Photo of Medical record by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Pix4free Often medical jobs are discussed, and doctors, nurses, med techs, and radiologists are noticed. Most or some don’t know that there’s a medical records officer profession that is essential for efficient healthcare services. If you’re thinking about this career without spending a huge amount of money on a medical career, you can consider this job. OTHER NAMES FOR THIS ROLE Medical records clerk Medical records administrator Medical records staff Patient registrar Medical Secretary Health records officer   JOB RESPONSIBILITIES Gather patient demographic and personal info. Safeguard data from theft and nature’s  Perform clerical duties such as answering calls, recording patient admission and discharge information. Maintain the accuracy and quality of records by following hospital standards. Provide medical records to appropriate offices or departments and to medical staff.    WORKPLACE — WHERE DO THEY WORK? Hospitals Clinics Specialised medical research facilities   EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND OTHER QUALIFICATIONS In the Philippines, you can train as one by completing a certificate course in health information management. Some hospitals require candidates with a course in a medical background such as pharmacy, biology, nursing, and medical technology. In addition, you could be required to know some health records software used as a standard in hospitals, clinics, and laboratories.   PAYSCALE According to Salaryexpert.com, the average salary of this job is 798,000 per year. Here’s a graphical representation: Data source: SalaryExporer Note: This data is subject to change depending on time and job market.   JOB MARKET OUTLOOK Medical records officers will continue to see a demand in the near future due to an increase in healthcare. People will become seniors and need healthcare.   PROSPECTS FOR CAREER ADVANCEMENT Through experience and training, you could climb the career ladder and become a medical records manager.   RISKS OF BEING AUTOMATED OR REPLACED BY ROBOTS According to willrobotstakemyjob.com, the chances of automation for this job are 92%. This could be due to advances in robotics technology, software, and artificial intelligence. But this result should not be taken as an exact measure to justify not taking the career of medical records officer. Even though there’s a risk of automation, human oversight is needed and robots won’t replace humans.   PROS AND CONS PROS Contribute to the healthcare system. Gain knowledge in medical science and health software Work in an office environment far away from the risk of infections and biohazard specimens. You may choose a career path to other medical professions such as    CONS The work can be sedentary, and you can gain more weight. You may work long shifts depending on the number of patients.

Photo credited to Elevate from Pexels   Warehousemen receive, store, keep, retrieve, and send items. They are the stewards of the warehouse that stores different goods — inedible and edible items.   OTHER RELATED NAMES Warehouse worker,  storekeeper,  warehouse keeper,  warehouse manager,  warehouse stock clerk,  warehouse supervisor,  Property custodian,  Yard Clerk, Parts person,  Divisional Storekeeper,  Freight Associate,  Inventory Manager   PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES Receive, sort, and store items in the warehouse; Count inventory (in and out) and record the data. Enter data of items to logistics software. Label merchandise. Open crates and containers. Organise pallets. Prepare and ship orders. Receive delivery vans or trucks. Sort merchandise according to unique number, shape, size, and type. Store merchandise using a forklift. Use forklifts to move merchandise. Verify invoices and ensure their information is correct such as consignee, sender, number of items, expiration, and tracking number.  Confer with clients and suppliers about the items’ delivery and retrieval; Arrange transportation Coordinate with deliveries Retrieve items required by the clients; Fill up paperwork to inform customers regarding their items deliveries. Prepare items for shipment. Maintain warehouse cleanliness; Prevent infestations from pests such as rats and roaches; Report malfunctioning devices and machines; Check if items need special storage facilities such as extra packing and refrigeration. Follow and maintain safety procedures and policies; Use gloves, goggles, and helmets Use forklift safely. Place safety signage in designated areas   POSSIBLE EMPLOYERS AND INDUSTRIES Industries and companies that purchase or deliver goods or require the need to store items in large numbers.  Airlines Electronics and battery manufacturers E-commerce companies Food and beverage companies that own warehouse Malls Vaccine manufacturers Wheel manufacturers   OTHER RELATED ROLES Distribution Center Manager Forklift Operator Inventory Control Manager Warehouse Associate Warehouse Clerk Warehouse Manager Warehouse packer   INVESTMENTS Formal route Bachelor’s degree in warehouse management Supply chain management course Certificate in logistics Certificate in warehousing operations   Informal or hybrid route You could be a warehouseman by taking an informal route. Even if you didn’t have a supply chain degree, you could work your way up the logistics ladder. You can start as a warehouse apprentice and get promoted once you learn the fundamentals and gain experience.   SKILLS NEEDED Soft skills Hard skills Communication (oral and writing) Punctuality Self-motivation Teamwork Willingness to learn   Forklift driving and license Picking and packing RF Scanning Knowledge of safety rules Computer literacy —  experience and skills in logistics software (SAP) High levels of integrity, honesty, and reliability. Physical strength for handling heavy items.   WORKING ENVIRONMENT Your 24/7 life will likely be in the warehouse or within its premises. The warehouse size depends on the goods or products that could be a pallet of crockeries, medicines, computers, or anything that could be sold online or through stores.  If you know some logistics software, you could be assigned to a warehouse computer room where you manage the inbound and outbound flow of goods. An entry-level warehouseman will spend time using a manual forklift to retrieve or store pallets. If you have a driving license, you can use a forklift to get merchandise.    Stress level The stress levels depend on the type volume of deliveries, demands, and the warehouse location. Stress can arise from handling heavy items and repetitive retrieval and storage of items. In a car parts, warehouse, you could pull out a 30 kg to 53 kg car battery and bring such human-weight items into the loading ramp and truck. You’ve to worry about the careful handling of products under your care because with one mistake you could bump into heaps of bottles or mistakenly drive the forklift in the opposite direction.   SALARY AND BENEFITS  Salary depends on the company size, experience, location position, and skill set. According to Salaryexpert.com, the warehouse salary in the Philippines is 184,762 yearly on average.    Data source: Salaryexpert.com Note: The data above may change depending on year, and job market conditions.   Depending on the company size, location, and position, benefits may include: Free accommodation or stay-in Free transportation Free meals Government-mandated benefits Vacations and leaves Health cards Mobile Allowance   PROS AND CONS   Pros Stable industry — Businesses need a warehouse to distribute goods — from healthcare to automotive. Fitness — You spend your day walking around the warehouse, and that means you can stay fit compared to sedentary jobs.   Cons Can be physically exhausting — you could work in a warehouse for truck or car batteries that weigh more than 30 kg. Repetitive —  If you do the same menial tasks daily, you could get bored - such as picking and loading, you’ll face boredom and frustration.    CAREER PATH Depending on your education, company, skills, and performance, you can work your way up the career pyramid or ladder.     ROBOT AND AI REPLACEMENT CHECKER Because of advancements in Artificial intelligence and robots, some warehousing roles could be replaced by machines. Robots may handle tasks that are repetitive or dangerous. For example, Amazon USA has already employed robots in their warehouses. Machines may not overtake our jobs since oversight will always go for humans and AI or robots will support human workers.  If you like to check whether warehouseman could be replaced by robots, check this site.   JOB OUTLOOK This occupation will continue to grow due to increase in online shopping and use of shopping platforms. Logistics is an essential part of business and will remain an essential business force today and the near future.  

Photo by jtronics80 from Pixabay   Barbershops are known for their recognizable symbol - the swirling barber pole with red, white, and blue stripes. Did you know that the barber pole originated in the medieval period when bloodletting is recognized as a treatment for several disorders? While bloodletting is no longer a barber’s task, using the barber pole serves as a homage to the occupation’s historical legacy. The pole communicates that the shop is open for business. Barbers are also called hair cutters or hairdressers. In this role, you can be proficient in making people look good and presentable by knowing hairstyle cuts, and chemicals used in the face and hair.    OTHER RELATED NAMES AND ROLES Beautician Coiffeur Cosmetologist Haircutter Hairdresser Hair Stylist   PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES Apply the proper haircut requested by the customer Maintain cleanliness throughout the saloon by collecting and disposing of hair. Keep scissors, comb, clipper, neck duster, hand mirror, razor and shave brush clean and sanitised. Receive payments, issue receipts and return changes. Washing and conditioning client’s hair. Provide back, face, neck hand, shoulder massage Welcome customers and consult them about their desired haircuts and styles. Trim beards and facial hair   POSSIBLE EMPLOYERS AND INDUSTRIES Salon Barbershop Part-time or freelance roles Training schools for barbers and beauticians   INVESTMENTS - EDUCATION AND TRAINING In the Philippines, a barber can be more marketable and skilled by finishing the TESDA Barbering NC II which is 456 hours and 200 more to complete. In the United States, some states require licensing for barbers.   SKILLS NEEDED Physical stamina - Most of the time you’ll be standing for hours while tending to a customer. Positive and customer friendly demeanor Organization Keeping the workplace clean and tidy   WORKING ENVIRONMENT Your working environment will be in a saloon full of hair cutting tools, hair care chemicals, a mirror, an electronic hair cutter and a rotating chair. The volume of customers depends on your saloon's location:  whether it’s in a busy street corner, city centre or a non-busy village.   STRESS LEVEL The more customers, the more likely you’ll experience stress. The stress level also comes from the long hours of standing while working.   SALARY AND BENEFITS  The salary depends on your location - city vs province - and company size. If you’re full time employed in the Philippines, the employer is expected to provide government-mandated benefits such as SSS, Pag-ibig and Philhealth. You could earn tips from generous customers if your service is good.    Data Source: Salary Explorer Note: Salary depends on time and location. When the above statistics changes in 2025, it's only true for the year 2024. RISKS OF BEING AUTOMATED OR REPLACED BY ROBOTS Robots and AI could potentially make haircuts, but the required extreme dexterity to provide a nice haircut can make such a robotic takeover far from reality. In addition, providing haircut and grooming services is not just about the service: it's also about a human connection, where individuals prefer the personal touch that comes with a human barber. According to willrobotstakemyjob.com/barbers, barbers had a 48% chance or moderate risk of being automated.   PROS AND CONS Pros Meet new people and hone your customer service skills Help people look good and well-groomed. Cons The role might not be paying well if you’re employed in small to medium-sized barbershops.  Standing for the whole of your shift can be taxing.   CAREER PATH AND OUTLOOK You can move up a career ladder by taking up these roles: Salon manager Salon owner Educational instructors who train newbies at trade schools

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.