Healthcare jobs are the most in-demand this year

Dive Brief:

The most in-demand jobs for 2019 are in the healthcare profession, according to a new report from CareerCast. At the top of the list are home health aides, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting a 47% increase in home health jobs by 2024.
The industry will seek to bring in more than 2 million new hires during the next six years, it said, citing Mercer data. And that growth is expected to outpace the availability of talent; in nursing alone, demand already is far outpacing supply. Educational initiatives to attract and prepare more nursing school students may be necessary, the report said.
And while nurses command a median salary of $70,000, some of the most desperately needed positions, home health aides and professional care aides, rank among the lowest paid jobs in the industry. BLS reports median wages in these fields in the low $20,000s. But industry-wide, reports confirm that wages are beginning to rise.

Dive Insight:

Like many other fields, demand for nurses and other healthcare professionals has been rapidly outpacing supply.

For some institutions, upskilling talent has been the answer. With new gamified learning protocols, one industry association is working hard to keep nurses' skill sets current, as well as interest them in advancing in their careers. The result is a unified system now recognized throughout the industry.

But like so many other industries, healthcare has turned to some creative solutions. For some, contract and temporary workers are available to fill the void when head count can’t be achieved. Others are using cross cross training as a tool to retain and develop workers, while also meeting demand. Generally, the shortage has forced some industries to increase pay, as money remains the top factor for applicants when considering new opportunities.

But healthcare also faces unique challenges when talent gaps exacerbate existing problems. Many are concerned about systemic systemic issues in the industry, fearing their effects on patient outcomes, employees and businesses.