healthcare

A lot of people are finding that their working lives have seen them transition to working from the home, fulfilling much of the same role but remotely. Others, however, may have lost their job due to the amount of businesses closing up shop, and others still might simply be looking to work in a field that is essential at this time of crisis. As such, here are some industries and roles that are looking for people to bolster their ranks.

Emergency services

Emergency service providers work in both paid and volunteer capacities, working with fire stations, police departments, and local town infrastructures, providing emergency services such as emergency medical care and rescue of those in hazardous conditions. Though there are fewer people out and about, there are more people who will need emergency services due to the complications caused by lockdowns throughout the local area. This can include those who need emergency care in the case of contracting coronavirus, but can also count for those who may be in peril while living in isolation.

Healthcare

Though a pivot to a healthcare career may take a longer time than most careers, it is one that is quickly welcoming nurses, admin staff, and many others to its ranks. For those who have since left the career or specialized, there are plenty of surgery jobs currently available, too. Many health care businesses are feeling an additional strain right now and need workers who aren’t even dealing directly with patients affected by the coronavirus.

Food and agriculture

Those who work in every step of the food production process, from growing and farming, to those who clean and process the foods in a processing plant, are essential at the moment. The COVID-19 crisis is proving a challenge to the distribution efforts of the global just-in-time supply chain. As such, a lot of grocers and markets are relying much more on local providers. This means that there are more opportunities for agriculture work than usual. In many cases, supermarkets, corner stores, and farm banks are also hiring more workers than ever.

Transportation

Although people are less likely to buy as many products as they did before, there has always been a large demand for more workers in the transportation and logistics sector, with the average age of delivery drivers consistently on the increase due to a relative lack of new workers. There have been fears of drivers in the transportation industry being phased out due to an eventual rise of self-driving technology. However, for the moment, such drivers are high in demand, as are those who will work in packing plants, fulfillment companies, and so on. With more and more people shopping remotely, there are more goods on our roads than usual.

Of course, the one thing to bear in mind about essential roles is that it involves dealing with a certain degree more risk of coming in contact with those who have at some point contracted the coronavirus. However, to those who feel a sense of duty in this crisis, that may not be enough to scare you off.

Traditionally, healthcare was a significant employer of women. Even today, more than 75 percent of the workforce in most hospital settings is female, dramatically outstripping the participation of men. The majority of female workers in the industry are either nurses or janitorial, but the number of physicians is growing strongly.

But there’s a problem: the number of women in the highest echelons of the medical profession is low. CEO and senior management positions are held overwhelmingly by men.

So what’s going on here?

Well, first, it’s worth pointing out that women appear to be attracted to the medical profession because it is a “caring industry” and plays to female strengths. Many women find it highly natural to assist patients in recovering from illness. Fewer women, however, appear to be striving for the top jobs.

The reasons for the lack of female participation at the top levels of the healthcare system remain hard to identify. The benefits, however, are considerable. Research from the University of California, for instance, has found that the companies with the highest percentage of women on the board have a 74 percent greater return on investment than those with the lowest. Professional services firm McKinsey also estimates that advancing women’s quality across the world could increase global growth by $12 trillion, or two-thirds of the total value of the US economy.

Women in leadership is a pressing issue of our times. Take a look at the following infographic to find out more about the evidence for including more women in senior positions in the industry.

Infographic by Bradley University