Photo credited to Pxhere Graphic designers make up the information workers alongside programmers, SEO optimisers and writers.    OTHER RELATED/SIMILAR ROLES Graphic artists are also known as video editors, photoshop editors, and designers.   WORKPLACE   You may work at web development companies, advertisement agencies, and product manufacturing companies.    INVESTMENTS Educational requirements and training  You can be a graphic artist with just any course provided you have solid training in tools of the trade. You can have a more solid background if you finish a four-year course of fine arts offered in various universities, colleges and online schools. Although some companies may accept applicants who can demonstrate competencies in the use of the tools of the trade such as photoshop and premier.   Self-learning on online courses offered by online schools. Alison.com Edx.org Khan Academy Udemy.com  Coursera.com Full time or in-house schooling offered by private and public universities and TESDA. Here are some of the degrees  Schools - For more info, visit https://www.finduniversity.ph/graphic-design-schools/    Degrees AB in Multimedia Arts Associate in Multimedia Technologies Associate in Computer Graphics and Animation Computer-Aided Design and Drafting BS in Digital Illustration and Animation Master of Computer Graphics and Animation Diploma in Digital Arts & Design   Hardware Graphics tablet and pen External monitor Reliable internet connection Laptop or desktop capable of running video and graphics editing software. Minimum requirements for such computers include: 8-above Gigabytes of RAM Dedicated graphics card i5 upwards - i7, i9   SKILLS NEEDED   Soft skills Hard skills   Empathy Creativity Teamwork Concentration Time management Customer service        Graphic design fundamentals Colour theory Typography Visual hierarchy Repetition       Industry tools Adobe Photoshop CC or its previous versions CS6 and CS5 Adobe Illustrator CC or its prior versions CS6 and CS5 Adobe Premiere Adobe XD for wireframing Inkscape Gimp       Project management Project management tools such as Molly for project collaboration.     DUTIES Make concepts, graphics and layouts for company logos, product illustrations and websites. Liaise with clients to determine their budget and requirements. Suggest layouts and review outcomes if needed. Make social media posts and videos. Make infographic videos for marketing and online streaming media. Determine copy size and specifics such as colour, font and typeface.   WORKING ENVIRONMENT You might work in companies with air-conditioned offices similar to call centres. You could also work from home depending on    SALARY AND BENEFITS Remunerations depend on the company size, location, skill level, experience and position. In the Philippines, a typical graphic artist may earn from 12, 000 to 30, 000 or more. High -        42, 700 Average -     26, 900 Low -         12, 400   Source: SalaryExplorer   Salary and benefits depend on the following factors: Company size Experience Skills set Proficiency for each graphic skills   PROS AND CONS Pros Possible generous compensation depending on company size and experience. Less stressful work depending on workload. Creativity opportunity - You learn while being creative. Your skills and experiences are transferable. Most or all businesses use graphics for their communication. It feels great when someone appreciates your work and you see your hard work. Cons Sedentary lifestyle - You will sit in front of your computer for 8 or more hours. A competitive market - More people are now training for graphic design and tools and so an increase in competition. Others will say your job is easy - Someone who doesn’t know about the intricacies of graphic design training will likely assume that making logos, posters and videos are easy as folding clothes.   POSSIBLE EMPLOYERS AND INDUSTRIES Graphic designers work in the following industries and companies that need visual content (graphics and videos) for advertisement and communication. Possible industries include: Advertisement agencies Food and beverage Job search boards Marketing Public relations firms Real estate What are the uses of graphic arts? Billboard ads Food and Beverage packaging Mug and plates Online streaming sites (Dailymotion, Youtube, Vimeo) Social media - Facebook, Twitter, Mix, Vkontakte and other social media sites Tarpaulin Television ads   CAREER PATH Graphic artists may choose to explore these related fields by gaining experiencing and learning skills. Indeed, graphic artists can be versatile. Book publisher Brochure designer Ceramic designer Clothing designer Computer-Aided Designer Freelance worker Game designer Marketing Specialist Packaging designer Production artist Teachers  Textile designer User experience designer User interface designer Video editor Website designer   ROBOT AND AI REPLACEMENT CHECKER Some websites dedicate themselves to providing readers or users with info on whether a specific job could be replaced by a robot or automated by AI. Here are the results from these sites. Willrobotstakemyjob.com           = 8% chances of being replaced or automated Replacedbyrobot.info                 = 1.5% chances of being replaced or automated   JOB  OUTLOOK Disclaimer: This graph is an estimate and it doesn’t express absolute accuracy. The job market depends on the country’s economy and trends in information technology, advertising and marketing.    There can be an increasing demand for graphic artists and designers as there will be always a need for visual art (images and videos). The job outlook may differ in different countries because of population size, supply and demand, school to students ratio and the variety of industries specific to a country.  Source: Salaryexplorer.com  

Photo by netkids from Pixabay This role is vital for keeping the community clean and devoid of pests and pathogenic microbes. Without garbage collectors, barangays, towns, and cities would be filled with stinking trash and engulfed in infectious materials. In this section, we would like to underscore the essential role of these workers in our community and raise awareness to uplift their living standards.   OTHER RELATED OR SIMILAR ROLES Waste disposal workers Sewage collector worker Garbage disposal worker   JOB RESPONSIBILITIES Collect trash and empty trash bin and cans. Segregate rubbish Operate garbage compactors  Use and wear personal protective equipment such as the following; Latex gloves Hard hat Hazmat suit Working boots Mask with an inhaler Goggles   WORKPLACE: WHERE DO THEY WORK? Garbage work on a specific place of assignment in a town, city, province, or state. They usually work in teams (2 or more people) along with the garbage truck driver.   SKILLS NEEDED Ability to overcome squeamish situations such as handling trash. Knowledge of waste segregation - Biodegradable and Non-Biodegradable items. Knowledge of proper handling of biohazard wastes (medical or hospital wastes) such as syringes, needles, spent vaccine bottles, spent inhalers, intravenous tubes, gauzes, and blood-soaked cotton. Usage of personal protective equipment. Attentive to details.   EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND OTHER QUALIFICATIONS Depending on the employer and country, aspiring garbage may need a high school diploma or a technical certificate in waste collection and handling. On top of that, they might need training on the safe handling of biohazard wastes.   PAYSCALE According to Salaryexpert.com, the average base salary of a garbage collector is 200, 196 per year. The average hourly rate is 96.25.  Data Source: Salary Expert    JOB MARKET OUTLOOK Garbage or Rubbish will always be a part of daily Human activities due to the consumption of goods and services. You’ll always buy groceries that are packed in plastic or metal packaging. These packaging often go to trash cans. Twice or thrice a week, garbage collectors need to go to every street and pick up sacks and empty trash bins.    PROSPECTS FOR CAREER ADVANCEMENT Garbage collectors can advance through experience, education, and training. You can assume administrative duties, and managerial roles or become a waste management professional that runs sewage treatment plants.   RISKS OF BEING AUTOMATED OR REPLACED BY ROBOTS According to replacedbyrobot.info, garbage collectors had a 93% Chance of Automation. The reason for this high chance of robot replacement is that new technology within the next or the near future, could develop or invent garbage collecting car that AI and sensors entirely control. This could reduce or remove the need for human oversight. This analysis is only an assumption and it’s still hard to predict whether automation would replace garbage collectors.   PROS AND CONS Pros More job opportunities or demand. Every community requires garbage collection services. Job security, especially if a stable waste disposal company or a government hires you. If you’re an extrovert and love to meet people, then this is your chance because you’re going house to house. Avoid the confined spaces of an office. Cons You must handle possible biohazardous wastes such as hospital, kitchen, and factory waste. You’ve to endure the smell of rotting garbage unless you’re wearing Personal Protective Equipment. If you’re not used to waking up early in the morning, you’ll get stressed. The task can be physically demanding because you’ve to lift heavy trash cans. 

  Image credited to  rawpixel and Licensed under Wikimedia Commons Public Domain “You are what you eat” is a quote that means you should eat to stay fit and healthy. To live beyond middle age without a frequent visit to a hospital. In the healthcare industry, a dietician is a healthcare professional who assesses and recommends nutrition to clients, carers, and colleagues.     OTHER RELATED OR SIMILAR ROLES Clinical nutritionist Gerontological nutritionist Neonatal nutritionist dietitian Nurse-dietitian Nutritional advisers Nutrition experts Nutritionist Public health nutritionist Sports and fitness nutritionist Therapeutic nutritionist dietitian   JOB RESPONSIBILITIES Design menus and nutrition Write reports Advice about special diets Consult with other health professionals regarding dietary needs or restrictions Monitor food service to ensure compliance to nutrition, safety and sanitary standards Develop policies or rules on nutrition and disease control Test food products and equipment   WORKPLACE - WHERE DO THEY WORK? Hospitals Clinics Schools Universities Food and beverage companies   SKILLS NEEDED Soft skills Hard skills Time management Communications (oral and written) Teamwork Motivating others Empathy Compassion Solid knowledge of nutrition Effects of nutrition on health Human Anatomy Biochemistry Business skills for freelancing Medical records Patient care Interpreting lab results Understanding of medical conditions such as anaemia, diabetes Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI) Weight loss Special diets   EDUCATION AND TRAINING To be a professional dietitian, you must finish and pass a four-year degree of Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics (BS ND). This course will you understand how to document, implement, and monitor nutritional programs for an individual or group. In your last year of the course, you’ll be asked to undergo on-the-job training in community food manufacturing companies, food/beverage companies and health facilities. After graduation, if you want to be a registered dietitian,  you must take an exam conducted by the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC).   PAYSCALE According to Payscale.com, the average salary of a dietitian is 245, 000 PHP every year, the lowest is 108, 000 PHP and the highest is 357, 000 PHP.   JOB MARKET OUTLOOK People need the right nutrition to stay healthy and fit. You can’t just do anything you want 24/7. Getting and eating the right food for a healthy body isn’t simple and there’s always be a need for a dietitian. An increase in the aging population will raise the demand for dietitians.   PROSPECTS FOR CAREER ADVANCEMENT You can advance in this job by taking additional training or postgraduate degrees such as a masters degree or doctorate. You can also get promoted to administrative or managerial roles.   RISKS OF BEING AUTOMATED OR REPLACED BY ROBOTS According to willrobotstakemyjob.com, there’s a 0.4% chance of dietitians being automated or replaced by robots. That chance can be lower if professionals stay in their human interaction role.   PROS AND CONS Pros Help people get healthy Work in different places The pay isn’t bad.  You’re less exposed to the risk of infections due to handling specimens or visiting patients who have a communicable disease. Cons You may work with patients who have shortened life expectancy. And losing them is disheartening. You have to follow and get updated on regulations. Schooling could be expensive and intense.   DIETITIAN VERSUS NUTRITIONIST These two terms are often confused. Although they have similar training and education, a dietitian is often certified or licensed while a nutritionist isn’t.  Registered Dietitians are qualified to design diets and diagnose eating disorders while anyone who has a nutritional background or has studied a short-term course can call themselves a nutritionist even without a valid license. In the United States, however, a nutrition professional is called a certified nutrition specialist.  

 Work-Life Balance by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Alpha Stock Images from Picpedia.org Career starters or jobseekers will likely associate good jobs with high a salary. While a good salary is ideal, other aspects of the job are overlooked. When you work 24/7, you’ve to consider these other things:    Career growth Career growth refers to appraisals, promotions, and salary increases that can improve the employee’s life and career trajectory. A healthy career growth won’t you in the same position after a year or more. For example, if you can’t get promotions from the dishwasher to cook even after showing your skills and effort, it’s worth leaving that company for good and going for the next opportunity.       Flexibility Flexibility means the ability of employers and employees to adapt to changes. Employers can offer a flexible working environment involving: Work from home  Condensed work schedule with additional working days on top of the regular weekend day-offs. Employees can demonstrate flexibility to their companies by: Learning new software or skills that can improve work efficiency and reduce hiring expenses. Offering to help a colleague to finish a deadline. Offering to cover the colleague’s duties while he or she is ill or on holiday Postponing a planned work to respond to an urgent task   Health Health is wealth. You can’t have your goals if your body is on the verge of shutting down due to serious health issues. As an employer, you can promote health through the following: If you’re running catering services for employees, give them healthy foods and drinks. If you have in-house employees and you’ve got a budget, you can offer them to use your mini-gym with a treadmill and weights.    Employees can maintain their health through: Working with enough break time. Eating healthy meals.    Liking what you do You can be more efficient or productive when you like what you’re doing. If it’s the opposite, you can find yourself hating waking up and rushing to go home with a Bundy clock. Reasons vary why employees may grow tired or bored by what they’re doing - reasons include - working in a toxic environment and toxic person.   Safety The safety of your environment can affect your peace of mind and prospects of how you can succeed in your life. Some industries, companies, and professions have more risks than others. If you believe that you can find a better job and pay than your current work, you should start finding a new job.  Employers in construction, fire safety, and smelting industries can improve safety through: Mandatory use of safety suits Weekly or monthly safety meetings Employing safety inspectors     Employees can reduce the risks they face by: Reviewing safety rules and procedures. Wearing safety suits Studying safety courses  Workers in the information industry (content writers, graphic designers and programmers) are also at risk of developing unhealthy habits and illnesses. Setting for 8 hours or more a day, and eating unhealthy foods can increase belly fat. Without exercise, you have no way of burning fats in your body. Excessive fat can lead to heart disease and other serious medical conditions.    Recreation  The saying “all work with no play makes Jack a dull boy” means that a person will become bored and eventually tired without time off. A person’s motivation plummets within seconds of exhaustion and boredom. Employers can improve work and life balance by: Allowing more time off without affecting productivity Conducting parties with special food and games Promoting extracurricular activities such as visiting nature sites and vacations   Challenges and boredom Challenges refer to varying levels of stress (low and high). They also pertain to changing deadlines, methods to finish the task, learning, and rewards. Boredom points to the repetitive activities that can numb your body and mind. It’s likely that if your job has few or no challenges and all boredom, you’ve less chance to move up the career ladder. For employers, to reduce boredom and repetition, Promote and encourage learning among employees. Provide learning opportunities. Provide a safe and learning-conducive environment For employees, to reduce boredom: Collaborate with others Set new challenges and goals Get a normal sleep Take a vacation Modify your workspace

Ethical Hacker Photo credited to Sebastiaan Ter Burg. Licensed under Creative Commons   Creativity refers to the ability and tendency to generate alternatives, ideas, and possibilities useful for communicating, entertaining, and problem-solving. Some jobs are already known or popular in the creative industry, such as graphic artist and web developer. But some creative jobs are less known or less frequent. Here are these jobs:   Audio or Sound editor Audio editors or sound editors assemble and select sounds for motion pictures, television programs, and video games.  Here,  you may use software such as Adobe Audition, Ableton Live, Audacity, ACID Pro, and other audio editing software.  You may work for radio and TV news, live sports games, and theatrical art studios.  You’ll be expected to know audio software tools and post-production methods and meet deadlines. Also, you must know how to use audio mixer devices that are professional and sophisticated tools with a bunch of displays, switches, controls, and lights).   Education/Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in communications, broadcasting, or audiovisual technology Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Sound Design or Audio Production Understanding and skills in Audio editing software such as Adobe Audition, Ableton Live, Audacity, ACID Pro, and other audio editing software. Understanding of digital recording formats, music composition, music theory, and marketing music   Tasks: Create and compile soundtracks Control and edit sound through the multi-track audio editor Keep up with music trends from different genres. Edit music and sound effects according to company standards.   Salary: 530, 299 PHP per year (Philippines) Salary Range: 389, 659 PHP to 657, 242 PHP per year. Source: Salary Expert   Body Painter (human body painter) Body painters or body painting artists are just like canvas artists but their painting medium is the human skin. Like a tattoo artist, you’ll turn a skin or whole human body into a masterpiece depicting abstract, techno, or nature themes. You won’t be using permanent ink but water-based and non-toxic paints.   Usually, you’ll work as a freelancer but at other times as a member of a creative group. The venues of your working environment include corporate events, fairs, and birthday parties. Education/Qualifications: Degree in Fine arts or graphic design Skills and knowledge in different types of paint suited for the human body   Tasks:  Perform body painting sessions Make sure that the host is comfortable Take care of body painting equipment and paints and ensure they are organised and stored properly. Get appropriate payments from customers   Salary: It may range from a few hundred to thousands of dollars depending on location, skill, and work needed.    Feng shui consultant/Feng Shui Interior Designer  Feng shui pertains to the Chinese thought system of rules and laws that govern spatial arrangements. These arrangements can affect the flow of energy and luck. If you’re familiar with Chinese culture, you might have already encountered or heard of Feng shui. Now, a feng shui consultant is an expert on this. You’ll advise and recommend the proper positions of doors, windows, beds, stairs, and anything inside and outside a house or building.  For example, you may inspect an interior and recommend to your customers to remove a bedroom facing the door since this is considered a Shar (Sha chi or Negative Energy). A Shar such as a bedroom opposite the doorway can bring negative energy or bad luck since it resembles the direction of carrying the dead out of the window. Another Shar is a house near or within the cemetery. Feng Shui experts consider cemeteries as places of Yin energy (Negative and Female energy) and recommend houses should be at least 5 miles away from burial sites. Being a Feng Shui expert can enhance your career prospects when you’re already in the related fields of architecture, interior and landscape design. On the other hand, a positive feng shui brings Yang (Positive or Luck energy) or male energy. Examples of Yang include - a patterned rug on the floor, a clutter-free environment, and a naturally lighted room. Usually, you’ll work as a consultant or as a part of a consulting company. Your clients could be a real estate companies, private persons, building, or residential owners. Being a consultant, you might not have a fixed salary structure, as this may depend on your expertise. Your goal is to enhance your clients’ living space with harmonious arrangements of things in line with feng shui practices and principles.   Education/Qualification:   Certification in Feng Shui from an accredited trade organisation. Program for Fengshui Architecture Program for Fengshui Interior Design & Landscape Feng Shui Online Courses   Note: For more feng shui training, visit these sites Digitaldefynd.com Masterhanzcua.com   More sources: Easy-fengshui.com Duties: Check indoor and outdoor designs for compliance with feng shui practices. Make onsite evaluations. Recommend changes if there are Shars identified.   Salary: In the Philippines, the fees depend on the size of the property and the consultant’s experience. A feng shui advisor may charge from a hundred to thousands of pesos per hour, per session or per property. In the USA, the range is from $591 to $1534 (Home Advisor)     Fragrance chemist/Perfumer If you love being around a room full of essential oils, analysing devices and other fragrant chemicals, this job is for you. You research and make fragrances for cleaning products, food, manufacturing, pesticide and perfume. You may get samples and concentrates such as lavender, rose, sandalwood, agar-agar, musk and other synthetic or natural scents. These fragrances can help mask the chemical smell of a product or add just add fragrance.   Education and Qualifications: Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. Degree in Cosmetic Science Training in Chemicals and Aromatics Strong sense of smell   Duties: Analyse chemical raw materials or additives  Evaluate finished products Knowledge of gas chromatography Perform chemical and physical tests Ensure the production process conforms to quality control and safety standards   Salary: 213, 048 PHP average salary per year  Source: Economic Research Institute and Salaryexpert   Ethical Hacker The term “Hacker” is often associated with malicious intent but, did you know you can be a hacker without landing in legal trouble? If you like to tinker ins and outs of software security or enter the IT security career, this job is for you. When you hack ethically, you test the software’s vulnerability to criminal hackers. You may work for banks, government agencies, software companies, and web development companies.   Educational/Training Background: Computer engineering Software engineering Bachelor's degree in information technology Duties:  Help a software development company or organisation overcome security risks and prevent malicious hacking attacks.  Maintain strict confidentiality and secrecy of company credentials and accounts. Solve problems and have technical skills in networking and cybersecurity.   Salary: 475, 000 PHP average salary per year Salary Range: 218, 400 PHP to 756, 000 PHP per year Source: Salaryexplorer.com   Dating Consultant/Dating Coach If attracting the opposite sex is as easy as learning the ABC, then most people have already their fiancés. Unfortunately, personalities are different, and not all have the skill or confidence to approach and attract a man or woman. As a dating consultant, you’ll help singles work out their strategies and guide them to find their soon-to-be boyfriend and girlfriend.   Education/Training Background: Note: There’s another term related to dating consultants called Pick Up Artist (PUA) that are associated with narcissists and sociopaths according to some dating sites and articles.   Education:  Experience in dating different people and possibly a background in Communication, Psychology, and Social Work. You may work as an independent consultant or a member of a dating consultancy service.    Duties:  Provide tips and advice person to person or in seminar venues. Guide clients on their dating Manage dating accounts Prepare dates for clients Monitor relationship status   Salary: $32, 000 per year average annual salary per year (USA) Source: Work.chron.com    Herbalist  Numerous medicines came from natural sources such as plants, animals, fungi, and microbes. But did you know herbs are one of the major sources of plant-based drugs? Herbs are medicinal plants are procured for their healing properties. Herbalists use plants for healing ailments. You won’t be a medical doctor in this field, though; you can be referred to as a medical herbalist.    Education/Qualifications: There’s no common certification program or educational degree for herbalists so you might earn your credentials by finishing:  Botany or plant science Evidence-based botanical research Nutrition Pharmacy and dispensing   You might join herbal trade organisations or get recognition from regulatory government agencies.    Tasks: Make herbal products such as herbal tinctures, elixirs, bitters, and medicinal hone. Makes infusions, tea blends, herbal tinctures, herb-infused oils and vinegar Manages herbal shops Perform quality control on herbal-infused products If you’ve writing skills, you could write and publish herbal blogs and books.   Salary: 328, 241 PHP - Average Salary per Year Salary Range: 243, 170 PHP to 404, 498 per year  Source: Salaryexpert.com  Disclaimer: The salary figures above constitute an estimate and may change because of the job market, and economic and technological trends.