It is the time of the year to make predictions regarding the economic scenario and job opportunities that this year would bring along. Moreover, 2012 is also going to be the year of Presidential and senate elections, making it a crucial year in the history of USA. While the nation celebrates Christmas with gusto, the dark clouds of yet another poor economic year do exist. The political and social atmosphere in the USA, reflects that its citizens are expecting more reforms from the government, especially in reducing the unemployment rate that has been around 8%-9% in the last couple of years. Choosing careers in times of financial crisis is a decision that is dreaded by both parents and students. The potential threat of being unable to repay education loans even forces several students to drop out from colleges and pursue jobs to sustain themselves. With a hope that this Christmas and new year will bring the best of our economic system to us, let us know about some upcoming careers in the year 2012. Technology Forays into Fields Unknown Although we are aware of numerous jobs that technology has created (and even eliminated!), it is cent percent true that innovation in technology will continue to create new opportunities for youngsters. Almost all sectors of the present day world are integrated into latest technologies. Moreover, technology has the tremendous potential to contribute its efficacy in traditional sectors like agriculture. Consider, for example the growth and developments in the organic food industry, which is becoming more organized in its functioning as organic food producers, certification experts, retailers and scientists are coming together on the same platform with the help of advanced technologies. For those who are die-hard fans of robotics; career opportunities abound in fields like simulation engineering and even parallel programming. Computational biology, genetic analyst, space tourism and caregiver jobs are some other potentially rewarding industries in the coming years. These fields will obviously demand extensive education and training especially in the fields related to computer science, engineering, maths, physics, biology, travel and tourism, astronomy, to just name a few of them. Upcoming Careers of 2012 So which sectors guarantee you a better life ahead? Which career opportunities can survive any coming future recessions? Let's have a look at the best careers for 2012 and beyond. Note: Salary data presented in this article are approximations and they are subject to fluctuations because of several factors. Pilot Yes, the job of a pilot is one of the most popular jobs this year. For being a pilot you don't even need a college degree all you need to do is successfully enroll in a flying school and complete your pilot course so that you can get your CPL (Commercial Pilot License). The job of a pilot involves a lot of stress as safe landings and take off the aircraft is in the pilot's hands. For doing such a hectic job, pilots earn a whopping $100,580 annually plus some additional perks from the airline they are working for. Dental Hygienists Dental hygienists are health care professionals who assist dentists in their daily activities. They are always ranked as one of the best jobs in America as there are a lot of growth opportunities in the field of dentistry. It's one of the most popular jobs in the US which doesn't require a college degree and the stress factor is also very low. A dental hygienist earns around $70,000 every year. Web Designers Almost everything that happens in this world runs through computers and the Internet. The web is one of the most powerful tools for personal and professional use today. There's a high demand for web designers in the US and to become a web designer people can enroll themselves in various colleges and schools meant for graphic design. As a web designer of a company you can expect to earn anywhere between $65,000 to $80,000 every year. Audiologist Another name in the list of well paid careers of 2012 is of an audiologist. The main job of an audiologist is to diagnose and cure patients with hearing disabilities. They may treat their patients with hearing aids, using an auditory training program and also take the help of their observations. For this job you need a medical degree and should also have proper knowledge about ears and their hearing impairment. Audiologists earn more than $70,000 annually. Criminal Investigators If you are an ardent follower of the show CSI, this career is for you. Criminal investigating is one of the high profile careers in the law enforcement agencies. It demands tremendous training as investigating a crime involves numerous stages of brain storming. Investigators are able to earn anywhere between $40,000 to $90,000, with growth in work experience. Certified Public Accountant CPAs are a crucial part of any organization as they help in taxes, audits and other complex financial works. With the entire world economy closely dependent on the financial sector, the vital need of CPAs can't be denied. The earning prospects of CPAs is very bright and they can make anywhere between $40,000 to $80,000, per year. Special Education Teacher In the teaching field, special education teachers are needed more than ever, as the number of schools for special children has risen in the recent years. Today there is a need of excellent, well-trained and compassionate teachers who can impart quality training to the special kids. Special education teachers generally earn $40,000 in the starting years and it can increase to $60,000 to $70,000, with further work experience. Salaries also depend on the location of the school and funds it receives. Meteorologist Meteorologists are people who study the weather and give out the forecast on the news and to the government agencies. Due to the increase in the number of natural disasters, private companies have started hiring their own meteorologists, so that they get to know any change in the climate immediately. A experienced meteorologist earns around $80,000 every year. Technical Writers Technical writers are people who transform technical terms into simple ones so that an average man can understand. Technical writers design instruction manuals, user and buyer guides for consumers so that they can learn how to use a respective item. Average salary of technical writers start from $60,000 and can go up to $98,000. Hope this article on up and coming careers 2012 was resourceful. These careers are there now and they are going to survive the future. All of them show excellent job prospects and the salary package also improves with experience. So choose a career which bests suit your interest and start working towards it. Lastly, I would like to state the fact these are not the only good careers that have tremendous prospects. There are several other fields that can help you create a bright future. Just make sure, you're passionate about your chosen field.