I grew up in the 1980s, before parents worried so much about things like injuries, low self-esteem, and kidnappings. I’ve often reminisced with my friends about all the things we got to do growing up that kids just don’t get to do now. Here are some examples of what I got to do back then that most parents aren’t going to allow now:
Run wild in the neighborhood. My sister and I pretty much had the run of the neighborhood. We played in the open space behind our house, wandered down to the cattails a quarter mile away, and rode our bikes around the block without asking first.
Make a mess. I can remember painting my little sister’s face with tempera to make her look like a clown. My mom didn’t get mad at me — she actually encouraged it! I remember her complimenting my "work" and taking pictures in the backyard.
Play with things that aren’t toys. For example, when I was a kid we had a couple of old-fashioned paper cutting machines — old guillotine cutters with painted metal arms, varnished wood bases, and absolutely no safety devices whatsoever. Now no parent would dream of letting their kids play with something like that, even rotary trimmers (which aren’t as dangerous).
Ride bikes without helmets. When I was a kid, bike helmets weren’t a necessity — in fact, I remember not wanting to look "dorky." Now even small children on scooters and tricycles have helmets on — even though these same kids aren’t allowed off the driveway (whereas I rode all over the neighborhood)!
I know that parents worry much more these days about their children’s safety, but I’m just not so sure that I was any less safe growing up than some of today’s pampered, sheltered children.
The healthcare industry is a great industry to be working in right now, especially considering the recession that currently threatens the country — healthcare professionals tend to be in high demand, so healthcare jobs tend to offer a lot of job security.
Of course, healthcare jobs do require training and certification, though not always as much as the famous 6 years or more of education that are required for a doctor’s degree. Here are 3 very attainable Tampa health care programs for those who are interested in working in the healthcare industry.
Medical assisting. Doctors usually have a busy workload, so a lot depends on medical assistants — they pretty much keep the doctor’s office or hospital running smoothly. You might do something as basic as running the front desk or checking people’s blood pressure, or as complicated as assisting a surgeon. Either way, you need the proper training.
Pharmacy work. Working in a pharmacy is a popular option for those who want to work in the industry, but not necessarily in a hospital. Working in a pharmacy requires specific knowledge and training, such as an understanding of the nature of drugs and how they can react with one another. You may be in a different environment, but people’s lives and well-being are still depending on you!
Massage therapy. Believe it or not, massage therapy is an important part of people’s health. Tense muscles can detract from a person’s sense of physical well being; too much tension and physical stress can also create problems in other areas of physical health. To be an effective massage therapist, you need to know and have practiced the methods used to treat each individual condition.
Programs such as these are available at many different schools nationwide, such as the Sanford Brown Institute in Tampa. Sanford Brown, which is a very well-known school in the industry, also has other locations — for example, Sanford Brown Institute New York and Sanford Brown Milwaukee.
Whatever healthcare program you decide to go into, and wherever you decide to get your training, rest assured that you are getting into an exciting, fast-paced, and very secure job industry!
