Consider Physical or Occupational Therapy for a stable, service-focused career.

Analysis of Job Opportunities, Skills, and Qualifications:

The discussion strongly backs Physical Therapy (PT) and Occupational Therapy (OT) as great career paths for those interested in design-focused or service-oriented work, especially for someone like the original poster who enjoys interacting with people.

Key Skills:

• Service Orientation: Clearly a core aspect of both PT and OT.
• Interpersonal & Communication Skills: Essential for working with patients, given the emphasis on enjoying interactions with people.
• Design Thinking/Problem Solving: While not explicitly detailed for PT/OT in this comment, the user's interest in "design focused" work can be channeled, particularly in OT (designing adaptive solutions, modifying environments) and PT (creating treatment plans).
• Empathy and Compassion: Implicitly important in service-oriented healthcare roles.
• Scientific Aptitude: Needed for graduate-level healthcare studies.

Tools:

• Although specific tools aren't mentioned, the context suggests a need for educational planning tools (researching programs, prerequisites) and eventually clinical assessment and therapeutic equipment specific to PT/OT.

Qualifications:

• Master's Degree: Required for both PT and OT. This means first obtaining a relevant Bachelor's degree with a strong academic record to get into a Master's program.

Possible Job Opportunities:

• Physical Therapist (PT): Focuses on restoring movement and function.
• Occupational Therapist (OT): Helps people perform daily activities (occupations) through therapeutic use of everyday activities.

Resume/CV Direction (for a high school senior planning ahead):

• Focus on Academic Preparation: Aim for strong grades in science subjects. Research undergraduate programs that are good pre-PT or pre-OT tracks (e.g., Kinesiology, Biology, Psychology, Health Sciences).
• Gain Relevant Experience: Seek volunteer or shadowing opportunities in healthcare settings, especially with PTs or OTs, to show your interest and gain exposure.
• Highlight Service and Interaction: Emphasize any experiences (clubs, part-time jobs, volunteering) that showcase service orientation and strong interpersonal skills.
• Articulate Design Interest: If pursuing OT, any design projects or creative problem-solving experiences could be relevant to highlight in applications for undergraduate or later graduate programs.

Expected Earnings & Outlook:

• Starting Salary: The discussion cautions that starting salaries, even with a Master's, are likely to be modest in the early years and not immediately "$100k." This aligns with realistic expectations for many entry-level professional roles.
• Long-term Potential: Both fields are noted for "good salaries" in the long run.
• Job Security: PT is specifically highlighted for having "solid job security." Both fields generally have strong demand due to aging populations and advances in medical care.

Summary: The advice strongly supports pursuing Physical Therapy or Occupational Therapy. For a high school senior, the immediate steps involve academic planning for an appropriate undergraduate degree, seeking relevant experiences to strengthen future graduate school applications, and understanding that while initial salaries may be moderate, the long-term career prospects regarding salary and job security are very good in these service-oriented fields.