Even in a bad economy, some jobs abound

Help wanted: experienced veterinary technician, with accredited two- or four-year degree and state-issued license. Lifelong passion for pets a plus!

Personal trainer, fitness enthusiast, good communication skills. Adaptable and a people person. Must be certified by a recognized institution.

Home health aides: no skills necessary, will train for free. Only the compassionate need apply.

The economy may be contracting, but in some fields, opportunities still abound. The jobs that will be in demand the most on Long Island in the next five to six years fall largely within the personal and professional services, and health care and technology sectors, according to a Newsday analysis of projections by the state Department of Labor, and interviews with business and educational leaders in those fields. Most, but not all, require at least a two-year college degree and some kind of licensing or certification.

The salaries may not qualify you for a million-dollar mortgage, but the work can be steady, flexible, varied and rewarding.

"There's nothing more satisfying than being able to help your client, and exercise and health is typically something a trainer is passionate about," said Sharon Moelis, director of fitness and programming at South Shore Fitness in Oceanside. "Second of all, it's usually very easy to make your own schedule."

In the 1980s, a personal trainer was usually just "the biggest, buffest guy in the gym," Moelis said. Now, trainers (fitness trainer and aerobics instructor median income on Long Island, according to the state Labor Department: $52,170) need to be certified by a recognized program, and many specialize in post-rehab training for clients graduating from physical therapy.

Social work (median income: $56,030) is another job with great personal rewards and opportunities. But there is a downside: The pay can be low for entry-level and nonprofit positions.

"The reward is intrinsic, if you like doing the work and believing in what you do," said Jamie Bogenshutz, executive director of YES Community Counseling Center in Massapequa. "That works for some but it doesn't work for everybody. You still have to put a meal on the table."

Organizations like hers, which rely on government grants and private donations, have trouble retaining good social workers because of salaries that hover around $40,000 a year, Bogenshutz said. Institutions such as hospitals and schools pay more.

Social workers who do counseling generally need master's degrees, though substance abuse counselors - another fast-growing occupation (median income: $43,420) - need only a high school diploma or GED and state certification.

"If you're creative, you can take this background almost anywhere," said Ilene Nathanson, director of the social work program at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University.

Hate working with people? Sorry. Even computer work requires interpersonal and communication skills these days.

"If you ask around with managers or HR people, they'll tell you that one of their big laments is that students coming out today have no people skills," said Chris Malinowski, the graduate program director of C.W. Post's computer science and management engineering department, and a former commanding officer of computer investigations for the NYPD.

Network analysts (median income: $75,030) have lots of opportunities, Malinowski said, because computer networks are proliferating and require constant maintenance. Analysts need critical thinking as well as technical skills, as they monitor systems for bugs or infiltrators.

"It's a thinking person's game," Malinowski said. "It's like playing with electronic Legos in a sense. You get a chance to play with electronic toys to construct a real business environment for people to rely on."

Neither can accountants ($74,710) wallow in columns of numbers; a good accountant must be articulate and personable, said Mark Meinberg, Nassau County chapter president of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants. Accountants don't necessarily need to have passed the certified public accounting exam, and CPAs don't necessarily need a master's, though all require a set amount of college credit.

The profession, which can take a backseat to high finance when times are flush, is now seeing a slight glut of young accountants, Meinberg said. The good news, he said, is that the economic meltdown created an emphasis on oversight and compliance, which bodes well for the field in the long run.

If you really, really, really want to avoid working with people, don't despair: There's an ongoing need for qualified veterinary technicians ($37,300), who must graduate from an accredited two- or four-year program and pass a licensing exam.

"Ten or 15 years ago there were no specialty hospitals of this caliber. It was not commonplace to seek out a neurologist or oncologist; you would just go to a general practitioner and they would tell you your pet has cancer and you would just make them comfortable," said Gregory Carastro, a licensed vet technician and the hospital administrator of the Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island, in West Islip. "Now, there are so many things you can do for your animal; it's just a much bigger field. There's much more need for competent, qualified vet technicians."

Carastro said his hospital is constantly advertising for technicians, whose duties and skills include basic anesthesiology, dentistry, medication administration and radiology.

Health-care professions dominate the list of occupations with opportunity. Radiologic technologists ($67,210), who operate an ever-expanding spectrum of imaging equipment, have no trouble finding work. James Joyce, director of C.W. Post's radiologic technology program, said his two-year program, which enrolls 25 students a year, saw a 31 percent increase in applicants from 2007 to 2009.

School can be expensive, but home health aides ($23,220) are in such demand that most agencies will provide free training. Many also pay sign-up bonuses, referral bonuses and provide immediate job placement, said Taryn Birkmire, executive director of Recco Home Care Service in Massapequa and president of the Long Island chapter of Home Health Care Providers.

The aging of baby boomers, combined with a grueling economy that allows little leeway to stay at home caring for a sick or elderly relative, has fueled a relentless growth in her field, Birkmire said.

"We've been one of the few industries that have been able to provide employment," she said. In fact, the decline in other available jobs has made it easier for agencies to find staff.

Home health aides require 80 hours of classroom training and eight hours of clinical training in courses approved by the state Health Department, Birkmire said. The jobs offer flexibility, she said, and personal satisfaction.

"We look for somebody that has compassion," she said. "You can't force this on anybody. You have to kind of feel it within your heart."