In an economic climate in which banks are collapsing, homes are in foreclosure and the nation's Big Three automakers are asking for as much as $34 billion in bailout funds, many Californians have lost their jobs.
California's unemployment rate hit 8.2 percent in October, up from 7.7 percent the previous month and well above the 5.7 percent of a year earlier, according to the state Employment Development Department.
Bad news to be sure.
But EDD statistics reveal there's still a strong demand for workers in California's health care industry.
In Los Angeles County alone, continued growth in health care will necessitate the hiring of 713 new licensed vocational nurses per year, the agency reported.
To become an LVN in California, you must complete a one-year certificate program. A state-issued license is also required.
The annual median wage for LVNs in Los Angeles County is $46,372.
Other health care jobs that are in high demand in L.A. County include:
Emergency medical technicians:
113 new EMTs are needed each year. They earn an annual median wage of $26,191.
Nursing aides, orderlies and attendants:
881 are needed each year. The median annual wage is $23,886.
Radiology technicians:
144 needed per year. The median annual wage is $56,965.
Health care support workers:
196 needed each year. The median annual wage is $30,925.
Registered nurses:
2,481 additional nurses are needed each year. The median annual wage is $77,300.
In the health care arena, Matt Poore is a success story.
The resident initially became certified as an emergency medical technician with plans to become a firefighter.
But after working in a hospital emergency room, he decided he liked the field of health care and opted to continue his studies. Now he has three jobs.
"I work as an emergency room nurse at Placentia-Linda Hospital, and I also work part time doing critical care transport in the Rancho Cucamonga area," he said. "We work on an ambulance, transporting patients from one ICU to another."
Poole is also a clinical instructor at Mt. San Antonio College.
"I like this industry because there's plenty of room for moving into different departments," he said. "If you work in ER for a couple years and get tired of that, you can go to labor and delivery. And if you don't like that, you can go to critical care; there's real job security."
Sara Jackson has also gained job security in the health care field.
Jackson, 29, of Upland, used to work in a hospital cafeteria but later became certified as a monitor technician. Now she works at Inter- Community Hospital in Covina and is studying nursing at Mt. San Antonio College.
"I'm just finishing up my first semester at Mt. SAC and I love it," she said. "I feel that I'm contributing something back to the community."
Jackson's story is particularly impressive in light of the many demands she juggles. Aside from her work, she also is the mother of eight children, ranging in age from five months to 10 years.
And she has chosen to home-school them. So working toward a better career in the medical field shouldn't be out of anyone's reach, she said.
"When I hear people say they can't do this, I don't want to hear that," she said. "I've been in labor taking my finals and have had to go back to the hospital."
Jackson feels that the nursing profession is a noble one.
"I just want to become the example that was set for me," she said. "As nurses, we're held to a higher standard ... and we should take great pride in that."
The following Web sites offer information on careers in the health care industry:
28-year-old Glendora HealthJobsStartHere.com:
A one-stop resource for health careers, including job postings and training programs by zip code.
icanaffordcollege.com: Financial aid information for California community colleges.
www.mtsac.edu
Information on classes available at Mt. San Antonio College
www.pasadena.edu
Information on classes at Pasadena City College
www.citruscollege.edu
Classes at Citrus College
www.riohondo.edu
Classes at Rio Hondo College
www.elac.edu
Classes at East Los Angeles College source
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