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Construction
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| Walter Carreno of Waukegan learns how to drill into concrete from John Antich of Aurora at a Lake County Contractors Association Career Expo |
Scott Nimsgren of Zion, a member of Carpenters Local 1307, watches as Monic Lindsey of North Chicago builds a simple tool box |
Jacqueline Valtierra of Waukegan learns bricklaying principles from Don Walker of Round Lake, a member of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers. |
More brains, less brawn for an industry where every day brings something new
By Larry Randa
Times are changing in the construction industry.
The days of the big muscle-bound male construction worker are gone. Today working in the construction industry takes a lot of brains and it takes a pretty good knowledge of both math and the sciences.
“Much of the work doesn’t even involve muscles anymore,” said Micky Day, owner of DK Construction and a member of the Board of Directors of the Lake County, Illinois Contractors Association. “And girls are just as good at these jobs as guys.”
Experts estimate that, over the next five or six years, the number of jobs in the construction industry will grow by nearly 14 percent, while the average union salary will continue to increase from the current figure of $60,950 a year.
“The number of jobs in this industry is going to go sky high because of all the baby boomers that are beginning to retire from their trade jobs,” said Gary Dowty, executive vice president of LCCA. “It will take a huge effort to fill those shoes.”
Is the construction industry for you?
The best way to find out is by looking into technical trades programs at your high school or by contacting a regional trade association like the Waukegan-based LCCA to get more information on the various trades.
The job possibilities are endless, ranging from electricians, plumbers, carpenters, sheet metal workers, roofers, painters, wall paperers and equipment operators to engineers, safety officials and managers.
“You can even start out working in the trades during the summer,” Day said. “A summer laborer makes about $29 an hour and that’s pretty good wages for a summertime job.”
Day also recommends taking an aptitude test, especially if you like to work with your hands or think you might be an “idea person.”
“Sometimes people are really amazed because they think they want to do one thing, but by the time they get done with testing and talking to other people, they find out they like something else instead,” said Day.
As for education, a variety of paths exists for the construction industry ranging from earn-and-learn programs to a four-year college education.
“You don’t have to go to college, but you can,” said Day. “If you earn while you learn, you can go to apprentice school on Saturdays or evenings and the union will help you find a job.”
Dowty pointed out that each trade has its own requirements for education.
“For example, electricians have very high academic standards and they have to be very good at math because so much math is necessary to function,” Dowty said. “For operating engineers, it’s all hand-eye coordination so kids who tend to be good at video games might be very good at being an operating eningeer.
“You should be able to find something that fits your personality,” he added. “We have trades that work outside. We have trades that involve heavy lifting. We have trades with very light physical work. Each one is different in what they require in terms of education.”
“And girls are great at these jobs,” said Day. “Sure there are some jobs a woman might not want, but the opportunities are endless.”
Both Dowty and Day point to the great benefits offered by the construction industry, where “a lot of people” retire at age 50 or 55 with great health and pension plans.
“And the wages are always going to be good, particularly in the unionized sector of the industry,” Dowty said. “Wages go up 3 to 5 percent every year.”
The LCCA can be reached at (847) 623-2345 or at www.lcca-il.org.
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Health Care Technology
Fast Facts
Occupation: Health information technician
Working conditions : Indoors, full or part time, all hours & days
Median hourly wage in state: $8.60 to $12.90
Likely locations: Doctor’s office, hospital, insurance company
Duties: Collect, code, store, retrieve & maintain medical info
Work conditions: Indoors, full or part time, all hours & days
State outlook: 36.4% increase in available positions by 2012
U.S. outlook: 46.9% increase in available positions by 2012
Occupation: Engineering technician
Median monthly wage in state: $3,410 to $3,980
Likely locations: Varies
Duties: Help engineers solve technical problems
Work conditions: Outdoors or indoors, 8-hour shifts
State outlook: 9.7% increase in available positions by 2012
U.S. outlook: 9.2% increase in available positions by 2012
Source: IDES Illinois Career Information System
Medical field places huge demands on computer design, maintenance, input
By Larry Randa
Times are changing.
Not too long ago a high school graduate had to make a choice between pursuing technology-centered education or training in some other field.
Today’s, it’s virtually impossible to enter the work force in any field without some kind of training in technology as well.
“Any employer talking to candidates these days asks them questions about their familiarity with technology,” said Dr. Eugene Hallongren, president of the Chicago campus of DeVry University. “They want to know what kinds of skills you bring to the table other than in your major.”
That means whether you’re a business major or a student learning a trade, you’d better have some schooling in technology or you might find yourself behind the eight ball.
“We believe that any student who doesn’t get some technology exposure in their degree program is really getting short changed,” Dr. Hallongren said. “Somewhere along the line they will either have to pick up the skills on their own or their employer is going to have to train them.”
Dr. Hallongren pointed to the health information technology and the biomedical engineering technology field as two fast-growing career areas that have spawned separate college curriculums at such schools as DeVry University.
“The health industry is booming partly because we have an aging population that needs more health care, but also because of advances in technology” he said. “And there are lots of opportunities for women as well as men. Oftentimes women are less likely to take advantage of what the industry has to offer.”
DeVry University’s health information technology curriculum can be completed in less than two years and results in an associate’s degree. IT is ideal for someone who wants to get into the work force relatively quickly.
“The health industry’s data are now filed technologically. They don’t fill up file folders anymore,” he said. “Now they ask ‘what’s the data base, how are we going to put it in there and how are we going to retrieve it?’ Protection of health information security and confidentiality has now become even more important.”
Hospitals, doctors’ offices and insurance companies are crying for health information technicians who can hit the ground running as soon as they join the staff.
“This transition in records is taking place very rapidly,” Dr. Hallongren said. “But there just aren’t enough people out there who have the skills to do the jobs.”
Early on, biomedical engineering technology students follow the same track as students in DeVry’s more familiar electronics engineering technology degree program, but as the months go on, they begin to focus more on working with all of the technology unique to the medical field with a heavy emphasis on maintenance, repairs and support.
“Many people think hospitals are just doctors and nurses,” Dr. Hallongren said. “A phenomenal number of technicians support everything that’s done in a hospital.”
The four-year degree program leads to a bachelor’s degree.
What advice does Dr. Hallongren have for a high school student thinking about getting into a technology-specific field?
Take lots of math and science.
“Too often they don’t come to us with solid math skills,” he said. “Any student looking at technology or the health care industry needs to have a solid foundation.”
And be sure to look for a college or university that goes beyond textbook training. Make sure you go somewhere that allows you to practice what they preach.
“Our program has always been hands-on, applications oriented,” he said. “For us it’s ‘here’s the theory and here’s how you apply it.’”
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Nursing
Fast Facts
Occupation: Registered nurse
Median hourly wage in state: $16.05-$23.30 depending on location
Likely locations: Hospital, doctor’s office, nursing home, school
Duties: Observe patients and carry out medical treatments
Work conditions: Indoors, full or part time, all hours and days
State outlook: 19.2% increase in available positions by 2012
U.S. outlook: 27.3% increase in available positions by 2012
Source: IDES Illinois Career Information System
Demand outpaces the supply
By Emily Foley
Many students answer the question “what do you want to do with your life?” with “I want to make a difference.”
Possible career options might include the Peace Corps, becoming a teacher or working as a government lobbyist in Washington D.C. influencing policy decisions on Capitol Hill.
Or nursing perhaps?
Coupled with an interest in science and an acceptance of all kinds of people, nursing is a career that touches peoples’ lives and the demand for future nurses in phenomenal.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than one million new and replacement nurses will be needed by 2012. That leaves a lot of opportunity to put compassion to work in a fast-paced, well-paying and socially responsible career.
Contrary to what you may have heard, nursing is not for people who couldn’t cut it in medical school.
“The nurse is with the patient all day. You learn to be intuitive and observant,” said Terri Burch, dean of the St. Anthony College of Nursing in Rockford. “The best way to learn if you’re interested in nursing is to spend time around nurses.”
Burch cautions that finding an internship, in the common sense of the word can be difficult but encourages students to go through “back channels” to find a professional willing to spend time with them and teach them the ropes.
“Get to know people who are nurses, or a doctor who knows a nurse and start asking questions,” said Burch. “Volunteering in a hospital is one way to get your foot in the door.”
When looking at continuing education, a four-year degree, such as a bachelor’s degree in nursing, is preferred. Upon graduation, it’s worth noting that nursing jobs are not limited to hospitals and doctor’s offices. There are also opportunities in the Armed Forces, practicing geriatrics (caring for the elderly), becoming a midwife (a nurse that aides in childbirth) and emergency medicine.
On top of the wide array of professional paths, the average starting salary for a nurse is approximately $38,000 a year…and growing!
All of this adds up to a career that will have you landing steady on your feet upon graduation, and feeling good about being an advocate and making a difference to those in need.
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Medical Assistant
Fast Facts
Occupation: Medical Assistant
Median hourly wage in state: $9.55-$13.30 depending on location
Likely locations: Hospital, doctor’s office, outpatient center, clinic
Duties: Take medical history, take and record vital signs, explain doctor’s treatments, assist the doctor, lab, clerical
Work conditions: Indoors, full or part time, all hours and days
State outlook: 44.6% increase in available positions by 2012
U.S. outlook: 58.6% increase in available positions by 2012
Source: IDES Illinois Career Information System
Those who help physicians
are ‘backbone’ of health care
By Larry Randa
It’s an understatement to say health care may well be the hottest job field these days. A quick look at the Help Wanted pages in any local newspaper reveals as many as a quarter of all job openings involve medicine in some way.
But doctors and nurses can’t do their jobs effectively without their support staff…people who often are referred to as the “backbone” of the health care industry.
They handle the volumes of clerical work necessary to keep a hospital, doctor’s office, outpatient center or clinic afloat. They do the insurance billing, the medical coding and the record keeping. They serve as receptionists and they answer the telephone.
And, with a little more training, they handle clinical duties such as taking blood pressure, drawing blood and much more.
“This is one of the fastest growing fields in the health care industry today,” said Dr. William Bell, education director for Coyne American Institute in Chicago.
“Nurses used to have to do all of the blood work, take blood pressure, fill out insurance forms and then turn it over to office people.” added Peter Pauletti, Coyne’s director of admissions. “Medical assistants take the burden off the doctors and nurses which allows them to spend more time on some of the more important medical issues they face.”
Schools like Coyne have responded to the national outcry for more medical assistants by using their renowned training expertise in other areas to start new programs that are putting highly trained health care personnel in the field in a relatively short period of time.
“The goal should always be to help an individual who has no prior experience go into virtually any department in a hospital or into a doctor’s office and work on the administrative and clinical side of things,” Pauletti said.
Pauletti and Dr. Bell have several excellent suggestions for high school students thinking about getting into the health care support area:
- Find a good career school that will give you top notch training over a relatively short period of time so you can get into the work force quickly.
- Make sure the school is accredited.
- Find a program that offers practical experience.
- Find a program that includes the use of Microsoft Office as well as how to use faxes and copy machines and telephone etiquette in its curriculum.
- Make sure the program qualifies you for subsequent certification.
- Look for small classes (25 or less) and personal instruction.
- Make sure the school has a long and successful track record in training students.
- Make sure the school has a career development office for job placement after you get your diploma.
“People are growing older and living longer. That’s one of the reasons why the health care industry is growing,” said Coyne American President Russell T. Freeman. “The jobs are out there. The forecast for the future is very positive. If you’re looking for a career in a high growth area, this is it.”
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