—someone who knows you well, such as a parent, teacher or friend—to help you see hidden aptitudes and interests. Seek God's help, too, by asking for His guidance (Proverbs 3:5-6). The book of Proverbs is full of good advice for making the best decisions, and keeping everything in the right priority. Our jobs are important, but not more important than our relationships with God and family.

• Find out about careers. What do various jobs involve? Many governments publish books that describe different occupations. The United States publishes the Occupational Outlook Handbook which describes what workers do, how much they earn, the training and education required and the projected job outlook. This handbook is available in many libraries, and on-line at http://stats.bls.gov/ocohome.htm.

  Other methods of finding out about careers are talking with your school career counselor, exploring other career Web sites, watching career films, attending career presentations, working part-time or volunteering.

  
  Talk to people who do various jobs. Ask about the good and bad points. Learn about advancement, education, the nature of the job, health requirements or hazards.

• Now consider job trends. Which job fields are growing, which have fierce competition and which are going the way of the dinosaur? Weigh these factors with all the others to narrow your search to two or three career fields and perhaps five to 10 specific careers.

  You don't have to eliminate a career you really love just because it's not growing as fast. Just be realistic about your talents and the competition you'll face. Natural enthusiasm, talents and hard work can give you the edge you need.

• Plan your educational program. Try to develop a program that will qualify you for several of the careers highest on your list. If that's not possible, at least plan an education that will provide a foundation for further studies in the other areas.

  Pursue a broad education and focus on industries, not just specific careers. Many careers require a broad educational experience. Trying a variety of courses will also help you in working with others and will teach you more about yourself.

Start your career planning early and continue your planning and education throughout your life. Then you'll be ready for the careers of the new millennium. YU