Choosing a career path can be difficult. You want to make sure you are choosing an occupation that will have employment opportunities in the future, especially if you need additional education for the career.
Deciding to pursue more education and occupation is a big decision, and you want to make sure that your choice is a good fit for you. It’s good to take your time and research jobs out there, examine job descriptions, and talk to people in the occupations to see if you are on the right path. Below are seven jobs you can get with an associate degree.
1. Pharmacy Technician
The Pharmacy Technician associate degree program teaches students to bill insurance companies, maintain patient records, and dispense medications under the supervision of the pharmacist. Students also learn about measuring dosages and educating clients on their prescriptions. Typical course topics in a Pharmacy Technician associate degree include medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, pharmacy administration, medical laws, and pharmacology mathematics.
Those who earn an associate degree in Pharmacy technicians can find employment in hospitals, retail pharmacies, specialty pharmacies, and pharmacy call centers. A pharmacy technician job description includes job titles such as Pharmacy Technician, Pharmacy billing specialist, and pharmacy records manager.
2. Physical Therapist Assistants
A Physical therapist assistant (PTAs) generally works under the supervision of physical therapists (PTs). PTAs help patients perform exercises prescribed by PTs and use stretching, massage, and other therapies. To become a PTAs, you need to earn an associate degree from a school that the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) has accredited.
3. Occupational Therapy Assistants
Occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) help clients regain the ability to perform daily activities for living or work. OTAs work under the direction and supervision of occupational therapists’ and use a treatment plan that is developed by the therapist with their clients. Becoming an OTA involves attending a program that has been accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE).
4. Ultrasound Technician
An ultrasound technician’s job consists of using specialized equipment that emits sound waves to help physicians diagnose a patient’s illness. It is also referred to as diagnostic medical sonographers. To become an ultrasound technician, you need to get an associate degree in medical sonography, and the program needs to be accredited by the Commission of Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).
5. Dental Hygienists
The job of a dental hygienist is to provide preventative dental care and teach patients how to maintain good oral health. Dental hygienists work under the supervision and direction of dentists. In order to become a dental hygienist, you need to complete an associate degree program and get a license issued by the dental board for the state you plan to practice in.
6. Legal Assistant & Paralegal
Legal assistants and paralegals jobs are to help attorneys prepare for legal proceedings like trials and hearing. Basically, legal assistants and paralegals did the legal research and draft documents needed for cases. To become a paralegal or legal assistant, you need to complete an associate degree in paralegal studies.
7. Web Developers
If you are considering a job as a web developer, you will need to have an associate degree in web design and be very knowledgeable in HTML programming and understand programming languages. The job of a web developer is to design and create websites and to make sure they perform correctly. Web developers also write code and could write content in some cases for websites.
Final Thoughts
When you are trying to decide on what occupation you think you might be interested in, it’s good to do a personality test to see what careers are of interest to you. Do you enjoy helping people? Would you prefer working behind a desk? A career and personality test can help point you in the right direction of an occupation that would suit you best. Remember, there are many jobs out there that pay well and require an associate degree.