Job Searching

Many people dream of working from home today, enjoying flexible hours without long, stressful commutes to and from the office. The good news is that the world of telecommuting has evolved considerably from its early years of stuffing envelopes and making sales calls. Today’s professional has a wealth of options in work-from-home positions, and many can be obtained with a two-year degree from the local community college. Check out these top 10 careers you can enjoy from the comfort of home with a community college degree under your belt.

Medical Transcriptionist

Transcriptionists take dictated notes from doctors and transcribe them into patient files. While there is a high demand for this type of work, employers are usually looking for applicants with some training – like a community college degree – that allows them to jump into the position. According to Bankrate.com, a medical transcriptionist can earn anywhere from $10 to $20 or more an hour.

Web Designer

An associate degree in web design can launch an exciting technology career that can be done from home in many cases. This field is a wide open one that typically offers more work-from-home job openings than any other industry, according to Yahoo Finance. Those interested in the field can find potential jobs at any number of websites that advertise telecommuting positions. Salaries for web designers can vary considerably, based on location and level of experience.

Registered Nurse

Health care is a popular field for community college

Despite laments nationwide over the sluggish economy and high unemployment rates, some fields are booming for community college graduates today. With decent starting salaries and higher-than-average growth predictions, many of these fields are the perfect professions for higher education students to focus their studies. Many of the fastest-growing jobs on the latest list can be entered with an associate degree, giving graduates the best possible value for their education dollars.

Home Health Aides

Home health aides come into homes to help those who are disabled, ill, or elderly. These professionals provide various services, from personal hygiene to light housekeeping. In some states, aides can administer medication or take vital signs. The home health aide role is imperative to those who want to be at home but cannot care for themselves ultimately. Although most visit patient homes, some work in group homes or care centers.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary for a home health aide was $20,560 in 2010. The job opportunities are expected to grow by 69.4 percent between 2010 and 2020, well ahead of the national average for job growth. This profession typically does not require postsecondary education, although a two-year degree at a community college may increase employment prospects.

Veterinarian Technicians

Those with a passion for four-legged patients may find their niche as veterinary technicians or technologists. These professionals work alongside veterinarians, performing diagnostic testing and assisting with the treatment of animals of all kinds.

The recession and subsequent high unemployment rate have led many adults in a search for additional education that would lead to a recession-proof career. Fortunately, community colleges are set to deliver such degree programs, in everything from health care to computers. Consider these seven recession-proof careers you can get into with just a two-year degree under your belt.

Health Care Administration

Healthcare is a booming industry regardless of what the economy is doing since people still get sick and need physicians and other medical staff. For those who like the stability of health care but don’t necessarily want to work directly with patients, healthcare administration might be just the ticket. This position entails handling the administrative duties in a physician’s office, clinic or hospital, such as maintaining patient files, setting appointments and handling insurance issues. Some administrators oversee an entire small office, while others might be responsible for a single department in a larger facility.

According to Yahoo News, the unemployment rate for experienced healthcare administrators between 2009 and 2010 was just 2.9 percent – far below the national unemployment rate of 8.2 percent during the same time frame.

Nursing

For those who prefer to work with patients, the field of nursing is always looking for graduates to man positions. Nurses work in hospitals or clinics, or they may provide care in patients’ homes. This profession can be entered with a two-year degree, although many employers require additional education to advance in

The traditional school of thought has typically been the higher your degree, the more money you can expect to make. While that theory is still true to an extent, community college graduates who choose the right field of study can expect to make nearly as much as their co-workers with a four-year degree. Check out these seven lucrative positions you can land with just a two-year degree program under your belt.

Registered Nurse

Nursing is a career that is simply always in demand, so jobs will be available regardless of what the economy might decide to do. Many nurses today get their foot in the career door with an associate degree, and then work their way up the hierarchy through practical job experience or additional education. Those who complete their degree program will also need to take state examinations for licensure in order to work in their state of residence.

According to College Surfing, job growth for the nursing profession is expected to grow by 22 percent between 2008 and 2018. The average salary for registered nurses in 2009 was $63,750. In addition, nurses often enjoy added perks like robust benefit packages, flexible schedules and tuition assistance if they decide to pursue additional education for their career path.

Dental Hygienist

There are few jobs as wonderfully flexible as that of a dental hygienist. Work anywhere in the country – small towns and big cities – full time or part time, and make a good salary

During the recent economic slowdown, community colleges saw an exponential rise in enrollment as displaced workers sought out retraining to become employable once again. Unfortunately, many of those community college grads have no more luck finding a job than they had prior to their college experience. To compound the problem, many graduated with a significant amount of debt from tuition and other college-related expenses. President Obama is hoping to reverse that trend, with the launch of Skills for America's Future, a program designed to match potential workers and training with the industries that need them most.

What Is Skills for America's Future?

According to the Aspen Institute website, Skills for America's Future will serve as an umbrella under which businesses, labor unions and community colleges can work together to put workers back to work in this country. This organization will coordinate efforts between these entities to ensure workers are getting the necessary training to fill the employment positions that desperately need workers today.

The initiative was announced by the White House last month and will be housed within the Aspen Institute, a nonprofit research organization that fosters value-based leadership and provides a venue for discussing and acting on critical issues.

Skills for America's Future will primarily focus on identifying the most successful retraining partnerships around the country to use as a model for other colleges. Austan Goolsbee, chairman of the President's Council of Economic Advisors, told the New York