Students seeking work in the healthcare and sales field will have an easier time finding positions as the area starts to rebound from COVID, according to a career outlook report from the Frederick Development Board. Meanwhile, job openings in legal and social sciences are more limited.
Frederick is located less than an hour from Washington D.C. which allows the city to retain economic stability and maintain millennial employees who keep the workforce strong.
Senior Jess Lyons, a nursing major, already has a job lined up after she graduates. “I will be working as a registered nurse in the Emergency Department at Carroll Hospital in my hometown beginning June 27,” she said
Coming from a small community like Hood, Lyons said the small size of the hospital made it a great fit.
Frederick County’s private sector industries generate an overall $11 billion in economic activity for the county. The biggest employers in Frederick are Astra Zeneca, Lonza, Thermo Fisher, United Healthcare, Fannie Mae and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage regional headquarters.
Positions in health and social care, bio-health and business support services are the most high-demand industries in Frederick.
The occupational group with the most projected increase in Frederick County is healthcare and social assistance, with an estimated 14% job growth from 2020 to 2025.
Local institutions where graduates can work are Frederick Health, Frederick Mental Health Association and Frederick Department of Social Services.
Students interested healthcare and social assistance can enter Hood’s 4PLUS dual degree program, where graduates earn a B.A. in psychology with an M.S. in counseling. Other applicable programs at Hood to the healthcare and social assistance field are public health (B.A.), nursing (BSN) and social work (B.A.).
“The interview process can be incredibly scary, but what I believe landed me the job was staying true to my roots and being upfront about who I am as a person and what my goals are for my career and furthering my education,” Lyons said.
The bio-health field is estimated to have an 8% job growth in the next five years and the average annual salary in bio health is $90,972, according to the Frederick Development Board.
The National Cancer Institute, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research and U.S. Army Medical Research are several bio-health businesses that graduates can explore in the area.
Hood’s 4PLUS program also offers several undergraduate and graduate programs for those who desire to work in the bio-health field.
Students in the program can earn a B.A. in biology and an M.A. in biomedical science. Additional bio-health programs offered at Hood are bioinformatics (M.S.), biochemistry (B.A.) and biology (B.A.).
Jobs in the business support services industry are expected to grow more than 8% by 2025. The average annual salary in the business support services field is $40,040, according to the Frederick Development Board.
“After I graduate, I will be working with Insight Global in South Carolina,” Senior Kyle Scott said. Scott majored in business administration with a concentration in marketing and social entrepreneurship.
Students in the 4PLUS program can earn their master’s in business administration. Other business support service majors available are accounting (B.A.), economics (B.A.), finance (B.A.), and integrated marketing communications (B.A.).
“The best advice I have for graduates still looking for jobs is just to keep moving forward,” Scott said. “There were numerous times I felt overwhelmed during the job search, and I was worried I would never find a job that was a good fit…If you keep moving forward, stay confident, and be patient, you will be able to find a job in no time.”
For career advice and job support schedule an appointment with the Career Center here.
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