Education and Health Sector Job Outlook Is Bright

from the Office of the Dean

The education and health services sectors are expected to generate significant new jobs between now and 2018, according to the most recent Occupational Outlook Handbook issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), good news for Hofstra School of Education, Health and Human Services (SOEHHS) undergraduates seeking direct access to long-term career tracks.

Employment in public and private educational services is anticipated to grow by 12% through 2018, according to the BLS, which attributes the increase to rising student enrollments at all levels of education. In fact, elementary and post-secondary teachers are listed among the top 30 jobs that will experience the largest numerical increase in the 2008-18 period.

Real-world classroom experience

With its varied education degree programs and an emphasis on real-world classroom experience, SOEHHS grads will be ready for tomorrow’s jobs. “Education training programs across the country are changing,” explains Dean David F. Foulk, Ed.D.

“We are going to see significant changes in teacher preparation and certification in response to federal efforts to improve student outcomes. At Hofstra, we have been at or ahead of the curve on this by having students spend more time in the schools and by creating deeper and longer student teaching experiences.” Dean Foulk also notes that Hofstra has long-standing relationships with some of the best-performing schools on Long Island and New York City, ensuring excellent student teaching opportunities.

Improving population health

The aging population, longer life expectancies, and national efforts to improve overall population health, will generate new jobs in health and personal services through 2018. For example, the BLS forecasts a 20% increase in personal care and service occupations, which include jobs such as exercise specialists.

“Today, obesity is occupying the health conversation the way smoking did 20 years ago,” says Dean Foulk. “Exercise and health professionals who work both on an individual and a community level will be increasingly important as a result. Our community health program, for example, will train professionals to zero in on exactly what health improvement initiatives will work best within a community.”

Health-related SOEHHS programs also benefit from strong internship programs at the region’s hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, physical therapy clinics, wellness centers, collegiate athletic teams, and county health departments, to name a few.

Regardless of a student’s ultimate career path, a post-secondary degree is invaluable. The BLS reports that half of all new jobs and one-third of total job openings for the 2008-18 period will require such a degree. The Hofstra School of Education, Health and Human Services’ undergraduate programs provide preparation for life and for 21st century careers.