Top 25 Fastest Growing Occupations in the US

17 March, 2010 (10:43) | Careers | By: Sandy

Today many people are looking for the right field to pursue to establish a solid career path which can more likely provide at least a little job security.

After living through the last couple of years and seeing what has happened to our economy, many people are changing careers and preparing for a better opportunity for the future. Many of us hold to the belief and hope that things are bound to turn around at some point.

Careers with a Bright Outlook for the Future

If you’re trying to make a decision about what fields have a bright outlook for growth in the near future, these are the top 25 fastest growing occupations between 2008 and 2018 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics:

1.    Biomedical Engineer
2.    Network systems & Data Communications Analyst
3.    Home Health Aide
4.    Personal and Home Care Aide
5.    Financial Examiner
6.    Medical Scientist
7.    Physician Assistant
8.    Skin Care Specialist
9.    Biochemists/Biophysicist
10.    Athletic Trainer
11.    Physical Therapist Aide
12.    Dental Hygienist
13.    Vet Tech
14.    Dental Assistant
15.    Computer Software Engineer
16.    Medical Assistant
17.    Veterinarian
18.    Self-Enrichment Education Teacher
19.    Compliance Officer (Specific areas)
20.    Occupation Therapist Aide
21.    Environmental Engineer
22.    Pharmacy Tech
23.    Computer Software Engineer
24.    Survey Researcher
25.    Physical Therapists

Accredited-Online-Colleges.com offers a directory of online degrees in a wide range of fields to help you prepare for the career you want.  Whether you want to earn your Associate Degree, Bachelor Degree or you’re ready to take your degree to the Master’s level, you can find many accredited programs to help you reach your goals.

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How Do Your Grammar Skills Rate?

16 March, 2010 (09:57) | Success in the Online Classroom | By: Sandy

Student WritingIn yesterday’s post I wrote about identifying strengths and weaknesses. I’ve been thinking about that in regard to my current online class. My students are writing an expository essay, and I believe working on becoming a better writer definitely warrants some thought and discovery to determine areas of strength and weakness.

Good Grammar Never Stops Being Important

Throughout the course students complete a series of grammar exercises. They aren’t graded on how many correct or incorrect answers they end up with; they earn points for completing the exercises since the purpose is to refresh their grammatical skills and help them pinpoint the areas they need to work on most. This is especially important for students who’ve been out of the classroom for a long time, but it turns out to be quite helpful for everyone, regardless of skill level.

At the end of class, most students offer positive feedback in regard to the grammar exercises and say they were helpful in improving their writing skills. Many students contend that their writing skills also improved in their work life as well because they became more cognizant of making better grammatical choices.

How Would You Score?

How long has it been since you thought about verb tense, subject-verb agreement and other specific rules of grammar? If you were asked to write an essay today, you would definitely need to make sure to use the correct form of verbs for each sentence. And guess what? Even if you never write another essay in your whole life, you still need to know how to make your subjects and verbs agree and how to employ good grammar in your writing so you don’t look like a dummy to your boss, co-workers and clients.

I dare you to take this grammar test to see how you score: http://www.grammarmechanics.com/testyourgrammar.php

Let me know how you did!

If you or someone you know is thinking about online education to earn a college degree or get certification in a particular area, Accredited-Online-Colleges.com is a great place to begin exploring your options.

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Identifying Your Strengths and Weaknesses

15 March, 2010 (08:06) | Success in the Online Classroom | By: Sandy

If you’ve ever been on a job interview, it’s likely that you’ve been asked to talk about your strengths and weaknesses. It can be a tough question if you’re not prepared for it.Identify Strengths and Weaknesses

Most of us can identify a few strengths, but are often unsure about how to state our weaknesses without appearing inadequate. So it is worth the time to consider your answer to this question just in case you are put on the spot.

Other Advantages to Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses

There are many other advantages to identifying strengths and weaknesses in different areas of our lives. Even in everyday life, knowing our strong attributes and identifying those we need to continue to work on and develop can make life much more worthwhile and enjoyable.

Benefits for Students to Pinpoint Weaknesses

As a student, identifying strong points and discovering weaker areas is almost a requirement for growth and development. Only when we figure out what we’re good at and where we need to improve can we become more confident and advance our knowledge and skills to the fullest extent.

Once we establish our strengths, we can move on to those areas that need our concentration and effort, devoting our time to what needs the most of it.

Have you stopped lately to think about what you’re doing well and what could use a little extra effort?

When you’re ready to go back to school to earn a college degree, discover the options waiting for you at Accredited-Online-Colleges.com.

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Technology Certifications Can Boost Your Resume and Your Enthusiasm

12 March, 2010 (08:25) | Technology Certifications | By: Sandy

Technology CertificationsTechnology, as we are all very well aware, is a constantly changing, emerging area. If anyone plans to get into the field of technology or remain competitive in his or her area of expertise, staying up to date is the name of the game.

Certifications Can Broaden Your Knowledge and Your Resume

We never get so good at what we do that we can’t learn something new and discover a more effective way of doing things. Often just exposing ourselves to new ideas and ways methods can give us a renewed sense of motivation in our careers.

If you’re already working in a technology career, what better way to give your resume a boost and maybe even your own enthusiasm than to earn a new certification to broaden your knowledge of technology? If you have the talent for technology and you want to break into the field, starting with an online certification could be the key.

Online Certifications In Technology Include These and Many More:

CISCO Certified Network Associate
Comp TIA A+T
Comp TIA Linux T
Comp TIA Project +T
Microsoft Certified Database Administrator
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer

Accredited-Online-Colleges.com offers an easy-to-navigate listing of hundreds of online degree programs and certificates available to help you reach your educational and career goals.

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Getting Organized Makes Life Run More Smoothly

11 March, 2010 (13:37) | Success in the Online Classroom | By: Sandy

Sometimes organization can make all the difference in whether or not we are successful, whether at work or study.get organized

Tips From Online Students

My online students tell me that this is one of the most important requirements for staying on track and successfully incorporating going back to school into their already busy lives. What works for one person may not work for everyone else, but here are some of the ideas my students have shared with me to help them stay organized for their classes:

1. Create a space dedicated to study so you can have what you need when it’s time to sit down at your desk.
2. Make a weekly list of all the things you need to accomplish.
3. Prioritize your list so you can complete things in the order they are due.
4. Make a notebook for each class you are taking and divide it into relevant sections.
5. Print your course syllabus and calendar and place them in the front of your notebook.
6. As you complete each item on your list, check it off; this is your reward – watching your list become completed.

List Makers

Many of us are list makers. I don’t know about you, but I could not live without my lists and would never accomplish all of my tasks each day or week without them. The list is my primary tool for keeping up and sometimes even getting ahead.

Do you have any organization tips to share?

If you or someone you know is thinking about online education to earn a college degree or get certification in a particular area, Accredited-Online-Colleges.com is a great place to begin exploring your options.


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Setting Goals Can Change Your Life

10 March, 2010 (12:40) | Going Back To College Online | By: Sandy

Setting GoalsHave you ever traveled to a place that you’ve never been before without a map (or a GPS)? The further you go, the less sure of yourself you become and pretty soon you can get all turned around, not knowing which way to go anymore. Not much fun.

Don’t End Up on The Wrong Path

It’s kind of like traveling through life without any goals or plans, just turning when you feel like it and ending up in an unfamiliar and sometimes uncomfortable place. It seems to me that setting goals makes the journey less bumpy.

Even on a small scale, goals make life run more smoothly. Setting goals can certainly help us reach our personal, professional and career goals. For anyone planning to work on getting a degree or changing careers, making a plan and setting goals can help you get where you want to go much more easily.

  • Decide what you really want to do with your life.
  • Set short term goals to help you take small steps to get you on your way.
  • As you reach a goal, set another one.

Don’t give up on your dreams; keep setting goals and before you know it, you can be headed in a different direction with your career and your life.   Taking small steps in the right direction helps you arrive where you really want to be.

Thinking of going back to college?  Check out the directory of online degrees and programs available online at Accredited-Online-Colleges.com to see if there’s a program right for you offered through an accredited college or university.

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