FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2007

CONTACT: Steve Dolan
(619) 594-5664
sdolan@mail.sdsu.edu

SAN DIEGO, Thursday, December 20, 2007 - Job security will not be a factor in the health care industry for many years to come. The oldest of the baby boomers have just turned 60. This aging population is going to be increasingly dependent upon the medical sector as time goes on.

There continues to be more demand for such occupations as physician assistants, physical therapists, nurses, clinical lab workers, dental hygienists, pharmacy and respiratory technicians, substance-abuse counselors, medical social workers, and office personnel. Teachers who can train students in various health specialties also are heavily sought.

San Diego State University's College of Extended Studies (CES) recently launched its new professional certificate programs in health care to train people like you in this booming industry.

CES offers both face-to-face and online programs in such health care occupations as EKG technician, pharmacy technician, medical billing and coding, dental assistant, physical therapy aide, human resources for health care, and medical transcription, among others. During the spring semester CES will offer more than 15 in-classroom and 10 online new programs to keep pace with future career opportunities designed to address projected job shortages.

Although the overall job market in San Diego has slowed considerably, the health care industry is moving in the opposite direction. According to health care professionals there are and will be for some time more openings than qualified, trained applicants.

According to the San Diego Business Journal there were about 82,000 health care workers in San Diego in 2004. By 2010, the health care industry is expected to employ over 100,000 workers. That will make health care among the area's biggest employers, according to Terri Bergman, director of research for the Workforce Partnership.

We are facing a "service crisis" for health care staffing in the U.S. - there are simply not enough trained health care workers to take care of the people who need assistance. Opportunities for employment in this industry are growing as the demand increases. According to the San Diego Workforce Partnership, in 2006, the median annual wage for all health care professionals was $49,700. For health care practitioners, technologists, and technicians, the median wage was $62,900.

For more information on the health care certificate programs offered by CES, call (619) 594-7078 or visit www.NeverStopLearning.net.

SDSU's College of Extended Studies offers a wide variety of lifelong learning classes, seminars, and certificate programs. Career advancement courses are offered in many areas of management, leadership, and quality improvement while self-enrichment courses range from astronomy to web design. Additionally, the College offers more than 35 certificate programs, online courses, workforce development courses approved for tuition remission through the Workforce Investment Act, and many other learning opportunities. For more information on the cutting-edge opportunities being offered, visit the College's web site at www.NeverStopLearning.net.