If the pandemic has changed your opinion on job security or working from home, here are seven essential professions you might want to consider.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home is no longer a perk for the few, but a reality for the majority. Over the past four months, many jobs we thought only possible in a workplace setting have proven to be possible from home. Who would have thought it?
Many of the professions that aren’t suitable for remote work are now praised as essential to our communities since the arrival COVID-19 and for those who find remote work extremely challenging, it might make them consider changing jobs.
If that’s you, why not check out these essential roles below:
Health care worker
Health care professionals had to top our list. From the doctors, nurses and porters in our hospitals to the GPs and health care assistants who look after our sick and elderly every day; if the past few months has taught us anything, it’s that we should never take their hard work for granted. Of course, the biggest job of them all is the role of Chief Medical Officer, a role which until recently, Tony Holohan managed with a quiet confidence and a calming reassurance that helped us through some of our darkest days. If there was ever an industry that would inspire you to return to education and reskill, the medical sector is it.
Postal workers
Our postmen and couriers certainly had a busy time of it during lockdown, delivering parcels that made our time at home that little bit more bearable, whether it was new toys to distract the kids, loungewear for ultimate comfort, or silly late-night purchases we ended up regretting, they continued to deliver despite everything. If there is one job we can bet will never be in jeopardy, it is those who work in the postal system.
Refuse collector
Where would we be without our bin collectors. With all the online shopping done during lockdown, we would have been buried under a sea of cardboard boxes without them. A job as a bin man or woman isn’t one many would first consider when deciding ‘what you want to be’ as an adult, or when thinking of a career change, but it shouldn’t be ruled out, especially if consistent hours is high on your priority list.
Store assistant
They kept the toilet roll on the shelves despite mass panic and worked tirelessly to ensure everyone’s cupboards were fully stocked through the pandemic. A job as a store assistant may not have been on your bucket list when it came to career moves, but we have a new-found appreciation for the role. Not only does it provide job security, but it also offers hours that can be worked around childcare needs - something we all appreciate after months of juggling parental and work obligations simultaneously. While you might have to start off at the bottom of the ladder, but retail can provide great opportunities to move into management, all you have to do is prove yourself.
Firefighter
You might think from their title that firefighters simply quench flames, but they are so much more than that. They deal with everything from car crashes and rescue operations to chemical spills and flooding. During COVID-19 these everyday heroes continued to provide a myriad of services to the public, and even helped keep moral high in communities wherever they could. If you are looking for a job that is varied, hands on, and extremely rewarding, we can’t think of a more suitable profession.
Delivery driver
Our local grocery shops and pharmacies were continuously restocked throughout the lockdown, and that would not have been possible without these guys. Often starting their shift before sunrise, these key workers deserve a mention for their hard work in keeping the supply chain going. If early mornings and long drives aren’t an issue for you, it could be a job worth considering in the future.
COVID-19 lab technician
They tested thousands of samples and provided much needed data on the numbers of infected right through the first wave of coronavirus and continue to do so in a bid to keep us safe. The role of a lab technician is certainly not for everyone, but if the current pandemic has piqued your interest in virology and the science behind, this might be the career move for you.
