Health Science, A Career Cluster

A career cluster is a group of related types of work (BLS, 2024). Various accredited sources recognize 16 to 17 career clusters. Generally speaking, these 16 to 17 clusters include all the different fields that one might be able to pursue work within. Unlike industries, which include groups of businesses that share related activities and products, career clusters encompass a variety of careers that share similar knowledge, skills, and interests (BLS, 2024). Due to the mutual occupational interests of this group, the career cluster we have chosen is “health science.” Individually, our occupational interests are diverse and include chiropractic, paramedic, and radiological work. However, we are united under the umbrella of health science. Careers in this cluster entail helping or providing people and animals with the medical care they need in order to maintain or achieve health (Torpey, 2015). The health sciences are a massive career cluster, hosting over 12.2 million jobs (Torpey, 2015). Additionally, when considering the healthcare industries as a whole, there are nearly 21 million Americans employed within these numerous industries (Careeronestop, 2024). The number of available careers within this cluster continues to develop along with the advancement of technology and increase in population. For example, telehealth has greatly expanded following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. All throughout the health sciences, however, there is a hiring boom. Skilled people are needed at every level, but furthering one’s education is key to entering into the more niche occupations within health sciences. Furthermore, the career cluster of health science interacts with many other clusters, including education and training, government and public administration, human services, and STEM – just to name a few. Should one select a career at random, one would find it difficult to not find a line that connects that career to the health science cluster. Moreover, nearly every US citizen interacts with the health sciences at some point in their life, if not routinely. This group is greatly looking forward to one day drawing these lines and establishing connections with those whom we provide medical assistance to.

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