After years of struggle, the US job market is beginning to rebuild, and some industries are seeing substantial improvements. In a study conducted by Wired Magazine of 7 million US LinkedIn members who have switched industries during the past five years, eLearning ranked at number six with 18.7% job growth per year. Wired reports that the trend in job growth stems from the popularity of a new category of jobs, called “smart jobs.” They are specialized, generally innovative and high-tech, and are spread out all over the country, creating numerous opportunities.

Wired Magazine Percentage Gains in Job Category, 2006-2010 Infographic (click to enlarge)

The desire for eLearning services around the world is apparent, and those in the industry have taken advantage. Elearning technologies are constantly evolving in order to accommodate the vast amount of interests and learners, as seen in the rise of mobile learning and social learning. The industry boasts a variety jobs, including instructional designers, developers, trainers, instructors, and more, which is why it’s no surprise that the eLearning employment rate is climbing.

“In an era of cutbacks, the demand for eLearning – in all its forms – is up,” said Marc J. Rosenberg in his Learning Solutions Magazine article. “We have not lost the need to get learning and information to people quickly and effectively. In fact, the need to get this done in a knowledge-rich and increasingly digital workplace is greater than ever before.”

Proof of this need is visible in a recent Ambient Insight report, which indicates that the US market for self-paced eLearning products and services reached $18.2 billion in 2010, and revenues will reach $24.2 billion by 2015. Even in harsh economic times, the eLearning industry has stayed afloat and even flourished because of the growing necessity for software that is affordable, interactive, user-friendly and easy to deploy.

The Lectora product line has seen a surge in interest over the last few years because of the various innovative technologies and eLearning opportunities. Lectora Inspire introduced the “all you need in one place” solution as an eLearning suite, bundling Lectora, Flypaper, Camtasia and SnagIt. For one price, you are equipped with the leading flash content creation, screen capture and recording software, and you don’t need to be an expert to create quality material. Web-based training, online tutorials, as well as Lectora Inspire’s ease-of-use all contribute to users’ ability to save money, while keeping people employed and the industry thriving.

It’s clear that eLearning is an attractive industry with both job and revenue progression, and it will undoubtedly see more improvements in the future. As long as eLearning solution providers, course developers, and other influential people in the field continue to perfect their craft and offer even greater resources, people will continue to support the industry and its overwhelming possibilities.

 

 

To see Lectora’s features and publishing solutions, stay connected with our social networks at: Twitter: @lectora, Facebook - http://bit.ly/cIG0Pe, LinkedIn group (Lectora Rapid eLearning) -http://bit.ly/9qcO3n

 

Heather Thomas is the Social Media Lead at Trivantis Corporation. She is a senior public relations student at Kent State University and is interested in corporate PR and social media. She enjoys traveling, reading and writing.