Your kid is going off to college. Surely, you have a whole lot of conflicting emotions about that. On the one hand, you likely want to jump for joy. You’re free!
However, on the other hand, your little bird is leaving the nest, so you are terrified, sad, and nostalgic. Especially in this rapidly changing world, there is a lot to think about when your child leaves for college. When you come to terms with their safety, the fact that they are going up, and that they will be out on their own, another concern is the profession they are pursuing.
Of course, with some kids, they’ve known what they were going to be when they grew up since the age of five, and there is no changing their mind. However, for the vast majority of first-year college students, they have no idea what they want to do with their life.
Best Occupations for College Freshmen to Consider
So, here are the best occupations for college freshmen to consider:
Software Developer
Digitization is taking the world by storm. The more your child knows about software development and technology in general, the more opportunities your child will have as soon as they get out of college.
Software developers have a low unemployment rate because the job is in high demand, and the quality of life for such a profession is decent, with great average pay of $107,510 per year.
Nurse
Entering the nursing profession has always been a noble pursuit. However, nursing is especially important now and will be for many years. Not only has the pandemic caused a need for nurses, but there was also a nursing shortage already due to Baby Boomers retiring in droves.
So, the timing of becoming a nurse has never been better. Plus, once your child earns their bachelor’s degree, they can enter an accelerated DNP program. This program will allow them to receive a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, which will open up both professional and financial opportunities for your child.
Speech-Language Pathologist
If your first-year college student loves working with children and adults alike, try to urge them to work as speech-language pathologists. With this profession, your child will be helping people throughout their lives grow, learn, and communicate effectively.
Many speech-language pathologists find a beautiful and a fulfilling sense of purpose in this profession.
Plus, due to the specific nature of this profession, the unemployment rate is low, with many different opportunities for work and advancement throughout the United States.
It would be good to get your child on this path as soon as they start college because of specific courses they need to take to get them on the graduate track the licensing requires.
Information Security Analyst
Cybersecurity is an issue that continues to threaten businesses and personal internet connections alike. A Clark School study at the University of Maryland found that a cyber hacker attack happens every 39 seconds.
The number of hackers and the methods that they use to infiltrate unsuspecting computers continues to grow.
Thus, there is a continuously growing need for cybersecurity heroes or information security analysts to thwart these near-constant efforts.
In addition to saving people from getting their identity stolen and other horrific incidents, information security analysts make good money.
Also, the current requirement for becoming an information security analyst is a Bachelor’s degree with specialized training throughout their career. That way, analysts can keep up to date with all the latest hacking tricks and techniques.
Nevertheless, this can be a fun, exciting, and lucrative career path for your freshmen.
Dental Hygienist
If your child is eager to get out into the working world but wants to find a stable job with a good income, becoming a Dental Hygienist is a great path for them to take.
Dental Hygienists only need an Associates’ Degree, but they average $76,220 per year.
To close, at the end of the day, what your child decides to pursue will be up to them, and as a freshman, they still have some time to decide. Although, whether they like it or not, your kid is going to look to you for guidance. You know your child best. So, if you can persuade them to pursue one of these growing occupations, they will have a great start to succeed and be financially stable.
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