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Top Careers in Pennsylvania

You can tell when it's time to think about a change of career: you're bored with your job and find yourself actually looking forward to getting sick just so you won't have to go to work. But when you've made up your mind to try something different, you have to be ready to plan carefully, and you may even have to go back to school to get the necessary skills and meet the educational requirements for your new job. Don't let that thought scare you: times have changed, and attending college today can be as easy as surfing the Internet.

If you think you're ready for a new career in Pennsylvania, but don't quite know which area to pursue, take a look at the eight best jobs for growth in Pennsylvania through the year 2014:

  1. Food preparation and serving;
  2. Management;
  3. Healthcare practitioners, support, and technology;
  4. Personal care and services;
  5. Education, training, and library;
  6. Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance;
  7. Transportation and materials moving;
  8. Driving.

Most of these careers require some type of formal education, even if it is only certification. But with growth in these fields continuing to expand, any investment you make in your education will truly pay off in the end.

As seems to be the case throughout the nation, the health care industry is booming in Pennsylvania. Healthcare workers will always be in demand, so if you're thinking of a career in health care, this is the perfect time to get started. Depending on the type of career you want, and whether you already have some college courses under your belt, you could find yourself applying for jobs in the medical field after taking just a few short classes.

Service-oriented professions seem to be most in demand in the State of Pennsylvania. Management training can take you a very long way on your career path in any profession, or you can take advantage of certain financial benefits if you choose to pursue a career in teaching or healthcare. Talk to your advisor to find out how to reap the benefits of these professions.

Another field that continues to grow in every state is the legal profession. This is another area where qualified workers will always be in demand. Whether you choose a career in police or corrections, as a paralegal, judicial assistant, or a lawyer, you can take classes online that will put you on the right track towards your new career.

  Costs can be substantially lower than those paid by students attending classes on campus, not only because tuition itself is lower, but also because online students do not have to pay for parking, fuel costs to drive to and from school, or dormitory and other associated costs.