A Good Job
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report on unemployment is enlightening. A table lists different categories of the unemployed. The "official" rate is a percent total of the civilian labor force. That's 8.5% as of March. But the total including "marginally attached workers" is 15.6%.
That's quite a spread. BLS defines "marginally attached" as those workers who aren't looking for work but who want a job. Whatever the number really is, it doesn't appear to be going down.
These days, it's good to have a job.
It's even better to have a good job. A former teacher turned lab scientist in Minnesota agrees as reported by a local network affiliate. The ex-teacher feels the switch is a solid career move in a slippery economy. The article states what we in the field already know: "Nationwide there's a big shortage of clinical lab technicians and scientists."
As the demand for qualified laboratory workers grows (the above projects 2,000 openings in Minnesota alone by 2016), it's worth thinking about what forces will fill vacant positions.
Some of the openings will be filled immediately if there is enough demand and if there are enough techs. But very soon techs will be able to point at a map of the country and decide not only where they want to work but what they want to make. Hospitals will have to make decisions to offer more money or cut services. That could ripple unpleasantly throughout healthcare.
I like this story of the Minnesota teacher. She sees the lab field as stable in a time of crisis. Diagnostic testing is crucial, and not just anyone can do the job. Whatever the overall unemployment number is, lab techs can always have a job. And if you love the field and find it rewarding, it's a good job.