Seattle, WA — In the race to recover from the Covid19 Pandemic and recession some industries are leading the charge. KIRO 7 TV is committed to helping our region recover. That’s why we’re spending every day this week at 5:30 PM spotlighting the industries that are offering jobs now - and have the best chance for long term growth and stability.
Liane Lau made a conscious leap into what’s usually considered a stable and predictable industry - nursing. But what she didn’t know is that a global health crisis was about to shake up the world, soon after her graduation.
“I wake up knowing that what I do makes a difference in many people’s lives,” says Lau.
Lau has worked in publishing, done HIV/AIDS volunteer work, biked across the country, and did a four-year academic program in a year-and-a-half.
Now at the University of Washington Medical Center in Montlake, she works in a transplant wing. And during the pandemic, work didn’t stop.
“It’s really emotional. Basically, you’re given a chance to be reborn or you die. So that always happens, everyday,” says Lau.
A new career
Her heart and goals landed on nursing - a profession in the limelight during the pandemic. Lau shifted to it in 2019 just before Covid-19 arrived.
“It was really complex and challenging, I have to say, for a first-year nurse - to be a first year nurse in Covid times in Seattle,” says Lau.
Almost overnight, UW Med and the Seattle-based Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation gained national recognition. Work continued and intensified even as the state shut down.
It’s a place where jobs stayed and more jobs could be coming soon.
“I would say Healthcare’s here to stay,” agrees UW Recruiting Manager Maria Kim.
Kim says the shutdown took away conventions and job fairs and created virtual marketing for her outreach. She’s found that more people know the UW Med name now, but she wants to hear from more people who are interested in work.
Career possibilities
“We have several hundred openings. And it’s a wide array. of opportunities. So it’s whether you have had some experience in healthcare, you haven’t had experience in healthcare, there are opportunities where you can bring your transferable skills,” says Kim.
Healthcare is creating new jobs with the expansion of telemedicine, more robust lab work for Covid-19, and new roles because of the pandemic like patient intake evaluators and environmental services workers.
“With Harborview Medical Center, we actually received a bond, a bond levy to expand our services and expand our infrastructure,” says Kim, hinting at even more new opportunities.
Training requirements
Kim says some medical roles in the UW Med system require training for as little as six months, nine months, or a year. And UW Med also offers employees state tuition exemption to continue education - great for someone without medical training who wants a taste of a healthcare environment before making a commitment to new education.
Liane Lau is a nurse - but that’s just one type of job in healthcare. If people are looking to switch careers, she says it’s an option people should look into now since it worked for her.
“During this pandemic it’s been really clear that you should wake up loving what you do. And you should consider all your options about thinking back and spending your days and if this is meaningful to you and if it’s not you should make a change,” says Lau.
One healthcare job is especially in demand – registered nurses. According to the American Nurses Association, there’s actually a shortage and demand is only expected to go up.
Find more information about training programs and get help with your job search here.
Every day at 5:30 PM this week KIRO 7 is focusing on getting you back to work. Watch on KIRO 7, your streaming device, your smart TV or the KIRO 7 App.