The health care industry is looking for workers – a lot of workers.
Health care is a job seeker’s paradise, with openings in the industry soaring to record highs in April. Hiring can’t keep pace, Bloomberg reports.
“The 910,000 listings in the health care industry almost doubled the 513,000 who were added to payrolls, meaning there were about 1.8 jobs available for every person who was hired,” Bloomberg said.
For health care workers seeking a pay raise, this is good news. “Wages in the industry grew by 2.2 percent in the year through April after a 2.3 percent increase the prior month that was the strongest since the end of 2012,” Bloomberg added.
Health care workers will likely continue to be a hot commodity in the United States.
Over the next 35 years, the number of Americans older than 65 is projected to nearly double, from 43 million to 84 million, according to Brookings.
Although older adults use more health care services, the health care workforce’s ability to manage the needs of older adults remains “woefully inadequate,” Brookings said.
The Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, has also played a significant role in creating health care jobs. Thomas Wickizer, a professor and chair of Health Service Management and Policy at Ohio State University’s College of Public Health, recently told HealthLeaders Media:
This has really been a sustained increase in employment, month-over-month.
I think in part it is the effect of the PPACA (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) that has brought more people in to the [health care] system through expanded insurance coverage.
If you’re looking for a position with job security, health care looks like a promising choice.
Have you seen a number of job openings in the health care industry in your region? Share your comments below.
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