As we start a new year, it’s a popular time to think about our goals. Many international students’ goals involve health, relationships, or career growth. If you’re planning to study for a career that’s in high demand with many rewarding job opportunities, we’ve got you covered! Start the new year strong by choosing or pivoting to a thriving career path that fits your skills. Read on for our list of careers to consider in 2023.
Learn about more in-demand career paths for international students on our blog.
Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners
Registered nurses and nurse practitioners are in high demand in many countries. In the United States, job openings are expected to grow by 46% between 2021–2031. This growth rate is faster than any other occupation!
In England alone, nursing job vacancies have remained “stubbornly high” at nearly 40,000 open roles through the pandemic, per Patricia Marquis, Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Director for England. Throughout the United Kingdom, many health care facilities are regularly seeking new employees.
Meanwhile, per a May 2022 article in The Age, Australia’s National Skills Commission “predicts Australia will require 250,000 more skilled health and social care workers just in the next five years.” Nurse practitioners and registered nurses are only two parts of the health care sector, but their contributions to front-line care make them vital.
Due to factors including an aging workforce, funding austerity, and the COVID-19 pandemic, health employers around the world are seeing both high growth and turnover. Thankfully, new graduates bring current skills, technological savvy, and lots of energy to their work. These traits make their applications attractive to employers.
Working as a registered nurse or nurse practitioner is a challenging career. You’ll see people in tough times, but you can also help them recover and heal. If you’ve ever wanted to be a real-life superhero, working in health sciences is one way to achieve that goal!
Considering a health sciences career? Learn why it’s an exciting field to join.
Construction Trades
Is your goal to work anywhere but a cubicle? Consider the skilled trades! Whether you want to become an electrician or a carpenter, construction industry job outlooks are bright. This is due in part to worker shortages and heavy competition for skilled workers. The UK’s Office for National Statistics reports an estimated 244,000 fewer workers in construction than in 2019.
In Canada, a low unemployment rate for construction workers going into 2023 and a workforce expected to have high levels of retirement over the next decade means the job market is competitive: employers must do more to attract workers.
In turn, colleges and universities are responding to this shortage by offering future-facing skilled trade programs, many with apprenticeships. An apprenticeship can connect you with future employers while you earn valuable work experience—all while you’re still in class.
Thinking about studying in Canada? Look for a program with Red Seal certification. The Red Seal shows you’ve got the skills to practice your trade anywhere in the country, and covers 56 different skilled trades. Want to work somewhere else after graduation? While Red Seals are only formally recognized in Canada, they are often respected by international employers.
Curious about working in the skilled trades? These programs in Canada, the United States, and Australia can set you up for success!
Advertising and Marketing Managers
If you’re a creative person who’s interested in psychology and storytelling, think about working in advertising and marketing. Job numbers in this sector are predicted to grow by 10% from 2021–2031 in the US. This is higher than average, and can mean great job opportunities for new grads. Of the branches of advertising and marketing, social media and digital marketing specialists are the most in-demand. Merchandising, ad serving, and event marketing round out the top five skills.
If you like working remotely, marketing is a smart choice. According to LinkedIn‘s 2022 Marketing Jobs Outlook report, the percentage of marketing job posts classed as “remote” increased 121% in North America. Meanwhile the Asia Pacific region saw remote opportunities grow 77% year-over-year on average. Remote jobs didn’t grow as quickly in Europe and the Middle East, but those regions still saw postings grow by 56%.
Lots of people working in advertising study design and illustration. Learn more about studying design on our blog!
Information Security
Computer science is a very popular major among international students. After graduating, many of these students enter information security fields. In the US, information security employment is expected to grow by 35% over the next eight years, much faster than the average occupational growth.
Globally, the cybersecurity field is expected to grow by 14% before 2029. This means a healthy job market in many countries. In the UK, over 14,000 cybersecurity roles sat unfilled as of January 2023. Although tech roles have been turbulent in 2022, cybersecurity is more resilient. As Simon Hepburn, CEO of the UK’s Cyber Security Council, shared with ZDNET:
Leaving an organisation vulnerable to cyber-attacks also leaves it open to operational dysfunction, loss of earnings, and significant reputational damage… These are not risks that organizations will want to take.
From the rise of online data storage to a spike in cybercrime (some reports estimate a jump of over 600% after 2020), new employees bring their technical and ethical skills to work, safeguarding personal and corporate information.
Do you enjoy technical challenges, and have strong math and data analysis skills? Information security could be a great career choice!
Check out these popular computer science programs in the UK. Or, want to study in the US? These computer science programs could prepare you for a successful career.
These are just some of the top options for careers to consider in 2023. If you want more options and employment trends, visit reputable sites like:
- The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Jobs page
- The Government of Canada’s Job Bank
- The Irish Skills and Labour Market’s National Skills Database
- The UK Government’s Labour Market Overview
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook
No matter what career you choose, applying to study abroad can be challenging. ApplyBoard provides study abroad support, and guides you through your application, for free.
