Career Training

It has become popular in Australia, New Zealand, and Great Britain. It has even been embraced in the rural villages of Alaska. Now, dental therapy is coming to the continental United States, thanks to a pilot training program offered through the state of Minnesota.

Dental therapy is the future wave, offering patients additional access to dental treatment, using a more cost-effective solution to many common dental issues. Dental therapists operate as middlemen between dentists and dental hygienists, offering many services usually provided by dentists but often at a fraction of the cost. The program was introduced in Minnesota to help reach the state's rural areas where people cannot access dentists easily due to distant locations and unaffordable fees.

This video offers a look at what a dental therapist does.

The English Example

According to the National Health Service website, dental therapists are a mainstay in countries like Great Britain, where approximately 380 were on the General Dental Council Role in 2002. Since then, dental therapists have been authorized to work in all areas of dentistry, including general dental practices. The therapist works directly with a registered dentist, providing the treatment that the dentist prescribes.

Dental therapists in England also have opportunities to move into other areas of the dental field, including research and teaching roles. A diploma course in dental therapy takes about 27 months to complete and includes a variety of topics, including preventative

Do you have a passion for helping people who have been sick or injured get back to their daily activities? Do you want to work with healthcare professionals in a hospital or outpatient clinic? If so, then a job as a physical therapist or physical therapy assistant may be the right choice for you!

While the tasks of a physical therapist can be physically demanding, the rewards of the job are great. Physical therapists enjoy a good salary, plenty of job security, and the satisfaction of knowing they are helping patients who need their expertise to regain their quality of life.

What does a Physical Therapist Do?

Physical therapists help patients who have been ill or injured regain physical strength and range of motion to return to daily activities. Physical therapists work in various venues, including hospitals, nursing facilities, and outpatient care centers.

Physical therapy assistants work directly with physical therapists, providing assistance and support to patients and professionals alike.

The field of physical therapy is expected to grow at a faster than average rate over the next few years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, making it a career choice worth considering today.

Some of the tasks of a physical therapy assistant might include the following:

• Providing exercise instruction to patients
• Using therapeutic methods like ultrasound and electrical stimulation
• Offering massage to patients
• Providing balance training
• Gathering and preparing equipment for physical therapists to use
• Teaching patients to use assistive devices like crutches

The job of

As our country continues to search for alternative energy sources, the field of nuclear technology becomes a larger piece of the pie. The knowledge, land, and resources are in place to open nuclear plants across the country – but there is one element lacking. Skilled technicians will be needed to work in these new plants, particularly in light of the fact that thousands of current nuclear technicians are slated for retirement over the next five years, according to a recent report in the New York Times.

As many as 40 community colleges across the nation have heeded the call and are now providing programs to train a new generation of nuclear technicians. These programs can be completed in a fraction of the time of a standard four-year degree, with most associate's degrees earned in two years or less. Both high school graduates and adults looking for a career change can capitalize on these programs, moving into an industry that pays well and is much more secure in terms of growth and stability.

What is a Nuclear Technician?

Education-Portal describes the role of a nuclear technician as one who operates and maintains equipment in nuclear power plants. As specialists in nuclear energy, they might also assist scientists in the field of research.

Many professionals get their foot in the nuclear door with just a two-year associate's degree, and their first job could earn around $50,000 per year. The New York Times estimates that

Do you have a passion for caring for others? Are you looking for a career in which you can start relatively quickly? Certified Nursing Assistant programs are cropping up nationwide, thanks to stimulus funds designed to get people into the healthcare field as quickly as possible. In as little as three months, you can move from a student at a community college to a fully certified nursing assistant working in a hospital, nursing care center, or home setting.

While these programs are not new, additional funding from the stimulus package has allowed many community colleges to increase the number of certified nursing classes they offer. This means even more students can get on the fast track to a healthcare career that is much more stable than many other industries today. The short amount of time in school also means tuition savings for those who want to explore new career opportunities but don't have many extra funds to do so.

What is a Certified Nursing Assistant?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, certified nursing assistants work in various settings, offering hands-on care to patients under the supervision of RNs and other medical staff. In some cases, CNAs may help patients eat, bathe, or perform other daily tasks. Some might also take patient vitals, including temperature, pulse, and blood pressure. They may assist the rest of the medical staff by moving equipment, setting up supplies, or assisting with some procedures.

This video describes the nursing

The “green jobs” that politicians have been talking about for the past several years may be starting to arrive. As the Grand Rapids Press reports, Michigan will likely soon be home to a new advanced battery-manufacturing plant run by Fortu Powercell Inc., a German-Swiss-based advanced battery manufacturer. The new plant should create up to 726 jobs in the coming years, according to state economists.

This spells great news for prospective community college students looking for the appropriate training in the green technology field.

This video describes the ATRE Energy Storage Curriculum in the California community college system.

New Battery Plants Require a New Kind of Worker

“Clean Room” Environment Means Fewer Environmental Pollutants

Advanced battery-manufacturing plants will require specially trained technicians because of their unique environment. The Grand Rapids Press reports that the lithium-ion battery plant is a “clean room” environment, meaning a controlled work environment that, in contrast to typical manufacturing plants, has low levels of environmental pollutants. Work in these plants will include less of the hands-on duties that are seen in traditional auto manufacturing plants, but more monitoring of machines.

Plant Technicians Will Need Some Specialized Training

In a January 2010 Grand Rapids Press article, lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant manager Elizabeth Rolinski said that the jobs in these new plants will involve “a little less of the repetitive assembly work” and more of “learning how to