Technology has changed the world around us and this is also reflected in what jobs are in demand in Minnesota. The most popular jobs are found in IT management, computer science, healthcare, education, administration, engineering, and alternative energy sources.
For most positions, also at the entry-level, you need to have completed your high school education or hold a GED, followed by a certificate program or an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree from a 2- or 4-year college or university.
In fact, there are so many new options available to you these days that were not existing a few decades ago. Just think of things like bloggers and vloggers. A whole new world with countless options is open to you, you just got to do it right! Let’s now look at some of the most popular job options in Minnesota and some ideas might surprise you.
Environmental Engineering Technician
Employers are generally looking for applicants that are holding an associate’s or bachelor’s degree who additionally had post-secondary education training specifically in the field of mechanical engineering technology. If you are interested in this professional field, you should already at high school take all available math and science courses.
Environmental engineering technicians generally carry out all sorts of plans developed by environmental engineers. They usually operate equipment that is used in the prevention or cleanup of environmental pollution, and they often test or have to modify their equipment to be successful. These professionals often can be found collecting samples for pollution testing, and sometimes they also are working to lessen the effects of pollution on the environment.
The majority of environmental engineering technicians are full time employed, and they usually work indoors in laboratories at regular working hours, though sometimes they are required to work irregular hours or overtime to carry out or monitor specific operations.
These professionals need, in general, to hold an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering technology, though quite a few are holding a degree in a related field and later specialized in this interesting and growing sector. Job outlooks are pretty good for these professionals, and their earning depend on the level of education, experience, and regional influences.
Medical Assistant
Medical assistants are required to complete a two-year vocational program. They assist physicians and other healthcare professionals and the demand for medical assistants in Minnesota is increasing year after year.
Medical assistants can expect a clean, well-lit environment for their day-to-day work activities. They can also expect to work in an environment where they must usually handle more than one job at a time, so it is imperative that they have good multitasking skills. The majority of medical assistants work over 40 hours per week, but there are instances where they may work on a part-time basis.
Medical assistants usually have plenty of advancement opportunities available to them. They can take on some additional professional training courses, often financially backed by their employers. In this way, they have the chance to advance to different positions which include office management and administrative support management.
Once they graduate from nursing schools in Minnesota, many newly qualified nurses seek employment in the hospitals and medical centers in the more densely populated areas of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area as there are certainly a number of world-class medical centers to be found in these locations, but there is also a demand for well-qualified nursing school graduates to work in more rural Minnesota areas.
In Minnesota, the employment prospects for medical assistants are excellent and the field is expected to grow at a much faster rate than average over the next ten years.
Media Trainer
Media training covers a lot of different territories, including such diverse and exciting areas as advertising, animation, broadcasting, multimedia, TV production, video production, and visual effects. If you want to be a part of creating the show, then one of many possible media careers may be what you are looking for.
Broadcasting schools prepare you to work as an announcer, producer, program director, video editor, or writer for a television or radio station. Broadcasting school graduates must possess performance skills, creativity, marketing savvy, and equipment agility.
Broadcasting schools prepare you for show prep, broadcast writing, vocal interpretation, and how to operate an audio console and digital multi-track recording system. Broadcasting schools also typically provide an in-depth exploration of the relationship between broadcasting and the Internet, problem-solving and human relationship skills, and help shape you as a broadcasting personality.
If you have strong public speaking and writing skills, or just love the technical aspects of broadcasting, a broadcasting career may be just the thing for you. A broadcasting school degree will prepare you to start your career as a broadcaster or support person for TV and radio newscasts, audio productions, or disk jockey. Broadcasting job prospects will be best for those with a degree from a broadcasting school.
Schools teaching TV productions develop new TV producers that are ready for the technical and creative challenges of Digital TV, Enhanced TV, and HDTV. In TV production school, you will learn how to develop and plan taped or live productions, select the talent, sets, script, props, lighting, or any other elements of the production. Cinematographers will teach you classic film and TV techniques, using the latest digital cameras and professional grip and lighting gear.
TV production degrees offer an advantage in pursuing jobs in broadcasting or TV production. A TV production career can lead to work in the movie industry, advertising, network TV, cable TV, or other work in the ever-expanding world of media and broadcast. Potential jobs for graduates with TV production degrees include video editor, producer (or assistant), program director, and a number of entry-level positions such as camera operator, control operator, or floor manager.
Receptionist
Receptionists are the first point of contact for an organization. They work in all kinds of settings, including businesses, schools, hospitals, and sports centers. Receptionists’ job duties include organizing reading material in the waiting area; keeping the reception area tidy; providing refreshments; dealing with phone inquiries; and answering calls and taking messages.
The nature of their work requires them to be able to and find joy in greeting visitors and directing them to the correct person or department; providing information and answering queries; managing the visitors’ book and issuing security passes. Not sure if this career option is good for you? Just take a free aptitude test offered on this website and see if it might be your cup of tea.
Receptionists must have excellent computer and clerical skills, they must be competent in typing, filing, answering phones, and command Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint. On top of that, they must have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and they are required to understand how to present themselves verbally, non-verbally, and in appearance.
Often, especially with smaller firms, receptionists also perform as a typist or word processor operator. Then, you would use a computer to produce letters, reports, and other documents. Your work may require you to deal with mail and emails; be able to use office equipment like photocopiers, faxes, and franking machines; handle inquiries; answer the telephone; work with computer spreadsheets and databases.
Medical Transcriptionist
Medical transcriptionists (MTs) play a crucial role in the welfare of patients. Their work has to be accurate and timely to ensure healthcare officials are able to deliver exemplary services to individuals. Take a look at some vital facts about the industry and its workers.
A medical transcriptionist must complete a highly specialized education and training program provided by community colleges and 2- and 4-year colleges and universities. They must be excellent listeners, fast typists, and skillful communicators. They must possess good hand-foot coordination since most of their work relies on how they simultaneously utilize foot pedals and key in texts. Also, they should be organized, open to critiques, detailed-oriented, and okay with meeting strict deadlines.
The Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity, formerly known as the American Association for Medical Transcription, is an avid supporter and representative of medical transcriptionists. The organization’s main objective is to provide these professionals with news on the latest career opportunities and healthcare practices, increase awareness about policies, and give MTs a voice on the legislative front.
MTs can specialize in a multitude of areas. Subfields include, but are not limited to, radiology, pathology, dentistry, surgery, pain management, occupational therapy, and obstetrics. There is room for advancement in the medical transcription industry, as many skilled professionals are promoted to supervisory roles or become owners of their own transcription business.
Cosmetologist
To become a Cosmetologist you must find a cosmetology or beauty school that fits your needs. Most cosmetology programs require you to be at least 16 years of age and to hold a high school diploma or a GED to enter. They are also offered at vocational schools, community colleges, and for-profit beauty schools.
The starting point is attending a beauty or cosmetology school. Many schools offer both full and part-time classes so you can get educated and trained in line with your preferred learning style. Once you graduate from cosmetology school you will need to pass an exam to obtain a license in Minnesota.
There is a wide variety of fields you could enter depending upon your preference. Hairstylist or being a barber are obvious choices. Depending on what you focused on in school you could be a manicurist/pedicurist. Some cosmetologists work for beauty magazines or are salesmen for the cosmetic industry.
Cosmetologists are licensed beauty professionals. They are individuals who do more than just styling and cutting hair. They are the trendsetters of beauty. They take average persons and turn them into showstoppers.
Cosmetologists belong to a creative group within the health and beauty sector that is working to make individuals look stunning and most appealing. These beauty experts possess the unique ability, among many other skills, to polish nails, style hair, and apply makeup.
Cosmetologists are specialists in beauty that are aware of all modern trends. They are continually looking for professional improvement and to reach perfection, they go to conferences and attend other professional meetings to experience development opportunities and to learn new skills and everything related to this exciting industry.
Culinary Chef
Culinary schools offer training in many disciplines, including, baking, catering, becoming a chef, pastry, nutrition, and more. Teachers and instructors at culinary arts schools are generally professional chefs who have a good understanding of the challenges that preparing meals and menus in a commercial setting provide so you’ll be in good hands.
Each culinary arts school has in-house kitchens, so all your training will happen with all the latest in kitchen equipment. And, of course, you will receive the best of training on menu and meal preparation itself. Cooking classes can cover many specialties, such as becoming a pastry chef, Italian cooking, French cooking, Indian cooking, or one of many other specialties.
Culinary school graduates find themselves working in restaurants, hotels, clubs, and a variety of other places. As a head chef, the work includes directing the activities of the staff, including planning the menu, ensuring that the right ingredients are available, and preparing the food.
Culinary arts schools also train you to manage budgeting, purchasing supplies, hiring staff, and running the kitchen. Caterers have the added challenge of delivering the food to an offsite location. A career as a baker, caterer, chef, or pastry chef may be right for you if you have a love of food and also enjoy the challenges of planning and preparing it.
Top-rated Minnesota Culinary Schools are Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Minneapolis/St. Paul (Mendota Heights), and The Art Institutes International Minnesota (Minneapolis).
Secondary Education Teacher
The Bachelor or Master of Arts in Education degree with a specialization in secondary education enhances a teacher’s abilities to teach within a corporate environment or a secondary school setting.
Courses provide teachers with guidance on how to effectively teach students the intended curriculum in communities of learning and prepare them for successful entry into further education or the workforce. Usually, these professionals hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree from a 4-year college or university in Education.
Secondary school teachers usually specialize in one subject area and help students learn more about the world around them. Job opportunities for secondary school teachers are expected to be excellent over the next 10 years, as a number of secondary-school teachers are expected to retire over the next 10 years.
Some secondary education teachers have chosen to attend a General Studies Program (or interdisciplinary studies) that provides students with a broad education. This type of education provides the broad knowledge they need to succeed in a wide range of careers. Some students may pursue this type of degree if they have not yet decided on what they want to do with their careers.
These programs permit students the maximum flexibility to explore different areas of concentration for their education and careers. Many of these programs require a specific focus for a significant portion of the credits, while still providing a broad general education.
Dental Hygienist
If you consider a career in dental healthcare, but be prepared for some hard work because dentistry is not accomplished easily. Keep in mind that an awarding career takes hard work and the harder you work to achieve your goals, the better you feel when you actually achieve them. To enroll in college, a high school diploma is required but GED graduates may also qualify for credit-bearing courses if they attain a ‘college-ready’ score or take remedial classes.
Dental hygiene is a rapidly evolving field in dental care. Dental hygienists are licensed professionals who specialize in preventive dental care focusing primarily on oral hygiene. They must complete a Dental Hygiene Program from an accredited dental school and then take and pass Minnesota’s licensure exam.
Most hygienists work for a dentist in private offices, but some work in schools, hospitals, correctional institutions, and even nursing homes. Their job description includes performing oral health care assessments by reviewing patients’ health history, screening for oral cancer, and doing an evaluation for gum disease.
A licensed dentist works with an individual’s teeth and mouth tissue. Treating and providing care by filling cavities, examining x-rays, removing tooth decay, and even straightening teeth are just some of the many jobs of dentists.
They provide advice on proper tooth care and instruction on how to brush and floss. Dentists are also the first to diagnose diseases such as cancer and hypertension. In order for a dentist to begin his/her own practice, they must first have 2-3 years of experience assisting senior dentists.
Air Traffic Controller
Though very demanding, the job of an air traffic controller is becoming more and more popular. Their main task is safety, but they are also responsible for directing aircraft in an efficient way to minimize possible delays. Air traffic controllers are managing the flow of all air traffic into and out of the airspace of an airport, they are guiding pilots at landing and takeoff, and are monitoring all aircraft within their airspace.
Air traffic controllers must have graduated from Air Traffic Control School and generally are managing multiple aircraft simultaneously and are required to make quick decisions to make sure all air traffic within their airspace is safe. Controllers may, for example, provide one aircraft with weather details, while directing another aircraft on its landing approach.
The role of an air traffic controller is the coordination of air traffic movement to make sure that aircraft in their area will stay apart at safe distances. They will be monitoring and directing all movements of aircraft in the air and on the ground using both visual observation and radar and computer data. They are the ones who control their airspace and issue takeoff and landing instructions to pilots.
Air traffic controllers are providing pilots with all sorts of relevant information like runway closures, weather updates, and lots of other essential information, and manage all sorts of crucial communications regarding departing flights, and they transfer flight information to other traffic control centers.
Air traffic controllers take over control of arriving flights from other control centers and are responsible for all of an airport’s ground traffic including airport workers and baggage vehicles, and they are the ones who will alert airport response teams in case of an emergency.
Bear in mind, though, that over the coming decade, the employment options of air traffic controllers are expected not to increase due to further automated systems. The newly developed NextGen satellite-based system will probably allow air traffic controllers to deal with more air traffic simultaneously so most new jobs will be resulting from replacing retiring workers.