Job U

Book excerpt: Get ready to relearn everything you thought you knew about what a successful career path can look like. Today, unemployment hovers at a near-record high, yet 3.5 million American jobs remain unfilled. Why? Because companies simply cannot find people with the skills they actually need. The good news is that this skills gap represents unprecedented opportunities for every person seeking a successful and exciting career. But these opportunities can’t be found inside the walls of the traditional classroom. Instead, they lie in the myriad of educational options that provide the technical, vocational, and soft skills on demand in today’s workplace, such as: -Professional certifications: Start your career faster in fields like bioscience aviation, culinary arts, and medical technology. -Associates degrees: Increase earning potential through inexpensive 2-year programs in subjects like civil engineering, environmental science, education, and nursing. -Apprenticeships: Earn while you learn under the direct supervision of a skilled expert. Far beyond the artisan trades, today’s apprenticeships can be found at companies like Volkswagen and Siemens. -Occupational learning: Refresh or reboot your skill sets through on-the-job training or online education. In Job U, you’ll learn about these paths to rewarding occupations; where to find them and how to parlay them into the best paying job in any field. And along the way, you’ll meet individuals of all ages who have attained their “dream jobs” through a non-traditional education: from an emergency air paramedic, to a lead mechanic of a racecar team, to an engineer of complex gas turbine generators, to a bestselling cookbook author. Whether you are recent high school or college graduate, or well along in your career journey, Job U will help you find your way to a more secure and prosperous future.