Unhappy with your job? Having a difficult time finding a new one? Maybe it’s time to enroll in an education program. Which one should you take? It certainly makes sense to take an education program that you will enjoy and will prepare you for a career that’s forecasted to be in high demand.

Employment forecasts are not always accurate but they’re useful when trying to decide which career to pursue. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is regarded as one of the best employment forecasting sources. Let’s take a look at the occupations which, according to the BLS, have the fastest projected employment growth from 2008 to 2018 and that require only an undergraduate degree. Shown below is the projected employment growth percentage and the required degree:

• Biomedical engineer: 72% (Bachelors’s degree)
• Network systems and data communications analyst: 53% (Bachelor’s degree)
• Financial examiner: 41% (Bachelor’s degree)
• Athletic trainer: 37% (Bachelor’s degree)
• Dental Hygienist: 36% (Associate degree)
• Veterinary technologist and technician: 36% (Associate degree)
• Computer software engineer, applications: 34% (Bachelor’s degree)
• Physical therapist assistant: 33% (Associate degree)

Occupations that the BLS forecasts to have the highest growth in terms of number of jobs from 2008 to 2018 and that require only an undergraduate degree or some post-secondary training are shown below. The numbers are in thousands of jobs:

• Registered Nurses: 581.5 (Associate or bachelor’s degree)
• Accountants and auditors: 279.4 (Bachelor’s degree)
• Nursing aides, orderlies and attendants: 276.0 (Postsecondary vocational award)
• Elementary school teachers: 244.2 (Bachelor’s degree)
• Management analyst: 178.3 (Bachelor’s degree or higher plus work experience)
• Computer software engineers, applications: 175.1 (Bachelor’s degree)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Here are some important tips for people who have decided to go back to school:

• Internship: Internships allow you to get a realistic, clear picture about the daily tasks and job satisfaction of a particular occupation. They provide networking opportunities that may very well lead to a job. Also, businesses often hire interns that perform well. Programs that provide an internship are worthy of your consideration.
• Outsourcing: The potential for outsourcing your selected occupation to foreign countries is something you need to consider. Job outsourcing information and forecasts can be obtained from the Internet, magazine articles, career counselors, college counselors, professors, employment agencies, and relevant professional associations.
• Employer preferences: Ask prospective employers for their preferences in terms of the educational background of employees. Also, for some occupations, the preferred education program is not obvious. There may be several types of education programs that qualify you for the job you’re seeking, but there may be one particular type of program that the majority of employers prefer. If you’re not sure which program to take, ask employers for their preference. You can ask over the phone or by email.
• Job placement rate: Ask a school representative what percentage of graduates from your specific program get a job in their field of study. Compare the rates of your prospective schools. If none of the rates are high, then you may want to consider a different career.
• Program ranking: Nationally ranked programs typically impress employers. Education program rankings are available on the Internet and in magazines. U.S. News & World Report ranks college and university education programs on a yearly basis. Also, consider attending a school which has strong name recognition as this is an influencing factor with a lot of employers.

Brian Jenkins writes about a number of career and education topics for BrainTrack.com. He has contributed content to the degree programs and certificationspage of the website.