UC San Diego Extension said Monday job prospects for college graduates are “considerably brighter” than in recent years, and identified ten mostly tech-oriented careers that are likely to expand in the foreseeable future.
The continuing education division of the University of California, San Diego, released it’s sixth annual “Hot Careers for College Grads and Returning Students” report identifying the job opportunities most likely to expand in the foreseeable future.
“As the economy continues to rebound in the aftermath of the Great Recession, job prospects for the most recent class of college graduates appear to be considerably brighter than in recent years,” UCSD said. “Technology continues to drive job creation, with many of the growing careers tied to technological changes ranging from cloud computing to the need for easily accessible data in such emerging fields as healthcare and biotech.”
The report listed the top careers for 2014 as:
- Computer systems analysts
- Market research analysts and marketing specialists
- Accountants and auditors
- Management analysts
- Elementary school teachers (excluding special education)
- Cost estimators
- Financial analysts
- Database administrators
- Computer programmers
- Meeting, convention, and event planners
Nine of the top 10 careers are technology- and business-oriented, with elementary school teachers the lone exception.
Overall, tech-oriented sectors continue to seek a high level of analytical and marketing skills as the prime hiring criteria, so “education remains a transformative element in hiring decisions,” UCSD said.
“The financial sector continues to need college graduates with analytical and marketing skills who help make companies more competitive,” noted Mary L. Walshok, associate vice chancellor of public programs and dean of UCSD Extension, “Additionally, education remains a transforming force in an economy that values not only a skilled workforce, but a flexible one.”
UC San Diego Extension serves about 33,000 students annually in nearly 4,300 courses.
