Everest College – The Official Blog

Survey: 79% of Working Texans Are Happy With Their Jobs

DALLAS-FORT WORTH (June 14, 2010) – According to Dr. Cliff Arnall, a Cardiff University researcher, June 18, marks the happiest day of the year. Arnall determined that the “happiest day” was the result of summer’s longer days and warmer weather, the anticipation of one’s vacation, and happy memories of childhood summers. Everest College recently set out to determine Texans’ actual levels of work happiness as summer approaches. The Everest College Texas Workplace Satisfaction Survey revealed that approximately 79 percent of working Texans are happy with their jobs, despite increased responsibility and hours due to downsizing.

“What these ‘happy’ people have in common is that the vast majority of them (82 percent) have some level of post-secondary education, which leads to increased job opportunities,” said Wendy Cullen, vice president of employer development for Everest College. “Education allows people to be more selective when choosing their employment options which ultimately makes them more happy at work!”

Everest’s survey also revealed that while many Texans (70 percent) are optimistic about keeping their jobs, economic conditions and employers’ limited resources are taking a toll on the workforce. More than half (53 percent) cited either pay or level of stress as the factors making them most unhappy with their job. Despite the challenging job environment, many Texans have sought solutions to cope with their dissatisfaction with pay and stress level. According to the survey, 31 percent have considered returning to school to enhance their careers and 20 percent have considered training for new careers. Additionally, more than half (64 percent) of employed Texans say they’d contemplate a career change if nothing stood in their way.

It is also not surprising that 51 percent of those surveyed indicated better pay would make them happier. “Doing something you love” ranked second.

Get a career, get happy

A key to career happiness is getting a career in a field that is in demand, offers flexibility and has the potential for long-term growth. The career experts at Everest have identified health care as one of the strongest industries with opportunity due to increasing population, the aging of the Baby Boomer generation and the strain being placed on existing health care services. In fact, the Texas Workforce Commission estimates that the Texas health care industry will add 418,700 new jobs from 2006 to 2016.

“Health care is booming right now,” says Cullen. “The need is there; the work is very gratifying; and often times you can make your own schedule. Everest focuses on training for occupational areas with skills shortages and we have accelerated programs so you can get into a new career quickly. Some examples include medical assisting, dental assisting, pharmacy technicians and billing support.”

About the Survey

The statewide survey was conducted by Promark Research Corporation, a public opinion research firm, from April 5 to 10, on behalf of Everest College. A total of 806 employed residents of Texas were surveyed online. Results are considered accurate to +/- 3.44% 19 times out of 20.

About Everest College

Everest Colleges and Institutes provide career-oriented diploma and degree programs in health care, criminal justice, skilled trades, business, paralegal, and information technology. Everest has nine Texas locations in Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio and more than 100 schools in the U.S. and Canada. Everest Colleges and Institutes are owned by Corinthian Colleges, Inc., one of the largest post-secondary education companies in North America. For more information, visit http://www.everest.edu.

Editor’s Note: Wendy Cullen, vice president of employer development for Everest Colleges’, is available for interviews to discuss the survey and provide tips on recession-proofing your career. To schedule an interview with Wendy or for more information on the Everest College Texas Workplace Satisfaction Survey, please contact Jef Tingley at The Powell Group at 469-235-6396 or jt@powellgroup.net.

*All references to Texans refer to employed Texans