Fastest-Growing Jobs That Do Not Require A College Degree in 2011

While times are still hard and employment is still low, college may be out of the picture for many people. Just because you do not have a college degree doesn't mean you don't deserve a high-paying job... If you are not planning to attend college but still want a good career, this article is perfect for you!! 

Home Health Aide

Current Employment (2010): 464,849

Expected Growth (2018): 1,382,495

Percentage of Growth (2010-2018): +47%

Salary (2010) $10.18

Tasks

- Provide health care services in the homes of the elderly or people with long-term illnesses or disabilities.

- Cook, give clients baths and massages, change bandages if needed, etc.

- Help clients to dress, exercise, get in and out of bed, etc.

- Maybe some light laundry, cleaning, or other household chores.

- Grocery and other shopping for their clients.

Education

- High school diploma or G.E.D. and short-term on-the-job training.

Personal Care Aide

Current Employment (2010): 821,173

Expected Growth (2018): 1,193,184

Percentage of Growth (2010-2018): +43%

Salary (2010) $10.73

Tasks

- Perform health-care related tasks, such as medication and monitoring vital signs.

- Administer bedside and personal care.

- Perform housekeeping duties, such as cooking, cleaning, washing clothes, etc.

- Instruct and advise clients on issues such as household cleanliness, utilities, hygiene, nutrition, etc.

- Transport clients to locations outside the home, such as to physicians' offices.

Education

- High school diploma and short-term on-the-job training

Physical Therapist Aide

Current Employment (2010): 48,391

Expected Growth (2018): 63,816

Percentage of Growth (2010-2018): +34%

Salary (2010) $10.88

Tasks

- Clean and organize work area and disinfect equipment after treatment.

- Instruct, motivate, safeguard and assist patients practicing exercises and functional activities, under direction of medical staff.

- Transport patients to and from treatment areas, using wheelchairs or providing standing support.

- Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment.

- Administer active and passive manual therapeutic exercises, therapeutic massage, and various types of treatments.

- Assist patients to dress, undress, and put on and remove supportive devices, such as braces, splints, and slings.

- Train patients to use orthopedic braces, prostheses and supportive devices.

Education

- High school diploma and short-term on-the-job training

Dental Assistant

Current Employment (2010): 298,274

Expected Growth (2018): 401,683

Percentage of Growth (2010-2018): +33%

Salary (2010) $15.92

Tasks

- Schedule appointments, keep records, receive payments from patients, order supplies, etc.

- Locate patients’ medical records for the dentist's use.

- Prepare patients for the dentist's examination.

- Operate the suction hose to keep the patient's mouth dry.

- Operate X-ray machines, develop X-rays, make impressions of a patients' mouth or teeth, sterilize instruments, etc.

Education

- High school diploma and reasonable amount of on-the-job training

Medical Assistant

Current Employment (2010): 485,651

Expected Growth (2018): 648,257

Percentage of Growth (2010-2018): +32%

Salary (2010) $12.67

Tasks

- Perform administrative duties and handling basic clinical tasks.

- Handle medical records, bookkeeping, and answering phones.

- Check the height, weight, temperature, and blood pressure of each patient.

- Write down patients' medical histories and run simple laboratory tests.
- Give injections, apply bandages, and take X-rays.

Education

- High school diploma and reasonable amount of on-the-job training.

Pharmacy Technician

Current Employment (2010): 327,839

Expected Growth (2018): 426,673

Percentage of Growth (2010-2018): +29%

Salary (2010) $10.93

Tasks

- Receive and fill prescription requests (from nurses, hospitals, and patients).

- Prepare, price, and file prescriptions for the pharmacist to check.

- Prepare insurance claim forms.

- Answer phones.

- Maintain inventory for over the counter medication.

- Maintain patient profiles.

- Handle money/cashier duties.

Education

- High school diploma, work-related experience, and reasonable amount of on-the-job training

Construction Laborer

Current Employment (2010): 1,385,238

Expected Growth (2018): 1,505,128

Percentage of Growth (2010-2018): +20%

Salary (2010) $14.28

Tasks

- Load and unload equipment, put up and take down scaffoldings, clear work areas, and carry materials to other workers, etc.

- Assist bricklayers and plasterers by mixing materials and setting up scaffolding.
- Set up forms into which concrete is poured, and spread and spade the concrete.

- Perform any and every small to medium size job on the work site.

Education

- Reasonable amount of on-the-job training, high school diploma is not required.

Worst Jobs According to Future Growth in 2011

It's always a "plus" to know what the best jobs are and which are the highest-paying careers.. But it also helps to know the future growth of the jobs on the market! These jobs are future careers that have a slow or steady decline in their projected growth through the year 2018.

Pharmacy Aide

Projected growth (2008-2018) -3% to -9%
Current Employment (2010) - 53,151
Median wages (2010) $10.55/hour, $21,944/year

Tasks

- Operate cash register to process cash and credit sales.
- Prepare prescription labels.
- Accept prescriptions for filling, gathering and processing necessary information.
- Answer telephone inquiries, referring callers to pharmacist when necessary.
- Prepare, maintain and record records of inventories, receipts, purchases and deliveries, using a
- Variety of computer screen formats.
- Maintain and clean equipment, work areas and shelves.
- Perform clerical tasks such as filing, compiling and maintaining prescription records, and composing letters.

Education

- Usually require a high school diploma, but sometimes accept a GED certificate.

Qualifications

- Knowledge of English language, electronic equipment, computer hardware and software, word processing, stenography and transcription, personal and customer service, etc.
- Usually requires 4 months to one year of work-related experience or knowledge.

Advertising & Promotions Manager

Projected growth (2008-2018) 0% to -2%
Current Employment (2010) - 46,668 employees
Median wages (2010) - $48.43/hour, $100,734/year

Tasks

-Plan and prepare advertising and promotional material to increase sales of products or services, working with customers, company officials, sales departments and advertising agencies.
-Gather and organize information to plan advertising campaigns.
-Confer with clients to provide marketing or technical advice.
-Confer with staff to discuss topics such as contracts, selection of advertising media, or product to be advertised.
-Prepare budgets and submit estimates for program costs.
-Prepare and negotiate advertising and sales contracts.
-Assist with annual budget development.

Education

- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Qualifications

- Knowledge of English Language, various forms of communications and media, sales and marketing, customer and personal Service, web page creation and editing software, production and processing of goods, etc.
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed to be qualified for these occupations.
- Several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Automotive Body & Mechanic

Projected growth (2008-2018) -2% (Dealerships closing)
Current Employment (2010) - 603,728
Median wages (2010) - $16.95/hour, $35,286/year

Tasks

- Follow instructions as to which parts to repair and how much time the job should take.
- Review damage reports, prepare or review repair cost estimates, and plan work to be performed.
- Prepare, prime, and paint repaired surfaces.
- Fit and weld replacement parts into place and grind down welds.
- File, grind, sand and smooth filled or repaired surfaces.
- Repair upholstery, windows, accessories, etc.

Education

- Usually only requires a high school diploma, but have recently required completed training programs.

Qualifications

- Knowledge of English Language, machines and triming and molding tools, Analytical or scientific software for cost estimates, Customer and Personal Service, etc.
- At least 6 months to one year of work-related experience or knowledge, is usually required.

Telemarketer

Projected growth (2008-2018) -5% to -10% 
Current Employment (2010) - 339,843
Median wages (2010) $10.17/hour, $21,153/year

Tasks

- Deliver prepared sales talks.
- Reading from scripts to describe products or services.
- Contact businesses or private individuals by telephone in order to solicit sales for goods or services.
- Record names, addresses, purchases, and reactions of prospects contacted.
- Answer telephone calls from potential customers who have been solicited through advertisements.
- Telephone or write letters to respond to correspondence from customers or to follow up initial sales contacts.
- Maintain records of contacts, accounts, and orders.

Education

- High school diploma or GED certificate.

Qualifications

- Knowledge of English language, company's sales techniques, marketing strategies, personal and customer service, telecommunications, etc.
- Usually requires 4 months to one year of work-related experience or knowledge.

Postal Service Mail Sorter & Processor (Mail Handler, Distribution Clerk, etc.)

Projected growth (2008-2018) -4% to -10%
Current Employment (2010) - 165,273
Median wages (2010) $16.77/hour, $34,881/year

Tasks

- Direct items according to established routing schemes.
- Bundle, label, and route sorted mail to designated areas depending on destinations.
- Clear jams in sorting equipment.
- Check items to ensure that addresses are legible and correct.
- Inspect items to ensure they are in a suitable condition for processing.

Education

- High school diploma or GED certificate.

Qualifications

- Ability to carry and move objects of different size and weight, to walk and/or stand in place for long periods of time, to process information, to perform quality control duties, personal and customer service, etc.
- Usually requires 4 months to one year of work-related experience or knowledge.

Bindery Worker

Projected growth (2008-2018) -6% to -10%
Current Employment (2010) - 55,719
Median wages (2010) - $14.87/hour, $30,919/year

Tasks

- Start machines and make trial runs to verify accuracy of machine setups.
- Set up, or set up and operate, machines that perform binding operations such as pressing, folding, and trimming on books.
- Observe and monitor machine operations to detect malfunctions and to determine whether adjustments are needed.
- Maintain records of daily production, using specified forms.
- Fill machine paper feeds.
- Lubricate and clean machine parts, and make minor repairs in order to keep machines in working condition.

Education

- Usually only requires a high school diploma.

Qualifications

- Knowledge of English language, machine functions, tools, production and processing duties such as; production processes, quality control, costs, etc.
- At least 6 months to one year of work-related experience or knowledge, is usually required.

Packer

Projected growth (2008-2018) -9% to -5% 
Current Employment (2010) - 731,814
Median wages (2010) $10.22/hour, $21,257/year

Tasks

- Measure, weigh, and count products and materials to meet packing specifications.
- Remove defective products from being packaged.
- Record product, packaging, and order information on specified forms.
- Seal containers or materials.
- Transport packages to customers' vehicles.

Education

- High school diploma or GED certificate.

Qualifications

- Knowledge of packaging tools, such as; tape dispensers, staple guns, strapping and wrapping devices, etc., some inventory software, quality control duties, personal and customer service, etc.
- Doesn't usually require previous experience or skill, as most jobs will provide the necessary training.