Terri Naylor
July 28, 2011
Career Trends for the Deaf
Even the briefest glance into the pages
of Deaf history reveals the long and arduous struggle members of the Deaf
community have faced in their quest for equal opportunity employment. Not
until the dawn of the industrial age has notable change been wrought,
through the availability of manufacturing jobs in factories, millwork, mines
and textile fabrication (Weta and Florentine,1/10/2007). Stigmas attached to
Deaf individuals, brought about by discrimination and ignorance in the
Hearing world were the driving forces that left a large majority of Deaf
families without sufficient and viable means to support themselves.
Fortunately, through advances in education, both for the Deaf and the
Hearing, changes in laws, increased rights for the Deaf, and advances in
technology, Deaf communities are experiencing more opportunities now than
ever before. Anti-discrimination and advocacy groups persist in helping to
break down barriers to employment, and though traditional jobs for the Deaf
such as teaching and interpreting continue to grow, new and exciting
prospects in the “Hearing world” are opening all of the time (Weta and
Florentine 1/10/07). From the many IT computer based jobs that were non-
existent even 10 years ago, to Health care, Law, Engineering, and
entrepreneurship, it seems a new day is dawning for career opportunities
among the Deaf.
In 1975, the Total Communication act
[Ed. note: It wasn't the "Total
Communication act," it was the "The Education for All Handicapped Children
Act" (Public Law 94-142)] was passed to insure that all
handicapped children in the U.S be provided with free and appropriate
education. This was perhaps the most significant influence on the
advancement of Deaf education. Since then, education has improved in a
number of ways both among the Hearing and the Deaf. Availability of
American Sign Language classes both at the high school and college levels,
is helping to educate people in communicating with the Deaf, and about Deaf
Culture. Classes and programs for the Deaf at the college level are growing
to include training for health professions, computer programming,
engineering and the arts, preparing students for the growing needs in these
fields (Martin,6/1/08). Gallaudet University has designed all of its
programs and services to accommodate the Deaf and offers over forty majors
and many job openings in many areas such as secretarial positions and
university faculty positions, as well as preparation for careers outside the
Deaf community. Education about Deaf culture for the Hearing, and training
for degrees in professional careers for the Deaf are key components to
revolutionizing careers for the Deaf and expanding their choices beyond
conventional Deaf jobs.
Perhaps the most profound catalyst for change in Deaf employment is the
advancement in technology. In the 1960’s, the invention of the
teletypewriter (TTY) made a huge impact on communication for the Deaf, as it
enabled them to use the telephone, increasing their communicating and
networking abilities. But this invention was merely the beginning of a wave
of technology that would continue to sweep across the world, forever
changing the “quiet” world of the Deaf community. By 1980, closed captioned
television was invented, further increasing the opportunity for education
and information retrieval, vital to expanding employment options (Weta and
Florentine, 1/10/07).
The 1980’s were also the beginning of the personal computer age. With
the advent of more user friendly computers and programs, and the World Wide
Web, the Deaf could expand their employment base exponentially. Many Deaf
have started their own web based businesses with the aid of email and high
speed internet . Other technology based jobs include computer programming,
systems analysts, system engineer, software developer and network
administrator. Many of these positions do not require college degrees, but
experience, training and certification through examination can often qualify
an employee to earn 40,000-100,000 dollars per year. Many job search engines
such as Monster.com, report a 41% deficit in locating qualified workers to
fill these types of jobs, making IT jobs one of the most in demand and
highest paying career choices for both Deaf and hearing individuals . Many
of the highest paying jobs require a college degree. Careers such as
accounting and tax professionals can earn upwards of $100,000 per year, but
require at least a bachelors degree and usually some post graduate study or
training. Large corporations are reporting an increase in demand for these
jobs due to economic globalization. People who enjoy working in this type of
fast paced, high powered environment might choose to enroll in an
institution that offers training in the field of accounting and tax
professional for businesses (Martin, 6/1/08).
With a more globalized economy comes a need for corporations and
businesses to develop and manage their websites. Website developers can earn
upwards for $50,000 per year and do not need a college degree. However,
experience in related fields and training or certification will land the
best website developer positions. These types of jobs are ideal for the
person who prefers to work in a slower paced environment, and the work can
be done remotely, often even at home. Accounting, Tax, and website developer
jobs could be ideal for Deaf employees preferring to work in situations that
call for less interaction with the public, but there are many jobs that are
suited for the more outgoing individual who prefers to work with and around
people.
There are approximately 100 Deaf physicians practicing in the United
States and with the development of advanced medical technology this number
is expected to increase. From stethoscopes for the Deaf to overhead screens
in operating rooms for communicating during surgery, the way is being paved
for Deaf individuals to pursue careers as doctors or other healthcare
providers. The topic of Deaf employees in the health care field is being
widely addressed at present, due to the severe lack of Deaf or hard of
hearing employees in this field. This topic is of great concern in the Deaf
community and efforts are being made to change this trend. Nursing, speech
pathology, audiology, sonography, and X-ray technicians are all fields in
which Deaf people can easily be trained to operate successfully (Ray,
5/20/10).
Other up and coming career choices in the 21st century
include dental hygienist, psychologist, electricians, and engineers
(Martin). All of these require some college education, but usually pay
higher than those that don’t. The Arts is an ever expanding area including
performing arts, music interpretation, dance, theatre, graphics, and
computer game design. These jobs are easily filled by Deaf individuals who
enjoy performing in front of audiences, displaying artwork in galleries, or
for the gaming enthusiast who refuses to grow up! Being Deaf would have
little or no impact on the ability to excel in these careers. Confidence is
a major factor for many Deaf individuals in obtaining the courage needed to
pursue many positions that might otherwise be filled by Hearing individuals.
Though new trends for employment are rapidly expanding, some of the
more traditional jobs for the Deaf are also enjoying large increases in
growth. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in May of 2009,
Positions for interpreters and translators increased by 40,000 and were
expected to rise. With improvements in technology, Deaf individuals can
participate in this rewarding field. An example of an interpreting field
that is growing, is managing sign language video, or relay services, and
video remote interpreting services. Deaf people can manage these services so
this type of job isn’t limited to Hearing individuals. However, standards
for education for these spots are rising and now require at least a
bachelor’s degree along with additional training and experience within the
Deaf and hard of hearing community. This type of interpreting can be found
in many environments including government agencies, schools, hospitals,
courtrooms, amusement parks and theatres (Berke, 3/29/11).
Deaf career counseling is a much needed service for Deaf students in
both Deaf and mainstream colleges and universities, especially as
opportunities continue to expand (Berke,3/29/11). These professionals will
be key figures in serving the Deaf community by educating and guiding
students to the right career path that is suited to their specific gifts,
talents and personality traits.
Gone are the days of limited access to a few government, manufacturing
and Deaf teaching jobs for the Deaf community. The world is changing and new
and exciting opportunities are opening up continuously. Through advances in
technology, education about the Deaf community for the Hearing, and
expanding educational choices for the Deaf, we are all limited only by our
imaginations.
References:
1. Weta and Florentine Films/Holt Productions. Jan 10,2007. Through Deaf
Eyes. Retrieved July 10,2011. www.pbs.org/weta/throughdeafeyes/
2. Ray,(no first name given). May 10,2010. Universities Seek more
healthcare jobs for the Deaf. Deaf Times. Retrieved July 11,2011.
http://deaftimes.com/author/ray/..
3. Berke, Jamie. March 29,2011. Jobs using Sign language. Deafness
about.com. Retrieved on July 13, 2011. http://deafness.about.com/cs/signfeats
4. Martin,Nick. June 1 2008. Best Jobs for the Deaf. NetSignNews.
Retreived on July 13,2011. www.NetSignNews.com