Recession-Proof Jobs Give Paws

(CBS)  After 10 years working in computers, something was missing for Cynthia Mark: Passion.

So she quit her climb up the corporate ladder, and headed to St. Petersberg College in Florida to work with animals - a love of hers ever since she was a kid.

She's becoming a veterinary technologist - a specialist handling everything from drawing blood to analyzing it in the lab. And she's having a lot of fun, CBS News correspondent Jim Axelrod reports.

In every economic downturn, people want to know what the most "recession-proof" jobs are. Given the strength of this recession, the smart job-seeker might want to look at the recession proof field that's among the fastest-growing. And for that, look no further.

Laurence Shatkin literally wrote the book on it. His "150 Recession-Proof Jobs" lists vet technician at No. 2. It's a field expected to grow 41 percent in the next decade. Veterinarians themselves rank 4th.

"I would think pets are discretionary, no?" Axelrod asked.

"Not anymore. Pets are really part of the family now, it's not considered discretionary spending anymore," Shatkin said.

No, it's not. In 2006, Americans spent $24.5 billion on their pets' health care. That's more than double what they spent a decade earlier. All that care is keeping pets alive longer, in large part due to advances in technology for diagnosing and treating animals.

The multiplying number of tests explains why vet tech is now the college's most popular program. With a job-placement rate of 96 percent, graduate and you'll get a job.

Over time, Mark can match the $70,000 salary of her old job.

"It's been a pretty secure kind of thing that we expect, when we're done with school, we know we have a job," Mark said.

And it's getting more secure all the time.

The only recession-proof field growing faster is computer analysis. But that's what Cynthia Mark was trying to get away from - figuring she only has one life, not nine.

[ratlover1]

My mom just alerted me to this piece. I could only laugh when I read/watched it! I am a registered vet tech. I worked at a referral-only specialty practice for 2 1/2 years and only made $28,000. I just changed career paths and now work in research at a well-known University. I now have excellent benefits, including paid vacation, sick and personal days, medical and dental insurance, life insurance, and a retirement plan. I make a little more money and with this experience have the potential to at least double my salary in the next 5 to 10 years. I would never have any of those benefits or that salary potential working at a vet clinic.
The veterinary field is NOT "recession-proof". At our clinic, many clients were opting for euthanasia of their beloved pet because they could not afford diagnostic procedures, and those who could afford diagnostics could not afford treatment. In the general practices who referred to us, they saw a sharp drop in income over the past year, and several vets were laid off. Even vets rarely make the $70,000 salary mentioned in this piece, and I think it is absolutely impossible for a tech to make that kind of money. The only way to do it is to continue your education (I plan to get my Bachelor's degree, as the Associate's needed to be a vet tech isn't enough to go very far) and to explore alternative fields.
Vet techs aren't in the career for the money, they do it because they love animals. Many techs leave the field to become human nurses so they can have a similarly rewarding career with benefits and decent pay. It's a shame, really. I absolutely loved my job, but simply could not support my family with that income. I could not afford for myself nor my family to go to the doctor or dentist. I had little choice. I pity those who watched this and thought what a great career, because they will be sadly disappointed.

[freak_stones]

This is the type of lazy and inaccurate "journalism" is exactly why I do not watch mainstream news programs.

Come on-- just a simple internet search on The Bureau of Labor and Statistics website would have given a salary range for Vet Techs. Common sense also would tell anybody that in a recession, animal services are going to be hit harder; "recession-proof", I think not.

This example of incompetence should caution you about believing other "facts" that the media presents to the public. Find an accurate source for your news on PBS or the internet because this is all too common.

[eaglesrising]

It is wonderful to see just how much discussion this article provoked at a time when our critters need our attention.

I also think that it is easy to forget that this is a "projection? and that it was not all that long ago that projections were made regarding computer and nursing careers...

No that is not to say that every projection comes to fruition however it is to say that this information is worthy of consideration.

Yes, shelters and rescue groups are receiving higher volumes of intakes... I hope that we are not failing to consider the number of folks who have lost their homes... Pets are some of those casualties... as are these families... of our current economic challenges.

Child surrender also went up in various states; we do not hear much about that however it is a truth... Many children now reside in vehicles and tent cities with their families across this great nation.

Sometimes companion surrender is the only option these families have... This does not mean, and should not be interpreted as, a statement of their lack of value to their human companions...

Of course, this is just my humble opinion ~smiling~

[runragged]

I don't think enough background information was checked into for whoever wrote this story. I have been a Vet. Tech. for over 27 yeras and I am barely making half the $70,000 that was stated. The higher salary is probably for supervisory Technicians who are at a University or private clinic that has 30-50 technicians to supervise. Those jobs are few and far between. I bust my butt 40 plus hours a week and now cannot get overtime due to the economy. I don't want overtime but when I have to work it, then have to try to find time to leave early in the next few days of the pay period so that they do not have to pay overtime. When i went to Tech . school I did it because I was an animal oriented person who thought I could do this job the rest of my life. Well I am, but the salary isn't there and won't ever be. I love what I do but you have to love it to be able to put up with a low salary, hard work and the love of the animals. If I was single I could barely gat buy. Most single techs have 2nd jobs to be able to live. People please go check this out at your local clinic and see what we mean. Don't rush to apply to a Vet. Tech. school only to find out the salary is much lower than the $70,000!

[vettech123]

Ok, wow. Hey Jim, I'd call that poor girl at St. Petersberg College and give her a good shoulder to cry on when you inform her that she would be lucky to start off making half that sallary (i'm talking about the $70,000) a year. Frankly the math speaks for itself. Granted it's a great career and a very satisfying job, but frankly speaking it's not one people go into for the money (well if they're smart, anyway). In fact, new grads are luck to make between $10-15 hourly when first starting out. (and that really depends on your location). I feel really bad for all these people that are now rushing to get in school for vet tech degree thinking they're going to make that kind of money and I think you should definitely go over your numbers again and print a retraction

[thevetColo]

I am a veterinarian and an owner of a hospital in Colorado. Therefore I am well-qualified to comment on this subject. I'm sorry to say this this story is very deceiving. They will have tons of people running to enroll in vet tech school only to find out that getting peed and pooped on will bring home $13 - $16 per hour. Do the math, does this look like a $70,000 salary? In fact $70,000 is barely a starting salary for most veterinarians. Veterinarians go to school for at least 8 years whereas most tech programs are 18 months or so. I love my staff and think they deserve to make well more than they do, but it is simply not possible. Yes, a lot of people do consider their pets to be like children, but not all. Even those people who want to do anything for their pet can't always. The hardest part of working at a veterinary hospital is when a pet has a completely treatable disease but the owner can not afford the treatment. Usually the pet is euthanized. I've never heard of a human hospital that would euthanize your child because they have a broken leg or bladder stones. Don't fool the public into thinking that veterinary hospitals are raking it in. We are just as affected by this economy. Unfortuantely, because most people in this field have a lot of compassion we get walked all over and are made to feel guilty about the services we do provide. We are also left to compete with so-called "low cost" hospitals (which you might as well translate to low-quality) because the general public believes that all hospitals practice medicine with the same standards. Not so. As with most things you get what you pay for. I think CBS should retract the statement about a technician making a $70,000 salary, oh wait, I guess they didn't say per year. Sure she will eventually make $70,000.

[NVvettech]

This article just makes me so furious. I am a licensed veterinary technician here in Nevada and I can't even find a job (with great references) with all the veterinarians around here. What this article doesn't tell you is with this poor economy people can't afford to take their animals to the clinic (or animal hospital). Therefore, the hospitals are having problems even paying their technicians what they deserve. It's a catch 22 where the vets need us but they can't afford us either. Since I'm already talking about salaries let me just give you an example of what I was making after 1 1/2 years after graduation being a full time tech...$14/hour with no benefits...a far cry from $70,000/year and I started out at $12/hr. I wish they wouldn't glorify this job. Granted I loved it...when I did have a job. Can I rely on it being recession proof? NO. At least not in Nevada.

[kyanov1]

This is a great article. I agree with the 1st comment though about the nursing career HOWEVER, it's impossible to get into nursing school (i am trying to just get on the waiting list and there is a 3 year wait) so it's almost a lost cause, and by the time I actually get 'accepted' into nursing school, I will be done with my degree in veterinary technology.

It's really sad because certified veterinary technicians are able to clinical treat patients more (they can do everything but prognose/diagnose/create incisions)than a human nurse and vet tech's currently make 1/2 of what human nurses do. Human nuses eat their young in nursing school and in real world working environments.

I am currently in vet tech school to receive a degree and I am praying that with this article and the upcoming 2010 National Exam law that this information helps with salary increases by the time I am finished with school.

One last thought - Animal owners along with pets are better to work with than people any day of the week!

[ontheleft]

The number two most secure job is vet technicians? I think not. Nursing is the most secure profession right now and it's not even mentioned in this list.

Spending on pets is down overall. Everything from grooming to kennels to vet visits is down because of the depression. Pets shelters are overwhelmed with pets who are being abandoned by their owners who can no longer care for them.

[mav547166]

Join the military while you can, that way you can get a recession proof job, make some money, and serve your country.