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With 13 million workers across the country, the healthcare industry is by and large the biggest industry in the United States. Even with its impressive presence today, the healthcare field is also home to 10 of the 20 fastest growing industries, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Perhaps even more impressive is that a majority of these positions filled will be by people with 4 years or less of training. That's in large part due to the availability of allied-health training, such as what's offered at Compass Career College.

Below are three of the fastest growing allied health careers in the country, all of which are areas of study we offer here at CCC:

Mike Rowe is likely best known as the host of the show Dirty Jobs, a series on the Discovery Channel that had Rowe perform difficult and often messy jobs alongside the folks who do them day in and day out.

You might also know him as the spokesman for brands like Viva paper towels. But what Rowe would likely want to be known as is as an advocate for skilled labor. For years, Rowe has been warning us of what he refers to as a growing skills gap: each and every year there are fewer and fewer skilled tradesman (HVAC installers, welders, plumbers, etc.) because more people seek a traditional four-year college degree as the preface toward (hopefully) a viable career.

But as Rowe has been quoted as saying on various occasions, a four-year degree isn't for everyone, nor is it the formula for guaranteed happiness. Rowe's goal is to help people realize that they very well could find a viable career - and happiness - doing a job that needs to get done (similar to the jobs he performed in Dirty Jobs).

Students come to Compass Career College to embark on careers that require minimal educational requirements, yet still offer a good job outlook.

That's why our Cosmetology program has proven to be widely popular.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, cosmetologists should experience a better-than-average job growth through 2024. A significant reason for this projected 10% growth can be credited to the need to replace existing workers who are leaving the occupation (often because they near the age of retirement).

Many cosmetologists from our program go on to work in salons as hair dressers, while some commit themselves to opening their own salons. However, the skills you learn at CCC's cosmetology program open you up to a tremendous job market that includes a variety of off-the-beaten-path career paths that are proving to be in demand and, in some cases, offer higher wages than a standard hair dresser.

One of the biggest frustrations college graduates have as they enter the workforce is that the education they received (and paid for) doesn't translate into a viable career right from the start.

That's because not every industry has the desire - or capacity - to hire fresh talent, and those who do only offer entry level positions that don't really reflect the skills the graduate received during his or her schooling. Additionally, because of the cost of a traditional 4-year degree (coupling tuition with the years spent not making a viable income), many college graduates simply can't afford to take these entry-level positions. At the same time, most of these “entry level” jobs require years of prior work experience, something most new college graduates do not have.

It's no wonder, then, that more and more college-ready young adults - and people looking to make a career change - are turning to vocational training courses.

Some of these training programs prepare students for a career in allied health. The job outlook within the allied health industry is bright, because the need for healthcare never wanes.

Here at Compass Career College, we offer three programs for students interested in a career in allied health:

It almost seems impossible to admit this - seeing as skilled laborers are the folks who built our country - but the U.S. is facing an incredible decline in skilled labor over the next few years, at the exact time when demand is expected to reach its peak.

There are many reasons and theories behind the decline in skilled labors - the push (in high schools) toward conventional 4-year careers; a misconception associated with “skilled labor”; the recent recession forcing folks out of their skilled labor profession; baby boomers reaching the age of retirement - but regardless of the reasons, this labor shortage poses both consequence as well as opportunities.

According to a 2015 report by the Manufacturing Institute, titled The Skills Gap in U.S. Manufacturing 2015 and Beyond,the main problem manufacturers and construction companies face is meeting with customer demand. The lack of skilled laborers prevents companies in these industries from keeping up with the needs and wants of their own customers.

That same report projects that 3.4 million manufacturing jobs are likely to be needed over the next decade. Of those jobs, an unbelievable 2 millionare expected to go unfilled, furthering the current skills gap.

With unfilled skilled trades, companies can’t grow.

The interesting thing is, there is no shortage of people out there who are capableof filling these in-demand jobs in fields such as welding, There’s just a shortage of people willingto do them.