More than 700,000 people have been laid off since America slipped into a recession in late 2008, according to The Associated Press.

But jobs in industries such as technology, law enforcement, health care, maintenance and education often bypass layoffs and cuts, said Laurence Shatkin, a career information expert and author of “150 Best Recession-Proof Jobs.”

Career experts say hands-on jobs and jobs in mandatory fields will likely ride out the recession.

“The common thread that these industries have … is that they serve some vital human function that we depend on every day and can’t easily be replaced,” he said.

Of some of the more recession-proof jobs, he said teachers and police officers are necessary for the country, while doctors, plumbers and computer technicians are necessary for people’s daily lives.

Technology

From software developers to computer engineers, demand for workers trained in computer technology is increasing rapidly.

With the country’s drive to advance further in the computer industry, a strong, well-educated workforce is needed nationwide. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated jobs in computer science to grow 37 percent from 2006 to 2016.

This decade of rapid expansion in the field is also tagged along with jobs paying anywhere from $50,000 to $116,000 a year.

Some entry-level jobs only require a two-year associate’s degree, while the higher-paying professions necessitate training from a four-year institution.

John Barr, associate professor and chair of the Department of Computer Science at the college, said even in the nation’s economic recession, he is still receiving requests from employers like Lockheed Martin, an advanced global security company, looking for computer science majors to work at their firms.

“They’ve got a lot of positions opening up for them and they have to fill them,” he said. “Lockheed came to us once needing 100 computer scientists. Companies always come to us saying their need is so big.”

Even on a local level, workers trained in the inner and outer workings of computer systems are heavily relied on. Thomas Hardy, president of Data Momentum Incorporated, located in Ithaca, said even as a relatively small firm, his company is still a go-to place for people with basic or advanced technological needs.

“When an economic downturn occurs, other business opportunities come up, and you need computer software to run those things,” he said.

Shatkin said the structure put in place by the “tech-bubble” is now being fulfilled, despite the economy.

“Computers have become part of our daily life and computer applications are being used in more and more ways … where they didn’t have a place before,” he said. “A lot of people think that now since the bubble burst, this is not being used. But nowadays, the promise that was created by that is being fulfilled now.”

— Aaron Edwards

 

Law enforcement

 

Even in a recession, jobs in law enforcement and criminal justice remain secure because cities and towns continue to need police

to patrol.

In recent years, pay, workforce growth and the number of openings in the criminal justice field have increased, according to Shatkin. It was reported in Shatkin’s book that there are more than 35,000 jobs available for police and sheriff patrol officers, paying close to $50,000 a year. For detectives and criminal investigators, there are close to 15,000 job opportunities, paying about $60,00 a year.

John Fracchia, associate director of Career Services at the college, said jobs in the criminal justice field will likely be more recession-proof than other jobs.

Scott Ochs, chair of Tompkins Cortland Community College’s criminal justice program, said he has been hearing good news on employment opportunities in the field.

“There are direct correlations between crime and criminal behavior and economic factors. As unemployment goes up, crime often goes up, and it’s a safe career to be in,” he said.

He said many federal agencies, such as the Secret Service and the FBI, have been recruiting recently. He said the only problem is that many local agencies are publicly funded, meaning that they may run into troubles with their budgets.

“It’s not that the needs are not there,” he said. “Sometimes there can be a local budget freeze which may impact hiring, but I’ve been hearing good news.”

Ochs said every agency he has talked to has a need for criminal justice positions, whether it’s law enforcement, courts or corrections. He said TC3 has projected an increase in enrollment for its program.  

Kathy Zoner, deputy chief of Cornell University’s police department, said there are many public service areas that will remain less affected because the reduction in their staffing would hurt the general population.

“Ultimately, with more people unemployed, more people in distress, there does remain a greater need for public safety presence,” she said.

— Becca Burns

Health care

 

Health care industry jobs have been labeled as some of the top jobs of 2009 — the need for medical attention is even usurping the recession.

Karen Edwards, assistant professor and associate chair of the Department of Health Promotion and Physical Education at the college, said the medical field goes through booms and busts and is at a low today.

“The industry goes through times of expansion and contraction depending on the number of people who need care, the types of care the nation focuses on —  prevention versus treatment, for example — and the financial constraints of the times,” she said.

Sadie Hayes, coordinator of Ithaca Free Clinic, said the medical field could be impervious to the recession because there is no lack of people seeking medical attention.

“Health care in general during times of economic crisis may be a safe profession because people’s health problems don’t go away during times like this — a lot of times they exacerbate,” she said.

The clinic is run through grants and donations, placing it in a peculiar situation during the recession — as people’s incomes change, so does the amount of money the clinic gets, Hayes said.

The trends of patients have changed in correlation with the economy. According to Hayes, the number of returning patients continues to rise while the number of new patients declined this past fall. She said in a good month the number of new patients will rise 9 percent but only 2 to 3 percent during a bad month.

Shatkin said unlike other fields, health professions are not easily outsourced to other countries or areas.

“Health care industries are generally [not outsourced] because they have to put their hands in a body,” he said. “It’s a necessity and the practitioner has to be there so it’s hard to outsource it anywhere.”

Hayes said students who are looking for a job in the medical field should consider locations where the patient pool is large, such as a community with a high senior citizen population.

Though general practice jobs tend to pay less than a specialized field like surgery, Hayes advises students not to overlook these fields where the need is greater.

— Sam Lowe

 

Maintenance

 

For those in the fields of maintenance and utilities, job outlook is remaining steady despite economic downturn.

According to Shatkin, jobs in electricity, plumbing, Internet repair, maintenance and installation are safer than other jobs because they are hands-on and cannot easily be outsourced.

Shatkin said generally, any job that is hands-on is more safe than others.

“The power has to be there when you turn it on,” he said. “The Internet has become a utility for those that are maintaining those networks.”

Mike Prouty, owner of Drain Brain, a plumbing company that serves Ithaca, said his business has not suffered from the economy, mainly because plumbing is a necessity.

“If your toilet doesn’t work, [you are] going to call me,” he said. “You can do without a lot of other things, but you won’t do without your toilet.”

Gus Eframson, owner of Bear Electric in Ithaca, said in his 42 years of ownership, business has ebbed and flowed as well as any other business has.

He said Bear Electric employs two electricians when in past months he has employed between five and 16. He said this change is not because of the stock market but because of the types of contracts he has signed.

Eframson said, however, the electrical business is safe from economic fluctuation because people will always need repairs or installation.

“If somebody needs something fixed and/or if somebody needs to build a building, they’ve got to have the electrical work,” he said.

— Elizabeth Sile

 

Education

 

Education is rated as one of the top professions for securing a job. According to the U.S. Department of Education, there are nearly 50 million students enrolled at 98,905 elementary and secondary schools nationwide. In New York state, nearly 3 million students attend 4,672 schools. With such high numbers of schools and students, teaching positions continue to become available.

Patricia Tempesta, assistant professor and interim chair of the Department of Education at the college, said she attributes the consistency of education careers to the natural increase in population.

“There are children that need to be educated,” Tempesta said. “We continue to have children so there are always going to be teachers.”

Shatkin said while educators have still suffered layoffs and cuts this year, employment is more stable. He said more jobs will become available in upcoming years.

“The people who were brought in to teach the baby boomer students … are now reaching the ends of their careers,” he said. “So it has a good outlook for that reason. You’re going to fill in the place for that group.”

Tempesta said the number of college students pursuing education degrees has remained steady. Approximately 600 undergraduate and 100 graduate students are pursuing majors in education at the college.

Though rates for the different schools at the college vary slightly, the number of students who are employed by secondary or elementary schools post-graduation is highly favorable, Tempesta said.

“In [the School of] Humanities and Sciences, for students who graduate and looked for teaching jobs, they have all been employed,” she said.

Joseph Wilson, principal of Ithaca High School, said he recognizes the necessity for cost reduction in schools despite the apparent availability of teaching jobs. He said when looking at its budget, the school often has to make cuts that could include jobs.

Tempesta said education is not recession-proof and cited California’s recent cuts and loss of teachers.

“In this economy there is no sector that’s totally [free] from downsizing and education isn’t an exception to that,” Tempesta said.

In addition to secondary education, higher education is also remaining fairly steady because people will continue to enroll, Shatkin said.

“With all the technology people have to use, people need advanced knowledge that they’re not going to learn in a high school,” he said.

Tempesta said the rise and fall of the national population as well as shortages in subject areas such as science, special education and foreign languages, affect needs for teachers.

“Education is essential to the success of any society or any country,” Tempesta said. “Keeping the educational system as strong as possible is one of the best ways to do that, particularly in this lagging economy.”

— Elizabeth Gormisky