Even as the economic downturn causes mayhem all around us, some people remain unaffected by the current crisis thanks largely to the nature of their jobs. Let’s face it; we all feel our hearts pounding every time the office rumor mill is abuzz with news of impending layoffs. In such a situation, it’s only human to wish we had qualifications that gave us better job security against the vagaries of economy.

Since layoffs depend a lot on the circumstances your company finds itself in during recessionary times, it may not always be possible to safeguard your job. After all, if an organization has to shut shop, there is precious little a fancy degree can do to protect you from getting the pink slip. However, there are certain career paths that can withstand an economic crisis better than others.

One such occupation that comes to mind is that of a healthcare professional. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare and education were the only sectors that saw a positive growth in employment in October 2009. Healthcare added 29,000 jobs in October and 597,000 jobs since the start of recession.

Healthcare offers a wide variety of career options. A Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration will equip you with clinical and business skills needed to manage various healthcare facilities, whereas a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy will allow you to work as a respiratory care practitioner and tend to patients with breathing or cardiopulmonary diseases under the supervision of a physician.

But the occupation with the most promise in the healthcare industry is nursing. No matter what the condition of the economy is, registered nurses are always in demand to assist doctors and care for patients. The profession also offers attractive monetary benefits and unmatched professional gratification. You can either opt for an Associate Degree in Nursing or go for Bachelor of Science in Nursing or Master of Science in Nursing Administration if you are already a registered nurse.

Another occupation that assumes importance in recessionary times is auditing. With many companies facing financial crisis, managing budgets becomes the focus area. Reallocation of resources, minimizing mismanagement of funds, tax planning and many such activities are undertaken on a war footing. To become an auditor, one needs a degree in accounting. A Bachelor of Science in Accounting will prepare individuals for challenging jobs in public, social, or government organizations.

But if number crunching is not your forte and healthcare does not interest you, then you can consider a career in computer science. Since most businesses have started relying more and more on technology to perform complex functions, the need for computer scientists and information technology experts keeps growing.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a faster than average growth in employment for computer scientists. However, with technology becoming more sophisticated by the day, employers are looking for people with advanced degrees in computer science. A Bachelor of Science in Computer Science is one such program that will impart practical and theoretical knowledge to prepare students for programming and networking jobs.

Those who dream of making critical business decisions and lead people and organizations, will find a career in business administration appealing. People with business administration background are sought across the globe because their skills and knowledge are universally relevant. A Bachelor of Business Administration degree should get you going in that direction.

In conclusion, every hardship teaches us some lessons. It’s up to us to turn those lessons into a world of opportunity. Recessions will come and recessions will go…What will stand the test of time is a sound education and the choices we make.