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Republicans party has become the “Almond Joy Party”. Sometime they
act like a nut and sometime they don’t.
By Travis
Waldron on Aug 7, 2012 at 9:32 am
Mitt
Romney’s campaign launched a full-on attack on Tuesday accusing President Obama
of gutting welfare reform. In a new
ad, policy memo, and press release, Romney claims that the
administration’s decision to offer waivers to states that develop innovative
ways to meet the law’s work requirements is actually an attempt to “remove work
participation rate requirements all together.”
“Under
Obama’s plan, you wouldn’t have to work and wouldn’t have to
train for a job,” the ad’s narrator says. “They just send you your welfare
check.”
The
ad is blatantly false — the
administration’s plan specifically maintains the work requirement, but allows
states to experiment with other methods of transitioning recipients from
welfare to work. This is a policy that the Center on Budget and Policy
Priorities says will make Temporary Assistance for Needy Families a more
effective program.
But
the ad is also disingenuous, as it fails to mention that as governor of
Massachusetts, Romney explicitly supported the same waiver program he is now
criticizing. Romney was one of 29 Republican governors to sign a 2005 letter
from the Republican Governor’s Association to congressional leadership touting the benefits a waiver program would
bring their states:
The
Senate bill provides states with the flexibility to manage their TANF programs
and effectively serve their low-income populations. Increased waiver
authority, allowable work activities, availability of partial work credit and
the ability to coordinate state programs are all important aspects of moving
recipients from welfare to work.
As
ThinkProgress has noted, Republican governors in both Utah and Nevada still support the
waiver program. Both, incidentally, have endorsed Romney. And while Romney
touts TANF’s success in a release accompanying the ad — welfare “reduced the number of people receiving
monthly cash benefits from 12.2 million to 4.2 million,” it says — the
program’s “success” hasn’t been because its recipients are finding jobs. In
fact, TANF has failed to reach the people who need it most,
especially compared to the programs that came before it.
As
the directive from the Department of Health and Human Services states, the
waiver program is aimed at helping more recipients transition to work. “HHS is
encouraging states to consider new, more effective ways to meet the
goals of TANF, particularly helping parents successfully prepare for, find, and
retain employment,” the directive says. “The Secretary is only interested in
approving waivers if the state can explain in a compelling fashion why the
proposed approach may be a more efficient or effective means to promote
employment entry, retention, advancement, or access to jobs that offer
opportunities for earnings and advancement that will allow participants to
avoid dependence on government benefits.”
And
states will still be subject to federal evaluation and basic work requirements
that “focus on measurable outcomes” and furthering TANF’s purpose. Failing to
do so, HHS states, could result in “termination of the waiver project.”
UPDATE
The
Huffington Post’s Arthur Delaney notes:
The proposal Romney supported may have provided for
even broader welfare waivers than HHS is currently offering. While the health department
today is willing to let states tinker with things like the definition of work
activities and the calculation of participation rates, the 2005 bill would have
waived “any requirement applicable to the program” — not just work
requirements, but maybe even time limits for cash assistance, too.
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White House To GOP: Stop Whining About Our Welfare Waivers
— You Asked For Them
Republican
anger over President Obama’s directive to grant states flexibility on
implementing welfare reform has hit the campaign trail, and the White House is
offering rankled Republicans a response: Get over it your own party’s leaders,
including Romney himself, asked for those waivers.
HHS
Secretary Kathleen Sebelius wrote a letter to Republicans (PDF) reminding them of their party’s own
prior support for state leniency in implementing welfare reform. She argued
that in 2005, Republican governors wanted even more flexibility than Obama is now
willing to grant.
“For
years, Republicans and Democratic Governors have requested more flexibility in
implementing welfare reform so they can meet their states’ specific needs,” she
wrote Wednesday to House Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) and Senate
Finance Ranking Member Orrin Hatch (R-UT), who have unveiled legislation to
block the move. “In 2005, 29 Republican governors requested ‘[i]ncreased waiver
authority, allowable work activities, availability of partial work credit’ so
they might more ‘effectively serve low-income’ Americans. Certain elements of
the proposal endorsed by the 2005 Republican governors were very far-reaching
and would not be approved under the Department’s proposed waivers.”
Romney,
then the governor of Massachusetts, was a signatory to that letter. It was also
signed by other prominent Republican governors and recent presidential
candidates such as Mike Huckabee, Jeb Bush, Tim Pawlenty, Haley Barbour, Mark
Sanford, Rick Perry and Jon Huntsman.
Romney’s
spokesperson Andrea Saul defended the ex-governor against the White House.
“They’re
wrong,” Saul told TPM. “Governor Romney has always been a strong supporter of
welfare reform’s work requirements. As governor, he led a state that had
previously been exempted from some of those requirements, but he pressed to
align the state program with federal law and vetoed a proposal to move in the
other direction. President Obama’s efforts to gut welfare reform are just
another of his attempts to return to the failed liberal policies of the past
that have prolonged our economic crisis, created record levels of long-term
unemployment, and swelled the rolls of Americans dependent on government
assistance.”
The
squabble began last week after the Department of Health and Human
Services announced a state waiver program from
work requirements under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program so
they can test new strategies to meet the law’s goals of moving residents from
welfare to work. The directive made clear that states will be denied or
rescinded the waivers if they fail to meet the aims of the law.
“[I]f
a governor proposes a plan that undercuts the work requirements established in
welfare reform, the plan will be rejected,” Sebelius wrote. “No plan that
undercuts the goal of moving people from welfare to work will be considered or
approved.”
Republicans
are nevertheless keeping up the heat, accusing Obama of “gutting” a central
pillar of the 1996 law that ended welfare as an entitlement by slapping work
requirements and time limits for recipients. Republican governors such as Rick
Scott (FL) and Terry Branstad (IA) also criticized the president for
attempting to be more lenient with them. Kathleen Sebelius
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Bill Clinton Calls Mitt Romney
Welfare Reform Ad 'Especially Disappointing'
The
Huffington Post | By Arthur
Delaney Posted: 08/07/2012 11:16
pm Updated: 08/08/2012 9:10 am
WASHINGTON
-- Bill Clinton is unhappy with a new TV ad that uses his likeness in claiming
President Barack Obama has fatally undermined the welfare reform legislation
Clinton signed in 1996.
The
ad, released Tuesday morning by Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney,
shows Clinton signing welfare reform into law. Then it says Obama "quietly
announced a plan to gut welfare reform by
dropping work requirements."
"Governor
Romney released an ad today alleging that the Obama administration had weakened
the work requirements of the 1996 Welfare Reform Act," Clinton said in a
statement Tuesday evening. "That is not true."
The
1996 reform ended welfare as a federal entitlement and transformed it into a
program run by states within certain federal rules. Last month, the Obama
administration announced it would allow states to apply for waivers from some
of the rules if states had better ways of getting welfare recipients into jobs.
While
the Romney campaign has suggested the Obama administration made its welfare
decision to foster a Democratic "culture of dependency" by making it
easier for people to stay on welfare, Clinton pointed out that two Republican-controlled
states had requested the waivers.
"The
recently announced waiver policy was originally requested by the Republican
governors of Utah and Nevada to achieve more flexibility in designing programs
more likely to work in this challenging environment," Clinton said.
Clinton
added that Republican governors, including Mitt Romney, sought a similar policy
in 2005 (a charge the Romney campaign has denied).
"The
Romney ad is especially disappointing because, as governor of Massachusetts, he
requested changes in the welfare reform laws that could have eliminated time
limits altogether," Clinton said. "We need a bipartisan consensus to
continue to help people move from welfare to work even during these hard times,
not more misleading campaign ads."
Here's the full statement from Clinton:
Statement
by President Bill Clinton on Governor Mitt Romney's New Television
Advertisement
New
York, NY -- Governor Romney released an ad today alleging that the Obama
administration had weakened the work requirements of the 1996 Welfare Reform
Act. That is not true.
The
act emerged after years of experiments at the state level, including my work as
Governor of Arkansas beginning in 1980. When I became President, I granted
waivers from the old law to 44 states to implement welfare to work strategies
before welfare reform passed.
After
the law was enacted, every state was required to design a plan to move people
into the workforce, along with more funds to help pay for training, childcare
and transportation. As a result, millions of people moved from welfare to work.
The
recently announced waiver policy was originally requested by the Republican
governors of Utah and Nevada to achieve more flexibility in designing programs
more likely to work in this challenging environment. The Administration has
taken important steps to ensure that the work requirement is retained and that
waivers will be granted only if a state can demonstrate that more people will
be moved into work under its new approach. The welfare time limits, another
important feature of the 1996 act, will not be waived.
The
Romney ad is especially disappointing because, as governor of Massachusetts, he
requested changes in the welfare reform laws that could have eliminated time
limits altogether. We need a bipartisan consensus to continue to help people
move from welfare to work even during these hard times, not more misleading
campaign ads.
Please
read: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program attached PDF
Upcoming Crash Will Be ‘Worse Than 2008’ Says Economist Peter Schiff
Wednesday, 13 Jun 2012 03:52 PM
By Christian Hill
Investors
need to prepare for an upcoming stock market crash that will be “worse than
2008.”
That’s according to a well-respected author and investor, making a recent appearance on Fox Business.
Peter Schiff, the CEO of Euro Pacific Capital, says the stock market collapse we experienced in 2008 “wasn’t the real crash. The real crash is coming.” He says that Federal stimulus, or quantitative easing, never works and that it just makes the economy sicker in the end. “The reason we are so screwed up is all this quantitative easing is toxic. I don’t doubt that we are going to pressure Germany into printing. We are like the kid who is trying to get a friend to ditch school with us to go to the beach. We are a bad influence on everybody.” Schiff’s solution is to raise interest rates, but he acknowledges that it would bring a huge downside risk with it. “In America, the problem is that interest rates are too low. They have to go up. We can’t have an economy with interest rates at zero. If the Fed lets interest rates go up, we have to realize that we will have a deeper recession, we have to realize that banks are going to fail.”
He points out that today’s “safe haven” investments — the U.S. dollar and Treasurys — are anything but safe. “There are a lot of people who don’t understand what is going on. Look at how many people are buying the dollar. Look at people buying Treasurys. That makes no sense either. The risk lies in the dollar. The risk lies in Treasurys and other currencies being printed into oblivion.”
A noted economist agrees with Schiff that a much worse stock market crash is coming. And unlike Schiff, he has given very specific details about just how bad it will get. “The data is clear, 50% unemployment, a 90% stock market drop, and 100% annual inflation . . . starting in 2012.” That catastrophic outlook comes from Robert Wiedemer, economist and author of The New York Times best-seller Aftershock. Before you dismiss Wiedemer’s claims, consider this: In 2006 he accurately predicted the collapse of the U.S. housing market, equity markets, and consumer spending that almost sank the United States. Editor’s Note: See the disturbing interview with Wiedemer.
That’s according to a well-respected author and investor, making a recent appearance on Fox Business.
Peter Schiff, the CEO of Euro Pacific Capital, says the stock market collapse we experienced in 2008 “wasn’t the real crash. The real crash is coming.” He says that Federal stimulus, or quantitative easing, never works and that it just makes the economy sicker in the end. “The reason we are so screwed up is all this quantitative easing is toxic. I don’t doubt that we are going to pressure Germany into printing. We are like the kid who is trying to get a friend to ditch school with us to go to the beach. We are a bad influence on everybody.” Schiff’s solution is to raise interest rates, but he acknowledges that it would bring a huge downside risk with it. “In America, the problem is that interest rates are too low. They have to go up. We can’t have an economy with interest rates at zero. If the Fed lets interest rates go up, we have to realize that we will have a deeper recession, we have to realize that banks are going to fail.”
He points out that today’s “safe haven” investments — the U.S. dollar and Treasurys — are anything but safe. “There are a lot of people who don’t understand what is going on. Look at how many people are buying the dollar. Look at people buying Treasurys. That makes no sense either. The risk lies in the dollar. The risk lies in Treasurys and other currencies being printed into oblivion.”
A noted economist agrees with Schiff that a much worse stock market crash is coming. And unlike Schiff, he has given very specific details about just how bad it will get. “The data is clear, 50% unemployment, a 90% stock market drop, and 100% annual inflation . . . starting in 2012.” That catastrophic outlook comes from Robert Wiedemer, economist and author of The New York Times best-seller Aftershock. Before you dismiss Wiedemer’s claims, consider this: In 2006 he accurately predicted the collapse of the U.S. housing market, equity markets, and consumer spending that almost sank the United States. Editor’s Note: See the disturbing interview with Wiedemer.
In
a recent interview, Wiedemer unapologetically displayed shocking charts backing
up his allegations, and then ended his argument with, “You see, the medicine
will become the poison.” The interview has become a wake-up call for those
unprepared (or unwilling) to acknowledge an ugly truth: The country’s financial
“rescue” devised in Washington has failed miserably. The blame lies squarely on
those whose job it was to avoid the exact situation we find ourselves in,
including current Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and former Chairman
Alan Greenspan, tasked with preventing financial meltdowns and keeping the
nation’s economy strong through monetary and credit policies. At one point,
Wiedemer even calls out Bernanke, saying that his “money from heaven will be
the path to hell.” But it’s not just the grim predictions that are causing the
sensation; rather, it’s the comprehensive blueprint for economic survival
that’s really commanding global attention.
Shocking Footage: See the eerie chart that exposes the ‘unthinkable.’
The interview offers realistic, step-by-step solutions that the average
hard-working American can easily follow. The overwhelming amount of feedback to
publicize the interview, initially screened for a private audience, came with
consequences as various online networks repeatedly shut it down and affiliates
refused to house the content. Bernanke and Greenspan were not about to support
Wiedemer publicly, nor were the mainstream media. “People were sitting up and
taking notice, and they begged us to make the interview public so they could
easily share it,” said Newsmax Financial Publisher Aaron DeHoog, “but
unfortunately, it kept getting pulled.” “Our real concern,” DeHoog added, “is
what if only half of Wiedemer’s predictions come true? “That’s a scary thought
for sure. But we want the average American to be prepared, and that is why we
will continue to push this video to as many outlets as we can. We want the word
to spread.”Editor’s Note: For a limited time, Newsmax is showing the Wiedemer
interview and supplying viewers with copies of the new, updated Aftershock book
including the final, unpublished chapter. Go here to view it now.
Republican
Health Care Plan Unveiled
First
Posted: 06/20/09 06:12 AM ET Updated: 05/25/11 02:25 PM ET
Republicans in Congress are slated to unveil their health care
reform plan on Wednesday, a proposal that relies heavily on private mechanisms,
contains no individual mandate, and offers tax incentives for families and
individuals to help pay for coverage.
Titled "The Patients' Choice Act of 2009," the plan will
be introduced by U.S. Senators Tom Coburn, (R-OK) and Richard Burr (R-NC) and
U.S. Representatives Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Devin Nunes (R-CA) at 11 a.m. The
focus of the proposal -- an advanced copy of which was obtained by the
Huffington Post -- is to push for a "guaranteed choice of coverage"
in the private market through federal-state partnerships know as State Health
Insurance Exchanges.
Individuals, the authors write, will have a "one-stop
marketplace" to choose plans in the exchange, including the option of
keeping their employer coverage and/or existing insurer. "Participating
insurers," meanwhile, would be required to "offer coverage to any
individual -- regardless of patient age or health history" though there is
no mandate for an individual to purchase that insurance.
Where the plan seems likely to run into strong opposition is in
its efforts to drastically move the insurance market away from employer-based
or publicly operated plans. As championed by John McCain during the
presidential campaign, The Patients' Choice Act of 2009 effectively ends tax
breaks for employers who provide health coverage to their workers, choosing
instead to give a $5,710 tax cut to families and a $2,290 cut to individuals to
help them pay for health insurance coverage. Critics insist that this system
would end up costing both business and consumers more over the long term. And
some objective analysts have agreed. After all, families are currently paying
approximately $12,300 a year for health care today.
The notion that guaranteed choice can be achieved under the private
market is also predicated on several debated notions. The first is that an
effective enforcement mechanism can be put in place requiring private insurers
to offer coverage. The authors call for the creation of a non-profit,
independent board "to penalize companies that cherry-pick health
patients." The second concern is that the market itself might consolidate.
The latter is already promising to be a big problem, a Democratic critic of the
plan notes, as studies show the HMO and Preferred Provider Organization
industries to be "highly-concentrated, or anti-competitive, in 96% of
metropolitan areas."
There are, finally, some budgetary concerns with the Republican
proposal. The authors call for investing in chronic disease prevention for
problematic, long-term illnesses -- including providing $50 million annually
for increased vaccine availability. They pledge major administrative
improvements in Medicaid and Medicare as well. And they promise to ensure
compensation for injured patients by encouraging legal reforms. All of this
will require spending, and eliminating the tax exclusions for employer coverage
can only get them so far.
Five Graduate Degrees That Don't Pay Off
In
today's tough job market, many recent college graduates are enrolling in graduate
programs to enhance their credentials and gain an edge with hiring managers. In
some cases, the tactic may lead to lucrative job opportunities. A recent report
from Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce found that a
graduate degree can boost an individual's earning power by more than 40% in
some fields -- but the true value can vary wildly from industry to industry.
In
disciplines such as medicine, for instance, an advanced degree can provide a
190% salary increase over a pre-med-focused bachelor's degree, according to the
Georgetown study. For other programs, the return on investment isn't as
certain: In some cases, available job opportunities are scarce or low-paying,
or employers may value relevant work experience more than another diploma.
Particularly
if you're planning to take out loans to attend graduate school, it pays to know
what your realistic job prospects are, says Liz Pulliam Weston, a personal
finance author and columnist for MSN Money. "A lot of schools will take your
money and get you trained for jobs that don't exist," she cautions.
"Take a buyer-beware attitude."
Master of Fine Arts Degrees
Students
can obtain Master of Fine Arts, or MFA, degrees in disciplines including studio
arts, creative writing, the performing arts and art criticism. Tuition costs
vary, but at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, for instance,
students can expect to pay more than $22,000 per term, plus the cost of
housing, course books and other expenses.
That
investment isn't likely to pay off: The Georgetown study saw just a 3% boost in
income potential for studio arts MFA graduates.
Kristen
Harris, owner of Portfolio Creative, a staffing agency in Columbus, Ohio, says
her recruiting clients always favor candidates with relevant experience and
work samples over those with graduate arts degrees. "It's hard to get that
first work opportunity if you don't have that education and training, but after
that, it's your portfolio and experience that speaks louder than your degree."
Computer Engineering
Computer
engineering is a booming industry for job growth. The Bureau of Labor
Statistics estimates that the market for software developers will grow by 30%
between 2010 and 2020. Computer programmer jobs are growing at a 12% pace,
which is about average. However, in most cases, there is little benefit for job
seekers who go beyond a bachelor's degree in the field.
The
Georgetown study saw just a 16% boost in pay for students with graduate degrees
in computer engineering.
Paul
Silvio, senior vice president at Modis, a large information technology
recruiting firm, confirms that his client base doesn't place a high priority on
graduate education. "The vast majority of jobs in IT are hands-on, where
employees are utilizing a specific technology or skill set," he says.
"Candidates grow their expertise by growing their skill sets and
interpersonal skills," he says, rather than pursuing further academic
qualifications.
PR, Advertising and Mass-Media Programs
The
growth outlook for public relations positions is good, according to the Bureau
of Labor Statistics. The field is expected to grow by 21% between 2010 and
2020. However, as with the computer engineering industry, hands-on experience
is more important than graduate degrees for job seekers. "The graduate
degree doesn't really get you anywhere," says Weston.
Harris
says her clients who need creative and marketing talent aren't seeking
candidates with graduate degrees. "Generally, we don't get clients looking
for an advanced degree unless they're looking for a higher-level strategy
focus," she says.
In
that case, however, they're typically seeking applicants with a Master of
Business Administration, rather than communications-focused degrees. According
to the Georgetown study, employees with graduate degrees in advertising and
public relations can only expect an earnings boost of 12% for their diploma;
mass-media students might see an 11% increase.
A Law Degree From a Fourth-Tier School
The
number of law school graduates rose by 11% between 1999 and 2009, according to
The New York Times, yet the paper also reports that 15,000 attorney and legal
staff positions were eliminated between 2008 and 2011. For law students --
especially those from bottom-ranking schools -- a high-paying job is no sure
thing.
A
2011 National Association for Law Placement survey found that, while 88% of
2010 law school graduates were employed, not all grads had positions in their
field. Nearly 9% worked in "other capacities," and 11% worked part
time. And while 18% of 2010 graduates were able to obtain starting salaries of
around $160,000, nearly half of reporting graduates were making annual salaries
that fell between $40,000 and $65,000.
No
matter the quality of the law school, the education is pricy, and most students
must obtain loans to pay tuition. Near the upper end of the spectrum at San
Diego's Thomas Jefferson School of Law -- where 94% of the student body took
out loans -- students graduated with an average of more than $153,000 in
student loan debt, according to U.S. News and World Report. That kind of loan
will take a long time to pay off on a $50,000 salary.
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology
The
atmospheric science field pays reasonably well. The Bureau of Labor Statistics
found a median salary of $87,780 for all atmospheric scientists, including
meteorologists. Median represents the midpoint pay, so half receive higher pay
and half receive lower. Graduate education in the field is necessary for many
research-focused positions at universities. However, government and private
sector positions rarely require graduate education.
To
that end, job seekers looking for a substantial income boost by obtaining a
master's degree or Ph.D. in the field will be sorely disappointed. Georgetown
found a minuscule 1% increase in salary for employees with graduate degrees in
the field. In this case, students should only pursue a graduate degree if they
are truly interested in furthering their own education, rather than getting a
bigger paycheck.
Eleven Well-Paying Jobs that Don't Require a
4-Year Degree
Published
June 28, 2012
Bankrate.com
Conventional
wisdom says that the higher your degree, the higher your salary. A study by the
College Board shows that the median salary of a worker holding a bachelor's
degree is more than $20,000 higher than the salary of a high school graduate.
While
four-year college grads earn 66% more than the average high school grad, those
with two-year degrees could be catching up. According to a report by the
Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program, a nonprofit
dedicated to state education and job training research, associate degree and
certificate grads in certain fields landed higher starting salaries than the
state's four-year public college grads.
According
to the College Board, the median education debt for two-year degree holders was
$7,130 in 2008 -- the most recent year for which statistics are available. This
compares to an average of $24,000 in student loan debt for those who completed
bachelor's degrees in 2009, according to the Project on Student Debt.
With
more years in the workforce and far less student debt to deal with, two-year
grads can come out with a higher lifetime worth than their four-year
counterparts. Check out these 11 jobs that provide four-year degree pay and
benefits without requiring a bachelor's degree.
Electrical technicians
"As
the market is bouncing back, we're seeing more of our grads get hired in the
trades areas," says Wendy Cullen, vice president of employer development
for Everest College. "In the trades we offer, electrical technicians have
the highest increase in earnings over a 15-year period. There are a lot of
opportunities for them right now."
Aside
from earning a decent wage -- the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the
median electrician salary is $46,426 per year -- future electricians can
frequently opt out of paying tuition by landing one of the many apprenticeships
available in the field. In addition to sidestepping $20,000-plus in student
loan debt that the average four-year grad takes on, electrical technicians who
complete a four-year paid apprenticeship program enter the field with
experience and a bank account that's in the black.
Radiologic technician
It's
a sweet deal for workers who can collect medical diagnostic images like MRI
scans, X-rays and mammograms. A two-year degree along with a passing score on
your state's radiologic licensing exam generally means a median salary of
$52,210, full benefits, the ability to work in medical settings ranging from
hospitals to private practices and sometimes a flexible schedule, too.
The
BLS reports that the radiologic technician field is one of the fastest-growing
occupations, expected to expand by 17% between 2008 and 2018. Though workers
are on their feet for most of the day and are required to complete 24 hours of
continuing education every two years -- don't worry, it's usually paid for by
the employer -- technicians can be rest assured that their salaries will cover
a foot massage every now and then.
Dental hygienist
The
median salary of $66,570 can make you smile -- that's more than $10,000 per
year higher than the median salary for a four-year grad, according to the
College Board. But the real perk in this job is the hours.
"You
can be (a dental hygienist) in a big city or small town. It has a flexible
schedule and you can work part time," says Laurence Shatkin, author of
"300 Best Jobs Without a Four-Year Degree."
The job's flexibility and high hourly wage make it attractive to family-oriented employees, as does the fact that approximately half of dental hygienists are given an employee-sponsored benefits package, according to research from the American Dental Hygienists' Association. An associate degree is the only requirement to break in. That means future dental hygienists take on far less debt than their four-year college counterparts.
The job's flexibility and high hourly wage make it attractive to family-oriented employees, as does the fact that approximately half of dental hygienists are given an employee-sponsored benefits package, according to research from the American Dental Hygienists' Association. An associate degree is the only requirement to break in. That means future dental hygienists take on far less debt than their four-year college counterparts.
Graphic designer
In
certain fields, experience and self-education trump formal degrees.
According
to Tyson J. Spring, vice president and senior consultant for Elever
Professional, an executive recruitment firm in Los Angeles, graphic designers
will impress future bosses more with an impressive portfolio than a fancy
degree.
"Some
of the most exciting creative design roles that we've worked on require no
four-year degree," says Spring. "With the swift transition from print
to digital that the marketing and ad world is experiencing, everyone is
scrambling for talented technical designers."
Graphic
design students can opt for a four-year degree, but they can also learn the
technical aspects of the trade in a two-year degree or certificate program and
then intern to pick up the artistic side. The BLS reports that graphic
designers draw in a median salary of $42,400; freelance and contract designers
bring in $57,000. Design directors and those with owner or partnership
interests in their firm earn a median salary of $95,000.
Registered nurse
"Nursing
is the No. 1 best (two-year degree job)," says Alexia Vernon, author of
"Awaken Your CAREERpreneur."
"The
need is never going to go away. It's not about what's hot in the next two or
five years. It's a lifetime profession."
Vernon
adds that registered nurses, or RNs, who graduate from an accredited diploma or
two-year program fare well fiscally, earning a median of $62,450 per year. They
also generally enjoy added job perks, including flexible schedules, generous
benefits packages, the ability to work in a wide variety of settings and
tuition help should they decide to pursue further education. With job
opportunities expanding at a rate of 22% per year, according to the BLS,
finding a position shouldn't be a hassle either.
Paralegal
Behind
every good attorney is a good paralegal. Dedicated to helping attorneys prepare
cases, organize files, draft contracts and maintain ongoing relationships with
clients, paralegals find work in law offices, federal government offices,
private companies and corporations and nonprofit organizations.
Newbies
can break into the field with a two-year associate degree program (or a shorter
certificate program for career changers who already hold a bachelor's degree)
and can expect a median salary of $46,210, according to the BLS, with the top
10% of paralegals reeling in $73,450 per year.
Solar energy consultant
Solar
energy consultant is a really good gig, especially for people who have been
laid off from construction," says Vernon. "In places like Arizona,
Utah and California, the starting pay is typically $15 to $17 an hour."
According
to CareerBuilder.com's salary data site, CBsalary.com, solar energy installers
earn $50,479 per year on average. To break into the profession, wannabe solar
experts can enroll in a diploma or two-year degree program through their local
community college or technical school, or they can get paid to learn by taking
the apprenticeship route.
Police and detectives
Break
in with a high school diploma or associate degree in criminal justice. Walk out
with a higher salary than those who paid for pricey private four-year colleges.
"Police,
detectives, (criminal) identification and records officers, criminal
investigators and special agents -- they all pay around $60,000 and they're
growing fast with a lot of job openings," says Shatkin.
After
taking 12 to 14 weeks of academy training, law enforcement personnel ages 21
and up are rewarded with a decent salary, a great benefits package that
frequently includes tuition reimbursement perks and the ability to move into a
wide array of federal, local and private agencies. According to the BLS, police
and sheriff's patrol officers earn a median salary of $51,410. Those who move
up the ranks to a supervisor position earn a median salary of $75,490.
Hospitality managers
No
formal education is required to break into a hospitality career, but a two-year
degree or certificate in hospitality management combined with working in the
field can help you move up the food chain much quicker. Hospitality managers
typically start in lower-level, lower-paying positions, then work their way up
to manager status.
Once
you're there, it's smooth sailing. The BLS reports that food service managers
earn a median salary of $46,320 per year, while those who manage hotels and
lodging establishments earn $45,800.
Spring
adds that the salary range for hospitality managers is wide. His company
recently placed a client in a group manager position with the Morton's The
Steakhouse chain with a salary of $100,000 per year.
"We're
seeing a lot of (job opportunities) with major national brands right now, and a
lot of these positions pay very well," he says.
Funeral director
"The
good news is that you're always going to have a market," says Shatkin. The
bad news is that you work with the dead. Those who can stomach the job (and
pass the licensing exam) will be rewarded with a median salary of $52,210, the
opportunity for self-employment and limited student loan debt since the job
requires a two-year mortuary degree to break in and, in most states, a one-year
paid apprenticeship. Additional licensure is required for directors who want to
embalm.
According
to Shatkin, future funeral directors won't have to look too hard for a job.
"There are a whole bunch of baby boomers who are getting up there in
age," he says. "It's always something that people are going to
need."
Computer support specialist
News
of computer support jobs getting outsourced to distant foreign lands makes the
headlines, but according to Shatkin, the field is still growing at home, too.
"There
are a lot of things that have to be done on site," he says. "If you
have to change a disk drive for instance, someone has to be there to do that.
There's still a need for (support personnel) in the office."
Shatkin
adds that you can break in with a two-year degree (though the BLS notes that
some jobs in the field require a four-year degree). Statistics show that
investing in information technology education pays off in the end. Computer
support specialists bring in a median salary of $44,300 per year and a full
benefits package, which may include free tuition reimbursement. Computer
support specialists also shouldn't spend too long in the job hunt since the
field is growing by 14% each year, according to the BLS.
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