The Need for Web Developers is Going Up - Way Up

Looking for a new, promising career? How do you feel about climbing a 212-foot (64.6m) tower next to a cable carrying 34.5kV of electricity? Perhaps you enjoy a workplace where arc flashes and fault currents are hazards to be dodged every day? If so, you're in luck because the occupation forecasted to grow the fastest in the next 10 years is that of a wind turbine service technician.

If you like the idea of getting into a truly growing field, but would rather do something a little more (ahem) down to earth, then perhaps web development (we recommend Drupal!) is the way to go. The United States Department of Labor (USDOL) recently released a short video showcasing the occupations projected to be the fastest growing for the next 10 years, and web developer is near the top of the list.

The USDOL is forecasting that the number of web developer positions will grow 26.6% (over 39,000 jobs) between 2014 and 2024. They put web developer positions in the "some post-secondary education required" category, alongside occupations like wind turbine service technicians, commercial divers, and occupational therapy assistants.

Unlike some of the other jobs on the USDOL's list, web developers earn pretty decent wages – an average of $63,490. Compare that with personal care aides, an occupation expected to grow by 450,000 new positions that pay an average of $20,440 (the federal poverty level for a 3-person household is $20,090).

The Drupal Career Online 12-week, part-time training course provides the necessary education for aspiring Drupalists to learn how to build Drupal sites using best practices and workflows common to modern Drupal development. Our curriculum teaches a blend of Drupal 7 and Drupal 8 skills, along with a healthy dose of command-line tools like Git, Drush, and Drupal Console. Our next session begins in March of 2016. If you’d like to learn more Drupal careers and our training, you can sign up for our free Taste of Drupal information session on February 17.