DegreeSource

ESPN offers behind the scenes view of Audio/Video jobs.

2004-08-30T15:59:00.000-07:00

During Saturday's USC vs. Virginia Tech college football game, ESPN offered a behind the scenes look at how a college football game is produced. This look gave insight into the jobs of camera operators, sound technicians, A/V techs and the myriad of other professions needed to produce a nationally televised game.

Although this coverage of the behind the scenes work still provided a 1/4 screen view of the game, I eventually returned to the full screen version of the game. Thanks ESPN for providing a look at the production of a televised college football game.

Unemployment up, oil prices down.

2004-08-27T08:34:00.000-07:00

With economists claiming it couldn't happen, oil prices very nearly crossed the $50 per barrel threshold, only to slink back to the low $40s per barrel after some of the threats to oil production resolved themselves. The peace agreement reached in Najaf ends an oil production threat raised by the Medhi Army.

Alan Greenspan and the Fed are looking quite prophetic in claiming the oil price pressures were temporary and raising a key overnight lending rate by .25% earlier this month. However, they've got some explaining to do when it comes to jobs. New unemployment claims jumped yesterday to 343,000, up sharply from the previous week. Additionally, a new report showed 1.3 million Americans are officially living below the poverty line.

Today's GDP quarterly report came in a tad bit lower than last month's snapshot predicted and shows that 2nd quarter growth was less than 1st quarter. However, it was still growth.

All these figures will contribute to some very interesting claims by both presidential candidates. President Bush can say the economy is growing and he'll be right. John Kerry can say more people are out of work and poor and he'll be right too. Our first glimpse of interesting claims will be next week as the Republican National Convention kicks off on Monday.

This report brought to you by DegreeSource.

Energy prices finally go down...and take financial markets with them.

2004-08-23T16:02:00.000-07:00

Oil prices finally dipped as production in Iraq resumed after several weeks of industrial sabotage. As a result, bond markets lost a bit, with the 10 year bond yields increasing 5 bps. Alan Greenspan delivers a speech later this week and several financial reports are due to be released.

The stock market also lost with the Dow closing down 37 points, while the NASDAQ edged up less the 1 point.

Week three of the unofficial classified jobs report.

Salt Lake City is down from last week at 1340 new jobs listed.
Richmond, VA is up with 96.
Davenport, IA is up barely to 154.
Winston-Salem is down slightly with 447.
Sacramento is also down with 1675.
Oklahoma City went down with 1410 new jobs listed.

This is not a good week with cities losing over 500 job listings. Will Thursday's unemployment report validate this theory? We'll see then.

This report brought to you by Top Colleges.

Are we really in an economic recovery?

2004-08-19T13:11:00.000-07:00

Economic reports released today had the financial community hoping for answers to the question of whether the American economy is actually in a recovery. The data was as ambiguous as the answer: we don't really know.

Oil prices are one of the biggest questions, impacting consumer prices, consumer spending, treasury markets and the stock market. Yesterday's news that defiant cleric Muqtada al-Sadr would lay down arms and participate in Iraq's political process turned to confusion today. Al-Sadr's mosque has turned into a fortress and his supporters have launched attacks against coalition forces and Iraqi security personnel.

Military instability in the region, along with a host of other factors, have driven oil prices to daily record highs. Today is no exception, with oil hitting $47.96 per barrel as an intraday high. The big concern is these prices have not been reflected at American gas pumps yet. When that happens, I believe we will see the highest gas prices in the history of our country.

Meanwhile, the Fed's Philadelphia manufacturing survey mirrored lower results published on Monday in another region. The results of the survey indicate demand for products has declined, which spells trouble for America's consumer driven economy.

Additionally, weekly unemployment jobless claims came out a bit lower for the third straight week. 331,000 new claims were logged last week, down 3000 from the previous week.

Today's data caused the stock market to decline sharply, despite a great debut from Google on the NASDAQ. The only silver lining to the American economic cloud is the bond market and housing. Mortgage rates are holding steady, houses are selling and home values are still increasing.

Will the American economy make a comeback as strong as Paul Hamm did in his quest for gymnastic all-around gold? Is unemployment simply a devastating vault landing in the apparatus of economic reports? We'll find out.

This report brought to you by Bryman College.

Oil prices affect economy, but will that impact employment.

2004-08-18T16:19:00.000-07:00

Oil prices soared to hit yet another record high, but fell back a touch on good news from Iraq. The final close was $47.27 per barrel. The stock market responded to the news from Iraq by closing up 110 points and closed above 10,000 composite for the first time since August 4th. Shares in companies that had dropped earlier are now a bargain.

No major financial reports were due out today and Treasuries were affected by some profit taking. The 10 year note had its' yields close up 4 basis points. This treasury affects mortgage rates. Thursday brings the weekly unemployment reports and July's manufacturing report, which based on Monday's regional report has low expectations. Tuesday brought the consumer price index survey, which actually showed prices going down a bit and bond traders anticipate the Fed will not raise rates as aggressively as had been planned.

These reports are a mixed bag that don't really show the economy improving one way or the other. We'll see whether Thursday's reports may help clear things up a bit.

This report brought to you by DegreeSource.com. Full education and employment articles are available at www.degreesource.com.

Monday answers Friday's questions.

2004-08-16T15:54:00.000-07:00

The big news last week - oil, resolved itself a bit over the weekend with the completion of Venezuela's recall election. Incumbent President Hugo Chavez maintained his position. Since Venezuela is an OPEC nation, domestic turmoil in that country could lower oil production which would in turn raise prices even further. Oil prices instead backed off from previous record highs, closing at $45.69 per barrel.

The stock market rebounded from last weeks losses, posting a 129.20 gain for the day. Profit taking in the bond markets caused yields in the 10 year bond market to edge up 3 bps. Earlier in the day, a regional manufacturing report came in much lower than economists expectations.
The consumer price index report for July will be tomorrow's big economic news.

My informal employment survey of newspaper classifieds across the country shows some improvement.

Salt Lake City is up from last week at 1528 new jobs listed.
Richmond, VA is also up with 92.
Davenport, IA is up to 152.
Winston-Salem is down slightly with 467.
Sacramento is also down with 1703.
Oklahoma City edged up with 1410 new jobs listed.

We'll see on Thursday if unemployment figures have any correlation to this informal collection of new job listings.

Today's reports brought to you be Top Colleges...improve your life in less time.

Oil prices big story on economic front.

2004-08-13T16:17:00.000-07:00

Oil prices continue to dominate financial markets. New per barrel highs are almost a daily occurrence, with the price per barrel closing at $46.03, almost a full dollar more than yesterday's closing.

One of the near term factors affecting oil prices is an election in Venezuela on Sunday. A poor outcome for the incumbent could cause violence that may affect oil production in the South American OPEC country.

A report on the U.S. trade deficit caused yields in the 10 year bond market to go down, while the stock market edged up with the Dow closing 10 points higher and the NASDAQ up four.

This economic brief brought to you by the business schools of TopColleges.com.

Oil prices contribute to stock dive.

2004-08-12T16:12:00.000-07:00

Oil was the big topic of conversation in today's financial reports. The price per barrel reached a new high, closing at $45.50 making $50 per barrel not so far out of reach. The biggest contributing factor was the threat of production sabotage in Iraq, but a referendum election in Venezuela later on and the continued financial problems of Russian producer Yukos are all concerns.

The Dow tanked 123.73 points and the 10 year bond market, which affects interest rates, yielded 2 bps down.

The biggest point made today about oil prices, is that, adjusted for inflation, oil prices in 1981 were still higher than what we're facing today.

This report brought to you by the University of Louisville.

Housing only bright spot in this week's financial reports.

2004-08-12T08:41:00.000-07:00

Lackluster would be the term to describe this week's financial reports released Thursday. Jobless claims were down 3,000 to 333,000. Retail sales were up .7%, down from an expected 1.1%. When you take out cars from the figures, retail sales were only up .2%...pretty paltry.

On the other hand, military action in Iraq continues to push oil prices higher, despite promises of increased production from Saudi Arabia. Oil is currently sitting at $45.35 per barrel, a new record high.

The only bright spot is that housing prices are increasing - good news for those who own homes, bad news for those that don't - despite rising interest rates. Many economists felt that increased rates would deflate the gains house prices have had over the past few years.

The stock market responded to this financial news by dropping over 77 points on the Dow and over 21 points on the NASDAQ. Yields on the 10 year bond are relatively flat, currently up 1 bps.

Look for updates on breaking financial news as it happens.

This report brought to you by the Business Administration program at Morrison University.

Fed's rate increase impacts markets positively.

2004-08-10T21:08:00.000-07:00

The Fed's increase of the overnight lending rate .25 bps to 1.5% bolstered financial markets. Since the rate increase was expected and already built into rates, the 10 year bond market yield only gained 3 bps. Stocks on the other hand rebounded significantly with the Dow up over 130 points and the NASDAQ up 34.06. Oil prices also dropped, but only after posting a new high at slightly over $45 per barrel.

The Fed's move told the markets they considered the unexpected financial numbers of last week as only a blip on a larger economic recovery. Had they kept rates the same, it would have sent a lot of bad signals to the markets and stocks could have dropped as much as they gained.

Even if the Fed is correct about a recovery, a continued increase in energy prices has them worried. It should be noted that these higher oil prices are from September's futures markets, so the repercussions of this price increase has not yet been felt at the fuel pump. If the employment numbers and consumer spending remain weak, rates may hold at next month's FOMC meeting. We'll have a better glimpse of employment when last weeks numbers hit Thursday.

This report brought to you by the Herzing College business administration degree.

Fed raises rates despite poor economic news.

2004-08-10T11:22:00.000-07:00

The Fed just announced that it would raise overnight lending rates by .25 bps, making the Prime rate 1.5%. It is the second straight "tightening" of rates by the Fed in two months.

More analysis to follow later today.

How do employment numbers translate to real life?

2004-08-09T08:52:00.000-07:00

Over time, I've found one of the ways to truly gauge the economic viability of a city is to read the newspaper. But it's not the local section, or the business section I read. It's the classifieds-homes for sale, apartments for rent, cars for sale and jobs.

Last week we reported on the weak employment numbers and found that new job creation was down 90% of projections. What does this translate to in real life? To answer this question, I turned to the nation's Sunday classifieds sections to see what this really means.

Disclaimer: This is not a serious research project, just a cursory glance at Sunday's job offerings across the country. Newspapers were chosen because of a shared classified network. I don't know if the chosen papers were the largest in their market. It must also be noted that many jobs available are never advertised for in a newspaper, however the classifieds will at least create some sense of proportion.

Salt Lake Tribune-Salt Lake Population-179900 Jobs 8/8/04 1493 Ratio .82%
Richmond Times - Richmond, VA Pop - 193900 Jobs 8/8 77 Ratio .04%
Quad City Times - Davenport, IA Pop - 97400 Jobs 8/8 152 Ratio .16%
Winston-Salem Journal- Winston-Salem, NC Pop - 191900 Jobs 8-8 469 Ratio .24%
Sacramento Bee - Sacramento, Ca Pop - 453700 Jobs 8-8 1762 Ratio .39
Oklahoman - Oklahoma City, OK Pop - 527100 Jobs 8-8 1403 Ratio .26

Are these numbers accurate? Are these the right newspapers to choose to determine a good picture of available jobs in these cities? Did you know Oklahoma City was that big? Let us know by posting your comments.

In other financial news today, the absence of any major reports is making the major financial markets drift listlessly. The next big news this week is the Fed's policy meeting tomorrow. The biggest decision to be made is whether overnight interest rates will be raised. Most analysts think the Fed will go ahead with a .25 bps raise tomorrow along with a carefully worded accompanying statement. Oil prices continued to set records with a high of $44.98 per barrel, but coming down to $44.90. Opening prices were $44.38.

Unless there is major news during the rest of the day, this will be the only post today. Look for more news tomorrow after the Fed's statement.

This report brought to you by DegreeSource.

Employment figures rock markets.

2004-08-06T16:11:00.000-07:00

The damage done at open by July's employment reports continued to impact financial markets throughout the day. The NASDAQ, Dow and S&P 500 all posted 2004 lows with the Dow losing 147.70 points. On the other hand, bond markets posted huge single day gains, with the yields of the 10 year bond shedding 21 basis points, one of the largest gains of the year. Mortgage rates are loosely tied to the 10 year bond.

Coupled with increased oil prices, these soft employment numbers should signal the Fed to hold off on raising its overnight lending rate on Tuesday. However, many economists think the Fed will continue its long term tightening plan and bump rates .25 of a point on Tuesday. Some analysts think the current combination of economic trends will create some very rough times ahead.

The next big economic news will come Tuesday when the Fed meets for its Federal Open Market Committee.

An interesting side note in today's dealings when MCI, formerly WorldCom, shares jumped 16% after a smaller than expected 2nd quarter loss. Additionally, it announced a quarterly dividend of $.40 per share. Call me crazy here, but if I were a WorldCom creditor, I would be very upset about this. WorldCom declares bankruptcy, changes its name back to MCI, gets back in business, posts losses and rewards its stockholders (chiefly, its own management) with dividends. Something is not quite right here.

This report sponsored by the National College of Business & Technology.

Unemployment numbers disappoint, oil continues to pressure markets.

2004-08-06T08:19:00.000-07:00

July's employment reports came out this morning and the underperforming is part of all the major media's headlines. New jobs in July totaled only 32,000, far below analyst's predictions of 235,000. More importantly, June's below expectation numbers were revised down from 112,000 to 78,000. If July's new jobs are revised down as far as Junes, there were only 2 new jobs created last month. For those Americans still languishing without a job, that probably seems accurate.

Surprisingly, unemployment dropped from 5.6% to 5.5%. Both the bond markets and stock markets reacted strongly to the employment reports. The 10 year bond market, which influences interest rates for housing, responded immediately with a 2 point increase in price and a 20 bps drop in yield, one of the strongest one day showings this year. The yields have leveled out a bit, dropping to a 16 bps change. The Dow plunged 70 points on initial news of these reports and has continued sliding to drop 95 points just before noon EST.

Crude oil dropped slightly to $44.21 but the continued controversy with Russian producer Yukos and waffling on production by OPEC leaves many experts continuing to predict $50 per barrel oil in the very near future.

All this data leaves the Fed with an interesting conundrum when they meet Tuesday to consider changing the overnight lending rate. At their last meeting, with positive first quarter numbers, they raised rates .25 of a point for the first time since 2001. Many economists were hoping June's poor numbers were a fluke and July would rebound, but the opposite happened.

The Fed could hold rates steady, but some speculate they may raise them .25 of a point any way as part of a long term course of action. However, Mark Vitner of Wachovia Securities has a great quote saying "If they raise rates after this weak employment report, people will be hollering. George Bush would be hollering the loudest."

To temper this bad news, CNN reposted an article from June 23 stating there are a number of jobs out there with high growth and good wages. It's important to remember that no matter how bad the news is, there are still opportunities out there. We'll report back later today to summarize the day's activities.

This report brought to you by the Top Colleges schools...better jobs in less time.

Oil prices and production top economic concerns.

2004-08-05T16:14:00.000-07:00

Even with July's employment reports due out tomorrow, record high oil prices sunk the stock market today and may provide impetus for the Fed to hold rates steady at its next policy meeting August 10th. Fair or bad employment reports will virtually guarantee a hold in rates.

Oil prices increased $1.52 per barrel closing at $44.41 because of a ruling by Russia's Justice Ministry on top oil producer Yukos. Yukos owes the Russian government $3.4 billion in taxes and the government has tapped their operating accounts for repayment - essentially freezing production and exports for the company that produces 2% of world supplies.

Some experts have theorized the Russian government wants to increase oil prices and sell the doomed company to Exxon. If that's true, this would be another Enron like manipulation of energy prices. Increased oil demand and concern over production by other OPEC nations including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Venezuela and Nigeria are pressuring oil prices upward.

If the Fed increases rates August 10, like some experts predict, it may be increasing interest rates based on an economic recovery that's not really there. Energy prices are excluded from inflation reports on consumer prices and the big bite of fuel prices not only impact consumers, but businesses as well.

This analysis brought to you by Strayer University Graduate School.

Unemployment claims lower than expected, but energy prices a concern.

2004-08-05T07:49:00.000-07:00

Last week's unemployment numbers show a slight improvement, but energy prices are a major concern for America's chief economists. Initial jobless claims fell to 336,000, slightly lower than a projection of 340,000. But the bigger news was how bond markets responded. Treasury Secretary Snow said on radio station WAKR this morning that "soaring oil prices pose a threat to the economy."

The bond market responded by decreasing yields 3 bps in early trading. Bond yields affect interest rates.

More importantly, July's unemployment numbers are due early Friday morning and should give the Fed more information about the American job "recovery."

This news brought to you by Keller GSM.

High energy prices stifle spending.

2004-08-04T15:12:00.000-07:00

The price of oil per barrel created new records today, with some economists fearing prices reaching $50 + per barrel in the near future. The impact has yet to be fully felt in the American economy. One of the misleading effects of government reports regarding inflation of consumer prices is those reports exclude energy costs, which are real costs for American consumers and businesses. The California energy crisis of a few years ago increased energy prices across the board...including other states. Now we've found out the increased prices were artificially created by Enron! America has yet to pay the full price for this corporate scandal.

SUV sales continue to slump and the deep discounting auto makers are making to keep sales going will hurt the bottom line and in turn worker's jobs. The Bush tax breaks and refinancing at lower rates have kept more money in American's pockets over the past year, but the increase in fuel prices has eroded this extra money.

In the wake of increasing fuel costs, American companies can no longer absorb those costs as a part of doing business. If fuel costs continue to rise, we should expect consumer prices overall to reflect that increased cost of doing business.

In other news, weekly unemployment reports are due out tomorrow, while July's are still slated to be released on Friday. Most experts believe the numbers should be good. We'll see tomorrow.

This economic report brought to you by the University of Phoenix.

Lower incomes create lower spending.

2004-08-03T16:02:00.000-07:00

Some end of the month financial figures came out today. July's unemployment report is due on Friday. On the heels of Friday's report that income for employed workers is down comes a report that spending is down as well. Big surprise. If you're making less money, it follows that you would be spending less money, particularly since rates for houses and cars is going up.

The low rates of last year, during which many home owners refinanced their houses to take advantage of lower rates and higher home values, are rapidly drying up. Although financial news of the past 7 - 10 days has pushed rates down a bit, financial experts are expecting good employment news on Friday, which will pressure the bond market and move rates up. A CNN
article quotes

Anthony Crescenzi, bond strategist with Miller Tabak & Co. "But spending on services, which is where the majority of the job creation occurs, has held on, and we expect it to pick up. Friday's payroll report should be a good indication of that."

Towards the end of the day, a higher than expected auto sales report tempered the bond market's reaction to the days previous bad news. An extra million more autos than expected were purchased in July. Hopefully people were trading in SUVs for more economical transportation since oil prices hit record highs today, topping $44 per barrel.

This summary brought to you by DeVry University and Keller Graduate School of Management.

Employment Reports 07-30-04

2004-07-30T14:58:00.000-07:00

This post is the first in a weekly series on employment data released by the Federal Government.

1. New jobless claims up this week by 4000 to 345000 claims.
2. A report posted today states 57% of people who lost a job between 2001-2003 and were lucky enough to get a new job are making less than they did before. (No suprise there, since I am one of those people...thank you very much.)

Questions for the blog viewing community:

Are you employed now?

Are you making less than you did in your last job?

If you lost a job did your employer or the government offer money for retraining?

Home Healthcare Careers

2004-07-30T14:25:00.000-07:00

One of the fastest growing sectors of the medical industry is that of home health. There are many reasons for this growth, but most important are-

The number of aging and infirm citizens in the country.
The lower cost of care in relation to hospitals and long term care facilities.
The fact health providers consider home care to be the most humane and compassionate form of care.

Because of the rapid growth in this category of healthcare, a variety of employment opportunities have become available. Many hospitals are turning to home health as a method to recapture revenue that would be otherwise lost. Despite the efforts of hospitals to enter the home care market, private companies dominate home health. Since these are primarily businesses that have not been in existence for long, they need to hire not only for in home providers, but also for support and administrative positions.

The future demand for home care will be staggering. In 1997, over 22.4 million households provided home care to a loved one over 50. Over time, this drain on physical and emotional resources will result in a desire for outside help in the home. Additionally, Medicare funding of short term home health care is projected to more than double by 2010. Meanwhile, workers employed in the home health field actually dropped by 29,000 in 2000. The projected employment outlook for just home health aides leads all medical job categories at a whopping 66.8%!

One may think the vast majority of home health related jobs are lower paying aide jobs. Fortunately, this is not the case. As previously mentioned, private home health companies will need to increase their administrative and support positions like medical coders, accounting and billing, medical secretaries, nurse managers, shift schedulers, information technology and marketing. Working for a home health company doesn’t necessarily dictate providing direct patient care.

Even among the patient care positions, there is a lot of variety. Though patient care is primarily provided by lower paid home health aides; as demand increases, wages are expected to rise. There are also a lot of opportunities for CNAs, LPNs and registered nurses (RNs). Some patients only require short term care – a few hours a day, or for a fixed period of time. Others require long term care – 24/7 for the rest of their lives.

The bottom line is, there are a lot of employment opportunities in the field of home healthcare. The best paying jobs will be those that require some post secondary training. There is also a lot of variety of work needed, not all employment will provide patient care. If you want a solid future, in one of the most stable industries in the country, studying to be part of the home healthcare market is a wise choice.

Home Healthcare Job Fields
Certified Nurses Aid - CNA
LPN
Registered Nurse
Physician’s Assistant
Nurse Manager
Medical Coder
Medical Secretary
Medical Administration
Information Technology
Sales and Marketing
Operations Manager

The Advantages of Attending a Career College.

2004-07-30T13:44:00.000-07:00

There are many educational choices for this year’s crop of graduating seniors. Traditional colleges, both four-year colleges and community colleges, are becoming less and less of a “fit” for students. Long times to graduate, waiting lists for popular programs, or outdated curriculum for modern careers are all compelling reasons to seek other sources of education. Indeed, only 30% of students who enter a four year college actually graduate. Of those who do graduate, large portions don’t even find work in their chosen field.

On the other hand, career colleges offer specific training for some of the “hottest” jobs available like nursing, dental hygiene and a wide range of technical and computer jobs. Let’s look at three perceived disadvantages a career college has over traditional schools.

Prestige

With such a current emphasis on college attendance and the competitive lengths some high school students are willing take to get into top schools, some recent graduates may consider choosing to attend a career college as settling. This is not necessarily the case. Why are you going to college? Usually the answer is to get an education, learn a profession and be able to provide for you future. A career college does all these things, in less time than traditional schools. Most career college graduates actually make a higher starting wage as well, depending on their degree. When you look at the choice pragmatically, one may ask the question, “Why don’t more high school graduates choose a career college?” One thing to make sure of before you enter any school, is whether or not it is accredited by the national governing body, especially if your profession requires licensing…like nursing or dental hygiene.

Expense

When you compare tuition prices with a community college or junior college with that of a career college, you may wonder how you can justify the wide discrepancy. Once you consider the limited availability of spaces in top in demand programs, it becomes easier to justify the cost. For instance, nursing schools, dental hygiene schools and other “hot” careers have long wait times to even gain entry. While these wait times often shorten up, it still may be years before you get into the program. Meanwhile, career colleges have much shorter wait times, or no wait times at all. If you consider the lost earnings of a dental hygienist during the three year wait period, it becomes much easier to justify the higher tuition. Indeed it would cost more over the long run to attend the community college!

Social Life

One of the big reasons graduating seniors go to college is because it allows them some freedom and independence for the first time in their lives. There are few things that compare to the feeling of living on a college campus your freshman year. While career colleges don’t typically offer that experience, they do offer many social activities other colleges do like political and professional associations. People have a tendency to make friendships and form bonds no matter what the environment is. If you really want to “spread your wings” and get away from home, move out of your parent’s house and get some roommates. If you need distance, attend a career college in a different city or state.

The bottom line is career colleges offer many distinct advantages over traditional schools. Relevant education, reduced wait times for enrollment and shorter time to graduation are all great benefits. Don’t let the perceived disadvantages of a career college derail you from a bright future.

Make Your Career Offshore Proof.

2004-07-30T13:32:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot of talk recently about American jobs moving overseas…offshoring is the buzzword for it. During difficult economic times it is often easy to find a scapegoat to blame for a downturn in jobs. While government reports and politicians try to downplay the impact, offshoring is something to take seriously. This article will discuss the permanent effect offshoring will have on U.S. jobs and what you can do to make sure it doesn’t happen to you.

Economic crises of the last thirty years have tended to blame overseas competitors for America’s financial woes. During the seventies it was foreign steel to blame and during the eighties it was foreign agriculture. The current trend of moving American jobs overseas, particularly to India, The Phillipines and other developing nations has been troubling to many. While some people think this is a temporary situation, shifts in the American economy and world politics indicate otherwise.

One of the effects of the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War has been the increased globalization of trade. On this continent, economic borders have opened up due to the North America Free Trade Act (NAFTA). In Europe, the collapse of the Iron Curtain has opened the borders of the eastern countries. And the European Union has made a significant impact on the economy; standardizing currency in 13 countries in 2000 and adding 10 new member nations last month…mostly former Eastern Bloc nations. Even China has joined the global free market, contributing $620 billion in trade to the world’s markets in 2002. China has taken control of Taiwan and regained Asia’s economic powerhouse – Hong Kong – after 100 years of British rule.

These global economic changes are big and they will not go away. American companies have taken advantage of the global market, establishing icons of American culture like fast food, retail stores and computer software everywhere. With all these events and situations, it only makes sense that American companies would turn to foreign labor.

Besides the economic impact of the world’s political shift, the American economy has transformed itself. The rise of the computer has shifted the United States economy from an industrial nation to a nation of information and service. This means there will be less jobs in making things and more jobs in marketing and servicing things. Unfortunately the American education system has been ill prepared for this inevitable change. In the mid to late nineties, thousands of well paying computer jobs went to foreign nationals on temporary work visas. Additionally, domestic workers on a whole will move from being permanently hired employees to contract or temporary employees. As a worker, it will be more important to market yourself, keep a good network of contacts and maintain your technical skills.

Although this news sounds grim, it’s really not. Most of the jobs going overseas are in the lower salary ranges like customer service and technical support positions. Meanwhile, the new “hot jobs” pay very competitively, even for workers who lack employment experience.

If you’re afraid your job may be going overseas, or you want a better paying career with more advancement opportunities, take a look at these hot jobs:

1. IT Security

2. IT Project Management

3. IT Outsource Management

4. IT Database Administrators

5. Health Care - Medical Assistant

6. Health Care – Nursing

7. Health Care – Home Health

8. Health Care – Dental Hygienists

9. Health Care - Medical Coding

10. Health Care – Medical Office Administration

Find out how you can begin the education for one of these great careers.

Ten careers for high school seniors who hate school.

2004-07-30T13:16:00.000-07:00

Let’s face it…not everybody likes going to school and high school can be a terrible experience for many students. Whether you’re the hands on type who preferred Shop class to English class, or an athlete who liked working as a team more than studying alone, or even someone who liked schoolwork more than schoolmates; the idea of four more years of school is unbearable. If you identify with any of these types, but still want to secure a good future, there are some great options out there for you.

For you hands on types there are a lot of great careers out there that allow you to work with your hands and they pay well. There will be some coursework in things like shop math, reading schematics or architectural drawings, but most of this will be reinforced in your daily work. The schoolwork won’t seem useless because you will be using it everyday. Best of all, most of the schooling will be finished in two years or less. Most hands on jobs have an apprentice, or on the job training aspect as well, so you can get to work right away.

Some of the careers in this category include:

Electrician – Installation or troubleshooting of electrical wires and connections. Work may take place in new or existing constructions. Licensing is required. The lowest starting wage for an electrician is $11.81 per hour, while the median is $19.90 per hour.

Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Tech (HVAC Tech) – Installation or troubleshooting of heating and air conditioning systems in homes or businesses. Licensing is required to work with refrigerants. The lowest starting wage for HVAC Tech is $10.34 per hour, while the median is $16.78 per hour.

Home Appliance Repair – Repair of in home appliances like refrigerators, ovens and washers and dryers. The lowest starting wage for Home Appliance repair is $18,200 per year, while the median is $30,390 per year. The skills learned for this job can advance you to other higher paying careers.

For students who paid more attention to extracurricular activities than schoolwork, there are plenty of careers where you can capitalize on your social skills. The healthcare field is one such career. Nurses, physicians assistants and medical assistants all work directly with people – both patients and their families. If healthcare doesn’t appeal to you and you have an appetite for technology, being a help desk technician allows you deal directly with people and computer technology. You might also take business classes and work your way up to become an office manager in any number of industries.

If you’re someone who loves to learn and prefers talking to people on a limited basis there are plenty of jobs you can train for as well. Computer based jobs like software development, web design or database administration immediately come to mind. If you’re creative and visually talented, the fields of graphic design and multimedia design might suit you. A great job for someone who likes to perform research is that of a paralegal. That job offers many of the tasks a lawyer performs, without having to go to court. And it pays well. You can even find jobs in the healthcare field where there is limited or no contact with patients like medical coding or office administration.

The bottom line is, even if you didn’t like high school, that’s not a reason to bypass education and your shot at a good future. Career colleges get right down to business and offer specific training for well paying careers in a short period of time.

Careers for graduating seniors who hate school:

HVAC Tech
Home Appliance Repair
Electrician
Help Desk Analyst
Nurse
Medical Assistant
Office Management
Paralegal
Database Administration
Medical coding

Leave your dead end job…for good.

2004-07-30T13:06:00.000-07:00

So here you are…stuck in a dead end job. Are you hitting the glass ceiling in a job you once loved, but now can’t stand? Maybe the hours are long. Maybe you can’t stand retail customers anymore. Maybe you’re like 70% of college students who didn’t earn a degree and you feel this is the best job you can get without one.

Take heart. There are a lot of great careers out there, especially for people who have some work experience. But how will you get trained and how can you go to school when you’re still working…after all you’ve got bills to pay, maybe kids, a car payment and a mortgage? A career college can train you and get you the right certification to get into a better job and a better future.

Career colleges offer relevant coursework, proper accreditation and flexible schedules to get you into a better career in medical, computer, paralegal or business fields. Usually there’s limited, or no waiting to take the courses you need. Most programs take two years or less and some as little as six months! The fact that you’ve had some work experience, hopefully with increased responsibilities, will give you an advantage once you finish your schooling.

Here are three occupational fields that are full of opportunity now and will continue to be over the next decade.

Healthcare

The healthcare field is one of the fastest growing fields around. More and more people are retiring out of it, the American population has grown and we are living longer lives. These conditions have created a huge demand for all types of medical jobs. Three hot jobs are:

Nursing
Dental Hygiene
Medical Coding

Computer

Just like healthcare, computer based jobs are continuing to grow. Computers are taking over the world, but they still need programmers and operators to make them work. Here are three jobs that have great growth potential:

Help Desk Analyst
Software Development
Graphic Design

Mechanical Trades
If you don’t like to sit behind a desk all day, there are plenty of jobs that allow you to be “constructive” and pay well.

HVAC Technician
Electrician
Appliance Repair Technician
Don’t settle for a dead end job. You have too many years left in the workforce to be unhappy for eight hours a day. With flexible schedules, short time to completion and a variety of financial aid options, a career college can take you towards a better job and a better life.

Ten courses of study if you want to be your own boss.

2004-07-30T12:59:00.000-07:00

For many Americans, an important component of the American Dream is the possibility of hard work turning into financial fortune. The career exploits of such self made magnates like Andrew Carnegie, Lee Iaccoca and Donald Trump are examples for many.
The idea of being self-employed appeals to many people who want the possibility of unlimited income, a flexible schedule and perhaps the opportunity to work from home. If you’re one of these people, having the proper training, especially in a growth industry, is very important. Consider these ten courses of study, if you want to be your own boss.

Creative Careers

The personal computer has made it much easier to enter the marketplace in many professions. Training in graphic design, multimedia design and web design allow you to work from home, or as your clientele increases, out of an office. Education in these skills can also create opportunities for you to work as an employee, or contractor. These creative jobs are very much in demand, particularly as advertising spending has increased as the economy has improved.

Mechanical Careers

If you like to fix things or work with your hands, there are some great, lucrative training programs that will allow you to do this type of work for a career. Most of these jobs require you to work for someone else first, either to gain skills training or the money to go off on your own. A career in HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning), home appliance repair, electrical installation/repair or auto body repair are all great ways to make your hands create a living for you.

Service Careers

There are many service careers available as well for the self-employed. Home healthcare is one such growing field. Nurses, both RNs and LPNs, are in wide demand. Another career field that is growing is court reporting and closed captioning. The growing legal system and new Federal laws designed to benefit the hearing impaired are driving growth in these categories.

In addition to having the skills to perform your chosen business, you need the business skills as well. Sales and marketing are in first order, while organization and administrative skills will keep your clients and the IRS happy.

For more information on useful courses, click here.

Ten great careers for computer “geeks.”

2004-07-30T12:56:00.000-07:00

The universal acceptance of computers into our daily lives, both at work and at home, has decreased the image of computer users as being “geeks.” The word geek itself has evolved a bit - going from meaning a socially inept person who gets along better with computers than people, to someone who is an expert with computers, a guru even. In fact, many computer service companies utilize the name geek in their nomenclature because of this new meaning.

Not everyone who is proficient in using a computer is a geek, but there are people out there who are so interested in computers and so well versed in them, they wear the title geek with pride. Many of these people may not have had formal training. They’ve been playing with computer hardware, or software since they were ten years old. So what should you do if you have this kind of computer knowledge? A few years ago, it was very easy to get a well paying computer job, without any post secondary education. Advances in technology, the dot-com implosion and wider acceptance of technology doesn’t make it so easy any more. The good news is, you don’t need a four year degree to secure a well paying job in the computer field. Even if you’re not a self professed computer geek, if you have an interest in a computer career, here are some good fields to study.

Computer Networking

Computer networking jobs entail designing, repairing and maintaining PC networks, usually in a business setting. There is no industry standard for software, but Microsoft dominates, with Novell taking a distant second place. Cisco dominates the category in hardware routers. Courses of study available include A+ (basic computer hardware), MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer), MCSA (Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator), Novell Netware and Cisco Certification.

Career positions in this category include network design, network administration and network security. Depending on the employer, a computer networking professional may do all, or some of these duties.

Computer Security

Computer security is another growing field. Many businesses have created networks, websites and become reliant on computer technology, without employing safeguards to protect their data. There are many malevolent computer geeks out there who attack systems, or software for fun, curiosity or profit. Data extortion is now a common organized crime method for the Russian mafia!

Security violations have created new careers in network security and software development. Courses of study are mainly in Microsoft products and software development languages like Visual Basic, C++, .net, compiler and assembly languages.

Career positions in this category include network security, software programming, web design, web development and website administration (server side).

Databases

The acceptance of computers into business has created a great demand for databases. Almost every industry has a need for databases for marketing, client retention and daily operations. Industries such as banking, insurance, hospitals and utilities absolutely rely on them. Terrorism threats have created new laws, like the Patriot Act, that require a database of all foreign nationals who enter the country.

Creation of these databases relies on software, mainly developed by Oracle for large scale databases, Microsoft SQL for web based applications and Microsoft Access for smaller scale and custom applications.

Jobs in the database category include data architects, database administrators and information systems managers.
The information age has created a wealth of career opportunities for computer geeks, elevating their status as knowledgeable professionals and compensating them well financially. If you’re a computer geek, or would like to become one, a career in any of these professions can be obtained in less than two years of study.

Ten great careers for single parents.

2004-07-30T12:55:00.000-07:00

The challenges of raising a child by yourself, whether you’re a mother or father, can be very difficult. Add the burden of having to be out of the home for 40+ hours per week to work and raising a child at the same time can be nearly impossible. This article describes ten careers you can train for that will give you the money to support your child and the time to be there for them.

These careers all take less than two years to complete, some take only six months. They all offer flexible work schedules with above average pay. Best of all, with a certificate or associates degree, it will be easy to find a job.

Healthcare careers

Jobs in healthcare are in great demand right now. The largest generation in the American population is aging and retiring from the workforce. Increased life spans are placing a huge burden on the healthcare industry. While hospitals and their 24 hour operation offer the most employment flexibility, there are health care positions that don’t take place in a hospital. Home care positions also offer scheduling flexibility.

Nursing – 1, 2 & 4 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $33,970 annually.

Dental Hygiene – 1 & 2 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $17.37 hourly.

X-ray technician - 1, 2 & 4 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $27,190 annually.

Medical Assistant –1 & 2 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $17,640 annually.

Medical Coding - 2 year program. Approximate starting wage: $16,460 annually.

Creative careers

These creative careers are also in great demand. Employers typically offer standard hours, but many people employed in these fields are able to work from home. Others open their own businesses and can work later at night or otherwise exercise more control on when they work.

Graphic Designer - 2 & 4 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $21,860 annually.

Desktop Publisher - 1, 2 & 4 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $18,670 annually.

Web Designer - 1, 2 & 4 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $33,970 annually.

Help Desk Analyst - 1, 2 & 4 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $23,060 annually.

Bonus Career
If you like working with technology and don’t want to sit behind a desk all day, you’ll be surprised how lucrative this career can be.

Machinist – 10 -14 month programs. Approximate starting wage: $9.57 hourly. (This wage is deceptively low. New machinists are making much more due to a sudden upturn in demand.)

Learn how you can train for one of these careers here.

Career education options for working adults.

2004-07-30T12:19:00.000-07:00

Ask yourself this question: “Do I like what I do for a living?” If you answered “no”, what are you doing about it? Maybe you have a “good” job, but it’s not very rewarding to you personally. Maybe you have job with good pay, but bad hours or worse – a job with good hours, but bad pay. Perhaps you’ve just done your job for too many years, or are excited to work in some of the new careers that just weren’t available when you finished school.

Whatever the reason is for you wanting to switch careers, there are some practical considerations to take into account.

How long will it take?
How will I find the time to do it?
How much will it cost?

This article will answer these questions and point you towards a more fulfilling career.

How long will it take to train for a new career?

The answer to this depends on what you want to train for. But, the majority of well paying careers that are currently seeking workers, take two years or less to train for. For example, becoming a machinist takes about 10 months. Training to become an X-ray technician can be done in a year. There are other training options that can get you a new job in only six months!

Your experience can also count. For example, if you work with computers on your job now, you won’t have to take word processing and spreadsheet classes if you want to be a medical coder. If you tinker with computers in your spare time while you’re working a retail management position, you’ll be ahead of the class when you train to become a help desk technician. Also, if you like working on projects around your house more than your job in an office, you’ll be more likely to obtain employment as an HVAC tech or electrician.

How will I find the time to go to school?

If you decide you want to train for a new career, there are many educational options. Traditional universities and colleges are one option, but tend not to offer a lot of flexibility in their class times. Community colleges are a better option since they have flexible classes, but due to limited resources, some of the most in demand training programs like nursing and dental hygiene have several year waiting lists in many markets across the U.S.

The educational option many working adults choose is a career college. Career colleges offer flexible scheduling and have the proper resources to greatly reduce waiting lists, if they have any at all. The biggest drawback is they cost more to attend. Consider a career college to be like a private community college. However, the flexible scheduling and the shorter time to graduation compensate for the higher initial cost of a career college.

How much will career training cost?

This is probably the most difficult question. If you’re like most working adults, you don’t have an eight month emergency reserve fund stashed away but, you do have credit card bills, a car payment, possibly children and that nagging monthly rent/mortgage payment. Chances are you’re not in a position to quit your existing job. Due to flexible class schedules you’ll still be able to work and keep that income. Student loans or grants are a possibility to pay for tuition. Also, check if your company has a tuition reimbursement plan. Even though you’re thinking about leaving your job, your company may have a need for the career you’re interested in training in.

The bottom line is if you don’t feel satisfied with your current job, you don’t have to stay with it for the rest of your working years. There are a number of great careers available that pay well and require less than two years of training time.

Check out your career options here.

Ten great careers that don’t require a four year degree.

2004-07-30T12:16:00.000-07:00

One of the great myths associated with the “American Dream” is that you need to have a four-year college degree to be successful. As the economy has shifted to the information age, with a greater reliance on technology and services, this belief applies less and less.

The new economy relies on technology more than any time in the past. In fact 70% of existing jobs require specific technical knowledge and this technology is being applied in newly created industries like biometrics, homeland security, nanotechnology and reusable energy.

Eighty percent of existing jobs don’t require a four-year degree, while only 25% of students who begin college actually graduate. Of those who do graduate, 30% don’t get a job that actually requires a degree!

The solution to these issues for many graduating high school seniors and workers unsatisfied with their current careers rests in a specialty technical school. These schools provide specific technical training in a variety of career fields. Career training courses take less than four years to complete, most take less than two. These schools offer online and night courses, so you can have a job or a family and the best part is graduates earn 50% more than high school graduates.

Here is a list of ten great careers that offer high employment prospects and competitive pay.

Nursing
Medical Assistant
Dental Hygienist
Help Desk Analyst
Graphic Design
Multimedia Design
Medical Coding/Billing
Medical Office Administration
Paralegal
HVAC Technician

Ten healthcare fields that can't wait to hire you.

2004-07-30T11:53:00.000-07:00

Healthcare is one of the hottest career fields in America today. The aging and retiring of the largest population segment in the country, known as “baby boomers”, has left the healthcare industry racing to find enough employees to fill the void. Advances in medical technology and treatment are causing people to live longer as well. Add the fact many universities and colleges don’t have enough teachers to train new employees; there becomes a ripe market for healthcare careers.

You would be amazed as to how many types of healthcare careers there are available. This article will discuss three main categories; patient care, non-patient care and operations. We’ll also discuss an amazing new trend with tremendous opportunity – home health.

Three main healthcare jobs in the category of patient care are nursing, medical assisting and dental hygiene.

Nursing consists mainly of direct patient care, but this can take place in a hospital, private doctor’s office, or an institution like a school, ski resort or cruise ship. With additional education or experience, some nurses become nurse managers, shift supervisors, epidemiologists, or counsel to insurance companies and law offices.

Medical assistants primarily provide patient care; performing routine medical functions to free up the time of the doctor. In the past, some of these medical services could only be provided by doctors. Medical assistants administer medication, take vital signs and update medical history.

Dental hygienists perform a similar function to medical assistants, only in a dentist’s office. A hygienist will clean teeth, advise patients on proper dental health and assist dentists with more complex procedures. The outlook for this profession is excellent, with demand far outpacing supply.

Many non-patient care positions also exist in the healthcare field.

Medical coding is one such profession. Medical coders must know terminology and how to read a patient’s chart. They update medical records every time a patient receives healthcare. Some upward mobility is available in management. Many people secure a job as a coder as a way to subsidize further medical education.

Medical office administration is another healthcare position that doesn’t involve patient care. These positions answer phones, coordinate with hospitals and check in/out patients. Moves to office management or medical coding/billing are advancement opportunities. Some people also use this position to further their education.

Healthcare institutions are a large employer of operational positions as well.
Information technology professionals are in strong demand since hospitals utilize state of the art databases to store patient’s medical and billing records. Database administrators and web programmers are a vital part of a hospital’s daily operations.
Medical billing and administration is another key component of healthcare operations. Medical facilities hire for billing positions, collections and administrative support. Special courses / experience are required in medical terminology and billing to obtain these types of jobs.

A rapidly growing sector of healthcare where all of these positions are required is that of home health. In the next six years, Medicare funding of home healthcare is expected to double. Over 7.6 million patients are being treated at home for both long term and short term care. Home healthcare is considered by the medical field and health insurers to be the most cost effective, humane and compassionate method of care.

The shortage of experienced healthcare workers in the United States is creating a boom for people who want to enter this field. There are many career options including positions that involve patient care and those that don’t. The current shortage of employees has created excellent starting salaries, generous benefits and signing bonuses.

For more information on how you can get the proper training, click here.

When should you update your job skills?

2004-07-30T11:32:00.000-07:00

With the U.S. economy still slumping and unemployment numbers barely moving forward, many workers may be considering what their employment future could be like if they were to lose their job. If you’re in a healthcare field, or possess computer skills, you don’t have much to worry about, except explaining why you left your last job. On the other hand, if you’re employed in production or manufacturing, you may be asking yourself, “when should I update my job skills?”

If you’re lucky enough to still have a job in this economy and you’re pondering the future, you should consider updating your job skills immediately. Your current education level will determine what you should update. If you already possess a Bachelor’s degree, examine what your skills deficits may be. For instance, are you up to date on computer programs commonly used in an office environment? If you want to make a move into healthcare, do you have medical terminology or CPR? Some states allow degree holders to get into teaching without having a related degree. Some may require a certificate. Your employer may even pay for your continuing education. Career colleges offer courses with flexible times so you can work and update your skills.

On the other hand, if you’re one of the over eight million people who is currently looking for full or part-time work and your job prospects are not very good, updating your skills could be very important to your future. Again, you should assess your current educational inventory. Consider the industry you’ve been in and see if it makes sense to change. There are a lot of openings in sales, healthcare and computer related industries. Federal or state aid may be available to you for educational purposes.

Finally, if you feel safe in your current job, create a strategy of cross-training. Make yourself so valuable to your employer, that even if the job you hold now is eliminated, you could easily move to another one within the company. Advancing your computer skills is one of the best ways to do this. Improving your sales skills is another. By creating added value to your employer, you put yourself far down the list to be trimmed.

The answer to when you should update your job skills is - always. Whether you need to update the computer programs you know or train for a completely new industry, your ability to adapt to change will help keep you employed, both now and in the future.

Career Education Opportunities

Why is there so much job growth in healthcare?

2004-07-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

A recent article in Slate’s online magazine discusses the anemic effects on American’s attitudes towards the economy, despite the creation of 1.4 million jobs in the last ten months. The article’s author theorizes, “Productivity growth, globalization, outsourcing, and widespread excess capacity probably have something to do with it.” I’ll take it a step further – technology and globalization are merely symptoms of a fundamental shift in the American economy. The reason increased job creation hasn’t made an impact is the American economy has moved from being one based on manufacturing to one being based on services and information. American workers have simply not adapted to this change.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the healthcare industry. Jobs available in healthcare lead the nation in creation and wages through 2012. Yet, there is a severe shortage of nurses (RNs & LPNs), medical assistants, medical coders, x-ray technicians and many more.

Reasons for increased healthcare burden.

The aging of the largest segment of the U.S. population (“baby boomers”) has done two things – decrease the number of workers…due to retirement…and increase the number of people who need healthcare. Baby boomers comprise 76 million members of America’s 290 million population. Additionally, healthcare advances have increased overall lifespan. Due to medical breakthroughs, people stricken with terminal diseases like cancer and AIDS are living longer with their ailment. These three factors in combination point to a continued strong demand on the American healthcare system.

Reasons for healthcare worker shortage.

Some healthcare work, particularly specialties dealing directly with patient care, can be very draining physically and emotionally. Though the hours tend to be flexible, they also tend to be long and inconvenient (12 hour shifts, nights, weekends and holidays). Medical professionals in specialties like nursing or medical assisting will advance their careers through education and moving to different employers. The end result is many healthcare workers tend to move out of patient care.

Our nation’s education system has been slow to train replacements. Many high school students believe the only way to a well paying career is through a four-year college. State colleges and community colleges don’t have enough teaching resources to produce more students. In many parts of the country, waiting lists for entering nursing school are common.

Finally, to ease the burden on doctors, many nurses, medical assistants and physician’s assistants perform tasks only doctors could once perform. This has increased the prestige of these specialty medical professions.

Technology impacts demand as well.

Technology advances in the healthcare field has also increased job growth. Specialty medical equipment like x-ray machines, MRIs and CT scanning needs qualified workers. The computerization of medical records by hospitals, insurance companies and HMOs has created positions in medical billing and coding. Rising healthcare costs have been tempered by home care, which has created its own industry demands.

Summary

Going back to the point made at the beginning of the article, we can see that even if jobs are created; existing unemployed workers cannot necessarily fill them. Special training or licensing is required to do many of the jobs available in healthcare. In fact, some patient care positions are being filled by people from other countries.

American workers need to take some responsibility for their own employment. They need to possess computer skills and many who were formerly in manufacturing positions need to consider new industries. The good news is many well paying healthcare positions can be trained for in less than two years…some in only six months. Career colleges offer programs in many healthcare fields with little or no waiting periods.

Adaptation to changing economic trends has to take place in America for the country to prosper. Education is a critical step in completing the transition from manufacturing to the post-modern nation of service and information.

Blog Launch

2004-07-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the DegreeSource blog launch. The purpose of this forum is to discuss jobs and education in the U.S. and Canada. Our website at www.degreesource.com has a number of informational articles concerning these topics.

This blog will try to discuss current issues regarding educational and job topics and we want your input as well. For instance:

Is it possible to stop the tide of offshoring?
Are the number of jobs being offered in your area increasing?
Does government provide appropriate educational options for workers who have been laid off?

We've got thirteen articles that have been written in the past month that will be posted today. For more articles and information about today's hot jobs check out the DegreeSource web page.