If you’re earning minimum wage or just above it, I bet you’ve considered how much better your life could be if you earned more per hour. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) states that minimum wage will be $7.25 per hour starting on July 24, 2009, and is even less for the next few months.

Did you know that many of U.S. College Search’s most popular training programs lead to careers that earn almost double that amount? Imagine what you could do with double your salary – what a difference that could make to your future, your family, and your lifestyle. The good news is, these jobs are well within your reach!

CNN and CareerBuilder.com have compiled a  list of 20 jobs that pay a median hourly wage of $20, which means an average of $41,600 a year based on a 40-hour workweek. And guess what? Many of these 20 careers are in fields that you can train for at a USCS school! You can train to become a massage therapist, paralegal, truck mechanic, electrician or one of hundreds of other careers, and build yourself a better life.

Want to find out what the rest of the 20 jobs that pay $20.00 an hour are? Find out in the Career Builder article at CNN.com. Want to actually make that kind of money? Search for a program that interests you right now!

The Obama administration is proposing an overhaul in the way a majority of students finance their college education. This proposal may greatly affect the student loan industry causing them to fight against the proposed plan.

Currently, federal subsidies, known as the Federal Family Education Loan program, are provided to private loan companies. President Obama wants to eliminate these subsidies proposing that all loans given to students will be under the control of the federal government. The administration argues that the revamp would save $94 billion. That savings could be redirected to needy borrowers and give more potential students the opportunity to go to college.

There is opposition to the proposal by some. Lenders are worried about the business they could lose. “The Obama plan would mean that many lenders would lose 100 percent of their business,” said Mark Kantrowitz, an industry analyst and publisher of FinAid.org. “It would be a dramatic shift for the way this industry works.”

Others worry about the inefficiency of the education department. “I don’t see the wisdom in creating a new half-trillion national bank for student loans,” he said. “I know how the bureaucracy at the education department works, and you probably are going to get long lines of dissatisfied customers. Those lines could be very long because there are 12 million students.”

Supporters believe the proposal is the most cost effective, dependable way to provide students with the necessary funding for college. They think that the current system needs to be fixed to provide every student with the opportunity to go to colleges.

Source:
Washington Post

Career College Central
http://www.careercollegecentral.com/news/loan_industry_pushes_back – anchor text contigent on kw research

How do you validate the months or years you’ve put into your job if you no longer have one? Getting laid off can be devastating for some. It may feel like your efforts just lead up to nothing.

Some people have the right attitude about starting over. Some even relish the thought of building new networks and friendships. You can either drown in your own guilt and anger, or you can challenge yourself and your expectations by making a quick roundabout move to more versatile earning potential. The key to remaining marketable for employment is to diversify your skills.

While you search for full-time employment, there are several quick career certifications that you can study for in a relatively short time. You might be surprised to know that many of these quick certification fields feature fairly good earning power. The industries they are for also seem to have an endless supply of new jobs for certified graduates.

The spare time you have now during your job search or as you work part time can easily be filled by going to class for certifications in these types of positions. Have a look at a few.

Paralegal

Some schools offer basic training certifications that you can finish in 6 months. Some schools feature programs that go a bit deeper and award a degree. Either way, the legal industry is always busy, always looking for smart workers and always expanding with new services. Many programs include internships – an excellent way to get experience in a law firm and begin to make connections for your future job search. Why not get started in an industry where it pays to know how things work? One thing to remember – paralegals can’t offer legal advice or argue a case in court. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median salary for a paralegal is $44,990.

Find Paralegal programs offered in your area with the US College Search Engine here.

Medical Assisting

There are basically two tracks for medical assistants – clinical and clerical.

Clinical tracks teach students how to perform basic medical procedures like taking blood pressure, taking temperatures, drawing blood, handling medical samples and assisting physicians and nurses in more complex procedures.

Clerical tracks teach students how to assist health care professionals in the office or how to handle insurance forms and claims. Clerical assistants will do more computer and phone work, they will file and act as liaison between doctor or nurse and patient or insurance agent.

Most cities of any size will have training institutes for medical assistants that offer quick 6, 9 and 12 month certifications. Many professionals hoping to earn a little extra for big plans, or who simply need a stable part-time job during a recession are often found in medical assisting jobs. Depending on your plans and what you hope to make, investigating each school’s training track further is a good idea before just jumping right in. One thing you can say for certain about health care – this is an industry with job security. The need for qualified medical assistants grows more every month as the baby boomer population retires and ages. This could be the shot in the arm your career earning plan needs.

Find Medical Assisting certification programs offered in your area with the US College Search Engine here.

Dental Assistant

A dental assistant performs a variety of laboratory, office and patient care duties that assist dentists in their day-to-day operations. A dental assistant often works alongside dentists as they examine and treat patients. BLS reports median salaries in 2007 were between $30,000 and $35,800. But that’s not all there is to love. Many dental hygienists find flexible scheduling to be a real upside of this career. This is especially important if you’re working another part-time or full-time job.

Many times to just get started in a dental office, you’ll only need to finish a quick 9 month certification course. Once you’re done, job prospects and supplemental earning power will help keep a gleaming smile on your face.

Find Dental Assisting certification programs offered in your area with the US College Search Engine here.

This article could go on and on, but you get the idea. There are more and more ways to supplement lost income through jobs that feature flexible scheduling and can be earned through quick training courses. Being ready for change in any capacity makes you a stronger person. Certification training gives you versatility in the marketplace and can help give you a financial boost when conditions turn for the worse. Use the search engine at US College Search to help you step up to new levels of effectiveness and earning.

You already know that networking is one of the most important parts of building and maintaining a solid career. But many people fall into the trap of losing their networking potential after being let go from their current position. It is easy to quickly lose touch with associates when they no longer know how to get a hold of you. If you have only kept in touch with business contacts through a company e-mail address, you run the risk of losing touch after a sudden lay-off. Whether because of embarrassment or simple loss of information, you’re suddenly faced with trying to re-build your career through luck and cold calls.

How can you avoid such a fate and keep your business contacts open after being laid off? It’s important to remember to let people know, as soon as possible, how you can be reached during this transition.

At all times during your career, it’s important to keep a professional-sounding personal e-mail account ready and stocked with your business address book. Something as simple as John.Doe@gmail.com will do. Then, if you find yourself suddenly without your business e-mail address, shoot out a ‘change of information’ message to your associates as soon as possible, letting them know your new contact information.

This first message isn’t a time for pleading, personal laments, or bitterness. Keep it short and simple, and save the more detailed, personal communication for later. Send a follow-up message after you’ve had a chance to reevaluate where you’re going and how your network could help you get there.

After all, these are the same people who have helped you get as far as you have in your career. Chances are, they’ll still be there for you and willing to do as much as they can to make your career transition as smooth as possible.