Saturday, March 14, 2020

5 Fast-Growing Jobs That Appreciate Military Skills

5 Fast-Growing Jobs That Appreciate Military Skills33Transitioning from military to civilian life isnt always easy. Beyond the discomfort of leaving established routines of the military lifestyle, finding a job may feel like a daunting task especially in an organization thats probably very different from the units or agencies in your military service.If you think your military work wont translate to civilian work, think again. While they may not correspond exactly, the skills you have definitely will transfer provided you enter the right industry. When conducting your job search, you should understand that you have precisely the skills many employers actively seek. The trick is finding ways to show them how you fit the mold of the schrift of employees they want.Here are 5 hot career tracks former military members should consider. Employers in these fields do appreciate military skills, once they gain an understanding of what you can do.1. CybersecurityOpen stttes for cybersecurity jobs are growing at an incredibly um ein haar pace. Its projected that this field will grow 28 percent by 2026. The reality is that there arent enough people to fill these jobs, especially as cyber threats grow more sophisticated every day. According to a recent Forbes article, ex-military members are great candidates because many hands-on experiences from the battlefield translate well to the battlefield of cybersecurity. You should also knowMany companies specializing in cybersecurity have government contracts and openly advertise for candidates who possess government security clearances. If youve held one, be sure to let employers know.Cybersecurity companies often seek former service members due to their strong work ethic and understanding of the need to follow protocol.If you have a college degree, you can enter this field in a position above entry level once youre certified. Even if you arent yet qualified, you can get trained and certified through programs to help veterans ga in the required credentials.If you have military experience in cybersecurity, you should easily find a job. Recruiters and supervisors often believe that technical skills can easily be taught, but the analytical and critical thinking skills acquired through military experience are most valuable.2. ConstructionIf you like to work with your hands, construction is a great avenue to pursue. This industry is growing at a rate thats faster than average, so chances are you can land a managerial or specialized labor position. This is especially true if youve already had job experience or are qualified in the operation of heavy equipment. Many companies actively seek former military members for their knowledge, work ethic, and skills. Managerial positions usually require a college degree for most labor positions, a high school diploma or equivalency is needed. As a resource, you can explore the Helmets to Hardhats website for assistance in joining this field.3. Home healthcareThe healthcare field is growing at an incredibly fast rate but home health aides are in especially high demand, project to grow 41 percent by 2026. To qualify, youll need a high school diploma (or equivalent) and some on-the-job-training. Employers in the healthcare field wont just be looking for actual knowledge and experience they also look at soft skills, such asCommunication and people skillsOrganization and punctualityCritical thinking, analytical, and problem-solving abilitiesFlexibility to adapt and improvise when neededPeople working as home health aides (and in other healthcare jobs) need to possess these qualities. Since these skills are also relied upon by the military, youll have a great competitive advantage in the healthcare field. Getting CPR certified, or renewing your CPR certification if its been more than two years, is a smart way to expand your healthcare skill platzset and put yourself in greater demand.4. Logistics and operationsIn the age of rapid delivery, e-commerce conti nues to grow, and customers have high expectations. Businesses today work hard to get their merchandise to buyers as fast as they can. If a companys logistics and operations processes dont run like clockwork, they know theyll fall behind their competition.Logistics and operations positions were recently listed at the top of the list of in-demand jobs for veterans in 2018. If you want to land such a position, youll need a bachelors degree and leadership experience to qualify. If you dont have a degree, look into education benefits for veterans and/or getting college credit for military service and/or training.5. Skilled tradesIf youre interested in transitioning to a specialized trade that draws upon your military experience, consider these jobsPlumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters The number of jobs growing in this field is expected to grow 16 percent by 2026, which is much faster than average.Electricians This field is anticipated to grow 9 percent by 2026, about as fast as avera ge. This is one steady job that wont be obsolete anytime soon.Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers Another trade that is forecast to grow at a rapid pace15 percent by 2026.These are just a few examples of in-demand jobs in the skilled trades. For most jobs, youll need a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify, along with an apprenticeship and/or actual on-the-job experience. Some positions may require passing a postsecondary course.The Key Is Finding Your NicheJobs are available out there, but identifying your niche can be overwhelming after separating from the service. If youre having difficulty or arent sure where to start your job search, try exploring the Veterans Employment Center website. If youre worried because you arent sure how employers will appreciate your knowledge and experience, you can try using an online skills translator to help you build your rsum. Another important factor to think about is whether you want to relocate after s eparating from the service. If so, you might want to consider seeking a job in one of the top veteran-friendly states.When you leave the military, there are so many things to think about as you re-acclimate to civilian life. Finding a job will probably be at the top of your priority list. Fortunately, companies today have become highly appreciative of veterans and their unique skill sets. While you wont necessarily find the exact equivalent of your military job in the civilian world, if you think outside the box, you could find yourself entering a dream career you previously hadnt considered.

Monday, March 9, 2020

Meet One Of The Young Engineers Whos Pioneering 3D Technology

Meet One Of The Young Engineers Whos Pioneering 3D Technology StephanieDepalma knew she welches going to pursue engineering for one very simple reason she really, really enjoys science.For me, it comes down to the fact that science is cool, Depalma said. I love science. And I wasnt really willing to go another route of doing something I didnt enjoy.Despite having this knowledge pretty early on, though, the path that brought her toGeneral Electric Additive, a hyper-innovative division of GE dedicated to 3D printing and similar technologies, wasnt the clearest cut. Straight out of Ohio State, shed landed an engineering position, but one that dealt with materials and manufacturing. It was there that she first dipped her toes in the field and got a taste of what working in a traditionally male-dominated field is like.GE Is Hiring Browse Opportunities.I was literally the only female that worked in the engineering division, so it was kind of a unique position, Depalma, who was also the y oungest member on her team by about 20 years, said. It was very fun in a way in the sense that, yes, there was a gender difference, but it was also a really great opportunity to forge ahead anyway so that it wasnt like, Oh, theres Stephanie the girl, it was, Oh, theres Stephanie my coworker.But sincegetting a job at GE, first as an engineer for GE Aviation and later in a design role at Additive, Depalma said shes no longer the only woman in the room far from it.GEs been great. Its been one of the first roles Ive had where there are actually a lot of women I work with, she said. Thats in the engineering function, too, not just in other support-type roles. So thats been really refreshing, to have other women to interact with.Being able to work with other women and men who are as passionate about science as Depalma is has resulted in some close bonds in and out of the office. She found that this social dynamic, which has included everything from group sports nights to hospital visits to landsee coworkers newborns, has really translated to how well were working together inside the office, too.(Photo courtesy of Stephanie Depalma)The nature of the work shes doing is equally refreshing, too. Depalma gets to wake up every day with the knowledge shes a part of something that has simply not been done before. And thats a pretty cool feeling.Additive is just really cool technology in general, and probably the most exciting thing for me is just being on a team thats the first of its kind in the whole world, she said. Its really about pioneering a completely new way of looking at how manufacturing is going to be done in the future and how teams will need to look at problems, and being on the foreground of that is really exciting.As enthusiastic as she is now, Depalma admits to having experienced some slight trepidation before joining GE, but it wasnt long before those fears were put to rest.Since it was my first venture into corporate America, having only worked for relat ively small businesses before, I was a little scared I was going to feel like a small fish in a big pond, she recalled. But I found that I really loved it actually, and that the culture was really embracing in wanting to develop their talent, which was a little bit new to me. No one had really invested the time in me before to help me get the whole package of technical and soft skills you need to be successful in your career.It was that sense of investment and GEs supportive work culture that enabled Depalma to make the switch from her background in materials engineering to her Additive design role, and she points to this adaptability as a reason mora women and girls should feel encouraged to pursue engineering careers.Its a lot of work and traditionally a male-dominated field, which can be intimidating to a young engineer, especially if they dont have a family background in engineering, she said. My advice is that if you really have an interest in it, there is no harm in pursuing i t, because with an engineering degree you can always go on to do something different. It gives you such a strong foundation that you can pretty much do anything that you want to do.GE recently announced goals of having 20,000 women fill STEM roles at GE by 2020 and obtaining 5050 representation for all of the companys technical entry-level programs as part of its Balance the Equation initiative. Do you want to be part of a pioneering company thats literally changing the we use technology? GE is currently hiring engineers (and more) across the country check out theiropen positions--Fairygodboss is proud to partner with GE. Find a job there today