Despite weak employment report, healthcare jobs grew in August

Despite weak employment report, healthcare jobs grew in August

The latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate unemployment rose to 9.7 percent in August, but the healthcare industry added jobs during the month.

The report found that employment in healthcare continued to rise in August, adding 28,000 jobs, with most gains recorded in ambulatory care as well as in nursing and residential care.

Moreover, the industry has experienced a positive net job growth since the start of the recession, adding 544,000 new positions since early 2008.

In view of these results, adults looking to switch careers to earn more may consider obtaining a nursing degree at a traditional college or by enrolling in an online program. The latter offers greater flexibility and a lower cost, which may be appealing to parents who need to balance different responsibilities as well as domestic budgets.

However, this type of educational investment is likely to pay off as government employment experts predict demand for nurses will grow by 23 percent over the next seven years, and the top salaries in the field already exceed $83,000 per year. By 2012, a total of 1 million nurses will be needed to care for the aging population, and some 587,000 new nursing jobs will be created nationwide.