By Katrina Boydon

If you are one of the millions of Americans that started work straight from high school, then the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics shows that on average you earn 43% less than colleagues who hold a bachelor’s degree.

Regardless of earnings, you are also more likely to be unemployed if you do not have a higher degree. Unemployment among college graduates is half the 6% national average. Enrolling for a degree seems the obvious solution to boost your career. A campus or online program in business or IT could bring you up to date; or perhaps a healthcare program of some kind could pave the way to a new career. If you’d like something completely different, a degree in the culinary arts[anchor to Culinary paragraph below], fashion design[anchor to Fashion Design paragraph below], or interior design[anchor to Interior Design paragraph below] might lead to the career of your dreams.

Of course, going to college isn’t only about choosing the right program to secure or switch careers. Finding the right vocational school location is also important, as it will shape your personal environment for up to four years. Whether you are looking for culture, the right social scene, outdoor activities or simply a complete change of scenery, you need to be happy with your living conditions. If your heart is where your current home is, then you could even stay there and enroll for an online degree [anchor to Online Learning paragraph below].

Business and IT Vocations

Graduates with industry-current technical knowledge have a competitive advantage in a world where technology pervades almost every aspect of our personal and working lives. So, too, do business graduates. IT and telecommunications are in particularly high demand, and employers need people who can apply technology in a business context.

Healthcare Vocations

An aging population in the U.S. means that by 2010 healthcare services will jump by 30% and account for 3.1 million new jobs. In Cleveland, OH, you can pursue a program in Medical Assisting, Diagnostic Medical Sonography or Cardiovascular Technology in a city that is situated on the edge of Lake Erie and is home to 28 Fortune 500 companies. In Phoenix, you could pursue a biomedical technology program while enjoying the warm, dry climate of one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. If you don’t see the location of your dreams above, Healthcare Programs[http://www.healthcare-programs.com/] has a comprehensive list of healthcare vocational schools near you.

Fashion Design Vocational Degrees

The fashion design industry is proving remarkably resilient in the economic recession, and there are several excellent programs available in some popular cities.

Interior Design Vocational Degrees

Rising demand for professional design of private homes, offices, restaurants and institutions that care for the rapidly growing elderly population should spur employment growth for interior designers. According to economists at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for designers will exhibit faster than average growth through 2010. There are great places to study in the Unites States.

Culinary Arts Vocational Degrees

The restaurant industry is currently the biggest employer in the U.S. besides the government, with 11.7 million employees – 9% of all people employed in the U.S. A culinary arts degree program can set you up for a rewarding career with a bright future. Well-respected culinary programs are found on every coast.

Online Learning for a Vocation

Like many professional adults, you might not have the ability to relocate so you can go back to school and don’t have time for a traditional education. An online program[http://www.advanced-career-education-directory.com] provides the flexibility and ease of access you require, without any compromise in quality or choice of subjects.

Enhancing Your Vocation

Whether you choose an online degree or a campus degree [http://www.hqeducation.com] in one of the great career areas or locations featured here, you can be sure that you have taken a step in the right direction for securing enhanced earning power, increased promotion prospects and greater career choice for the future.

About the author

Katrina Boydon has been a writer in the scientific and business communities for nearly twenty years. Katrina has worked as a research virologist at the Royal London Hospital Medical College, assistant editor-in-chief for a journal published by Blackwell Scientific Publications, as managing director of a postal and courier company, and set up her own business distributing newspapers and magazines in Russia. She has a bachelor’s degree in microbiology and studied part-time at the London Business School. She has lived in Wales, UK; Wolverhampton, UK; London, UK; Munich, Germany; Moscow, Russia; and currently resides in the French Alps. She travels frequently to California.