Military Careers, Second Careers - Army Times

2007’s six hottest jobs

When Sylvan Henry enrolled in a two-year radiology technician program at St. Philip’s College in San Antonio, he knew a lot about computers and communications systems. What he didn’t know was that he was stepping into one of the hottest career fields of the future. A former Marine corporal with a top-secret security clearance, Henry, who separated in 1997, entered the civilian work force as a network administrator and engineer. But after being laid off twice, he decided to make a career change.

“I started learning about radiology and the opportunities out there,” Henry said. “My sister is a radiology technician and my girlfriend was also in radiology at one point. I was working and taking some basic college courses, and the more I learned about radiology, the more I thought it was a good move.”

It was. When Henry graduates in May, he can take his skills to almost anywhere there’s a medical facility and expect to earn $30,000 to $40,000 a year. He can also earn a typical wage of up to $18 an hour part time while pursuing his bachelor’s degree in radiation therapy.

There are plenty of hot careers for the coming year — some requiring a bachelor’s degree and others completion of certification programs. Your military experience may be a good match for any of the following six career fields:

1. Radiology

It’s not just about chest X-rays anymore. In fact, it’s listed by the Department of Labor as one of the hottest industries for 2007. The amount of training varies depending on what you want to do. For example, computed tomography certification programs can usually be completed in a year. Radiology technician programs are two-year, associate degree programs, and those who want to become radiologists or radiation therapists can do so by earning a bachelor’s.

Warren Parker is an Army veteran and radiology instructor at St. Philip’s. When he separated as a staff sergeant in 2002, he wanted to teach radiology because, he said, he sees it as integral to the future of medicine.

“When you think of radiology today, you’ve got to think outside the box,” he said. “When you complete a two-year radiology technician program and sit for the national registry exam, you’re eligible to work as a technician in hospitals and clinics, or for temp agencies, or in mobile units that travel to rural areas. Some folks go into industrial radiology, where they X-ray planes and aircraft wings or pipelines. Some go into government agencies in picture archiving computer systems or get jobs with the Transportation Security Administration. There’s more than a 90 percent employment rate for new radiology technicians.”

Like Henry, former Army medic Reuben Ornelas is one of Parker’s students. He separated in 2001 and decided to build a career on a combination of certifications.

“I finish the radiology program in May, and in the fall I plan to get into the CT scan program,” Ornelas said. “That will take about a year. I may add another medical certification, too, because they all increase my job opportunities and keep my career flexible.”

2. Computer forensics

Yes, it’s just like you’ve seen on TV. A computer forensics expert is both a computer whiz and a cop. He works in electronics investigations and uncovers the hidden contents of a computer.

Although the field is so new that exact figures for the number of jobs are not available, evidence indicates demand for computer forensics professionals is growing. For example, in a 2005 report for the Texas State Technical College System, Technology Futures — a technology forecasting firm — called computer forensics a hot new field for college graduates.

Where are the jobs? David Stenhouse is director of Navigant Consulting, a Seattle-based consulting firm that provides computer forensics professionals to clients. He explained that besides working for consulting firms, forensics professionals frequently work in corporations, investment firms, and government and law enforcement agencies. And there’s a lot more to the job than looking for deleted e-mails.

“They track financial records, look into intellectual property theft and record theft, find out if files have been copied to CDs or if there has been improper use of the network,” Stenhouse said.

Anyone can enroll in a formal program, but those leaving the service with computer skills — particularly in information technology, network systems and computer hardware — have an advantage. The hard part is taking that knowledge into a forensics job.

“Even with IT skills, you have to have some law enforcement training because you’re dealing with evidence, the legal process and a chain of custody,” Stenhouse said. “Just because you understand computers doesn’t mean you understand legalities, and that’s where you need the training.”

Computer forensics certification can be earned while working in other jobs, as there are short-term programs that consist of 10 courses, and associate and bachelor’s degrees. Students with prior experience in computers tend to choose short-term certification courses and associate degrees to learn about cybercrime, intrusion detection and legal terminology. Some programs also require students to work in internships before the degree is issued. Graduates are eligible for entry-level jobs as forensic lab technicians, with annual salaries of about $30,000, and move up the salary chain as they gain experience. After a few years, forensics professionals can earn up to $70,000, and those who go on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in pathology can earn six-figure incomes.

3. Legal nurse consultant.

Again, this is a field that requires a combination of two kinds of training — law and nursing. Licensed registered nurses who have earned a legal nurse consultant certification can make as much as $100 to $150 an hour, according to the National Alliance of Certified Legal Nurse Consultants, the world’s largest legal nurse consulting association.

As the title implies, legal nurse consultants use their health care expertise and legal training to advise on medical-related cases in a number of venues — from private attorneys and legal firms to insurance companies, government agencies and medical facilities. They typically review medical records and medical data, identify health care standards, summarize injuries or illnesses, and serve as expert witnesses.

The coursework for certification includes instruction in the litigation process, including lawsuits, motions and pretrial hearings. Students also learn about tort reform, negligence and liability law, legal terminology, report-writing, and medical research strategies. Some certification courses can be completed in 40 hours of study. The field is relatively new, having emerged over the past decade, so new programs of study are still developing. As for salaries, figures provided by the NACLNC indicate that most consultants work in law firms and insurance agencies and earn about $80,000 annually.

Although there are no exact figures for the number of legal nurse consultant jobs, the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that registered nurses will create the second-largest number of new jobs among all occupations, with job opportunities in most specialties and employment settings expected to be excellent.

4. Web designer

If you have a good understanding of computers, a good eye for design and you know how to listen to what the customer wants, you don’t need a degree to be a Web designer. They’re in demand everywhere — and can work anywhere.

When it comes to name recognition — it doesn’t matter whether it’s a person, a small business or a corporation — it helps to have a Web site. The Labor Department projects the demand for Web designers to continue growing more quickly than most other industries, driven by the fact that new Web sites are created as constantly as old ones are updated.

Service members with résumés that highlight computer experience and a security clearance are extremely attractive to civilian employers. Experienced Web designers can make about $90,000 a year in large companies and metropolitan areas. Those with a few years’ experience can expect to earn $30,000 to $50,000 annually, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Those who want to be self-employed also have great job prospects — but along with being Web designers, they have to be equally talented as entrepreneurs.

“Web design is a wide-open field,” said Michelle Norman of Site Solutions, a Web design firm she started in 2001 from her home in Phoenix. “Successful Web design entrepreneurs understand computers, study how people browse the Internet and learn which sites seem to appeal to people.”

Web designers just starting out sometimes find it difficult to set a price for their work. One strategy for finding an hourly rate to charge is offered by Matt Mickiewicz of SitePoint, an online media company and information provider for Web professionals: Take the average Web designer salary in your city, divide it by the number of billable hours worked in a year (usually 1,200 to 1,600) and multiply it by 1.5.

5. Auto mechanic

No matter how much people love their cars, most have never taken the time to learn how to fix them. For that reason, demand for auto mechanics never declines. Service members with mechanic experience on any vehicle, whether it’s a car, truck, heavy vehicle or tank, can leave the service and often walk right into civilian mechanic jobs. Some shops and dealerships want Automotive Service Excellence certification, the standard for automotive work. But many service members already have earned ASE certification or the equivalent in the military, and those who haven’t still can get hired, as experience goes a long way in this industry.

Like everything else, the duties of a mechanic have evolved. Today, they’re a combination of manual labor and technical know-how. Mechanics still work with hand tools. But they’re also using computerized, electronic and diagnostic equipment and computers. Some shops are making another change — they’re looking for mechanics who know something about alternate-fuel and hybrid vehicles.

Most mechanics work in auto repair shops, dealerships and government agencies, but there are also plenty of jobs in transportation. The pay varies regionally and by place of employment. Labor Department figures show annual salaries of between $27,000 and $40,000, with some shops offering labor commissions. The employment outlook is expected to increase 9 percent to 17 percent — as fast as the average for all occupations — through 2014, according to BLS figures.

6. Firefighter and police officer

No degree is necessary for firefighters and police officers. But even if you’ve been an MP or received firefighter training in the military, you’ll still have to attend an academy for about six months. Police and fire academies provide training specific to the geography, local practices, laws and other matters relevant to their area.

“Each department will have its own standards,” said Kristopher Keyser, a firefighter in Fairfax County, Va. “There are national standards and there are Fairfax County standards.”

Keyser spent eight years as a firefighter in the Army Reserve and became inactive in May. Before that, he studied for a year and a half to become a paramedic, then applied for a civilian firefighter position and was accepted.

“I had a smooth transition,” he said. “This is what I always wanted to do. I understood the rank structure and I was lucky to get fast-tracked. I think it helped that I was a paramedic and also had military experience.”

Firefighter and police cadets are paid while they attend the academy and stay on a probationary status in their first few months at work. Firefighting academies teach cadets about fire prevention, fire hazards, building codes, firefighting techniques and emergency medical procedures. Police cadets receive instruction in constitutional law, civil rights law, penal codes, traffic control, street patrol, firearms, self-defense, and emergency and first-aid response.

Both probationary firefighters and police officers start out earning $30,000 to $45,000 a year, depending on location, and both careers have specified promotion paths and established salary increases. Most also receive additional pay for education, second languages, overtime, holidays and night shifts.

BLS projects firefighting, as well as all law enforcement careers, to grow 18 percent to 26 percent — faster than average — through 2014. h