JJC Blog

Perhaps you’ve heard the term “essential worker” during this pandemic? These employees perform work that is deemed essential to the viability of the company for whom they work and individuals they serve. Such roles have helped a lot of workers maintain their jobs amid a challenging labor market brought on by the pandemic.

JJC Workforce Development, with offices at the college’s City Center and Morris Education Center campuses, is committed to producing essential workers throughout Will and Grundy counties. Its team encourages local economic development by cultivating partnerships to provide comprehensive services to the local workforce. As you’re preparing to reenter the workforce or want to strengthen your marketability for employers, here are five things to know about JJC Workforce Development.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created the highest American unemployment rate since the 1940s, with a record 3.3 million people filing for unemployment. Since the job market has changed dramatically and jobs deemed essential such as those in healthcare, supply chain and IT are in high demand, some people may be considering a career change.  

JJC’s newest program, medical assisting, begins in spring 2020. The need for medical assistants is in high demand with an aging baby-boom generation in need of preventative care.  

Want a career that's off the beaten path?

JJC offers more than 180 degrees and certificates - including some fascinating fields of study to choose from! Our list below includes five unique careers that only require a JJC degree. Take a look!

What is Career-Based Education?
JJC, other community colleges and trade schools offer a number of degrees, certificates and programs that are considered career-based education (or just "career education"). What do these programs have in common? They all aim to get students into the workforce immediately after they graduate. Many of these programs are technical-focused, like automotive service technology or welding, but many are not, like diagnostic medical sonography or radiologic technology. 

Why Career-Based Education is Thriving
It's no secret that career-based education is thriving. Many of the career paths you can study for are in need of more employees (in part due to a retiring workforce for some fields). Several industries pay their staff well and because students can get training for these jobs at community colleges and trade schools in two years or less, it's both a popular and affordable way to start a new career.

Check out our list below to see five careers you can study for at JJC, or browse our A to Z index for more career-based education fields.

Thinking about your future career? Consider career education. These jobs are on the rise in the Joliet region, and we've compiled a list of the most in-demand positions you can obtain with only an associate degree. Check them out below!

Click here to see a list of JJC career education offerings, such as welding, hospitality management and culinary arts.

All information was pulled from the EMSI data set for the Joliet region. 

Not sure about your major? No sweat! 20 to 50 percent of students are undecided when they start college, and up to 75 percent end up changing their major. But while it's perfectly OK not knowing where you see yourself post-graduation just yet, it's also important to start weighing your interests and career options now.

JJC offers more than 180 degree and certificate programs (click here to see them all). If you're looking for a job you know will be relevant after you graduate, take a look at our list of up-and-coming fields and the careers you can land with a degree in each field.

Not enrolled at JJC? Apply here.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

This question can be intimidating - especially if you're an undecided major or thinking about changing careers. If you're exploring interests, check out the eleven hot careers featured in this blog, all of which will see an increase in positions from now until 2024. 

What's even better is you can begin your journey to all of these careers right here at JJC!

(Click here to apply or click here to register for classes.) 

Would you be surprised if we told you that you can make up to $64,000 a year with just a two-year, in-demand associate degree from JJC?

From opportunities in the technical field to computers and health care, we've created the ultimate list for students who are thinking about jobs with high salaries and good career prospects. While this doesn't include all of JJC's opportunities that can lead to in-demand, high paying jobs, the ones we've highlighted are among some of the most popular.

Below, we list eight, in-demand, high paying jobs you can get with only a JJC degree: 

 
So what does this mean for culinary students? A wider selection of job opportunities, many of which aren’t necessarily in traditional restaurants or hotels. While in the past culinary school graduates gravitated towards prestigious Michelin star-rated restaurants, now students can explore their passions working for a range of establishments – from brew pubs, to food trucks, to even supermarket chains like Whole Foods and Mariano’s.