"Your whole life, you've heard people tell you that education is the key to a good career. But the best-kept secret about careers is that most job skills are learned on the job," say Michael Farr and Laurence Shatkin, Ph.D., co-authors of 250 Best Jobs through Apprenticeships (JIST © 2005).
One career avenue, in particular, prepares people for the careers that lie ahead of them through a combination of worksite and classroom learning. That avenue is an apprenticeship, and it provides people the exact training they'll need to advance their careers.
"An apprenticeship is sometimes referred to as the 'other four-year degree' because it often takes four years to complete and results in a nationally recognized credential that can open the door to income and job security that may be as good as or better than what college graduates enjoy," say Farr and Shatkin.
More than 800 apprenticeships, which link to more than 300 occupations, are registered with the U.S. Department of Labor. Among these are jobs with many openings, promising growth, and annual earnings that surpass the average salary of the nation's employees. In their book, Farr and Shatkin identify the following 10 occupations as the highest-paying jobs through apprenticeships:
Municipal Fire Fighting and Prevention Specialists
Annual Earnings: $57,000
Percent Growth: 18.7%
Annual Openings: 8,000
Elevator Installers and Repairers
Annual Earnings: $55,960
Percent Growth: 17.1%
Annual Openings: 3,000
Power Distributors and Dispatchers
Annual Earnings: $55,010
Percent Growth: -3%
Annual Openings: 1,000
Computer Specialists, All Other
Annual Earnings: $54,070
Percent Growth: 36.5%
Annual Openings: 27,000
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay
Annual Earnings: $52,040
Percent Growth: -0.6%
Annual Openings: 2,000
Power Generating Plant Operators, Except Auxiliary Equipment Operators
Annual Earnings: $50,860
Percent Growth: .3%
Annual Openings: 3,000
Gaugers
Annual Earnings: $49,970
Percent Growth: -11%
Annual Openings: 3,000
Petroleum Refinery and Control Panel Operators
Annual Earnings: $49,970
Percent Growth: -11%
Annual Openings: 3,000
Commercial Pilots
Annual Earnings: $49,830
Percent Growth: 14.9%
Annual Openings: 2,000
Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other
Annual Earnings: $49,710
Percent Growth: 18.9%
Annual Openings: 1,000
*Information featured in 250 Best Jobs through Apprenticeships, based on data from the U.S. Department of Labor.
**Percent growth through 2012.
About the Author
Selena Dehne is a career writer for JIST Publishing who shares the latest occupational, career, and job search information available with job seekers and career changers. Her articles help people find meaningful work, develop their career and life plans, and carry out effective job search campaigns.
