Healthcare to account for sizable chunk of new jobs by 2020

Another batch of statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor paints a sunny picture for people pursuing jobs in healthcare.

Healthcare and social assistance are the fastest growing sectors, and will account for one-quarter of the new jobs created by 2020, according to the Labor Department’s Employment Outlook. The report finds that “one-third of the projected fastest growing occupations are related to healthcare, reflecting expected increases in demand as the population ages and the healthcare and social assistance industry grows.”

Registered nurses, personal care aides and home health aides will see the highest demand, the report said.

The report also revealed that two-thirds of the job openings will require a high school diploma or less, needing only brief on-the-job training. Additionally, the average age of the workforce will be older in 2020, with baby boomers still accounting for a quarter of all workers.

Click here to read the full report.