Who Is Considered An Essential Worker?

Most states across the country are urging residents to stay home in order to contain the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), but essential workers continue to work on the frontlines — providing healthcare, transporting essential goods nationwide, and maintaining the wellness, safety, and livelihood of Americans.

What Is An Essential Worker?

The term essential worker typically applies [1] to workers in law enforcement and public safety, food production, pharmacy employees, health care providers, emergency personnel, transportation, energy sector employees, and some other areas as defined by state and local authorities.

Are you wondering if you are considered an essential worker? Here are 7 categories [2] of essential workers and some of the professionals that fall within those groups.

Healthcare And Public Health

Healthcare professionals are vital during this global crisis, included in this category are hospital and laboratory personnel, nursing and medical assistants, and phlebotomists. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends [3] dentists prioritize patients with urgent and emergency needs, in order to preserve the necessary personal protection equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis.

Critical Manufacturing

Critical manufacturing [4] relies on welders and electricians for the manufacturing of primary metals, machinery, electrical and transportation equipment.

Energy

The energy category [5] depends on electricians for the maintenance of the nation’s energy supply during coronavirus. Additionally, HVAC technicians are critical to maintaining heating, air conditioning, and other necessary services in climate controlled environments.

Transportation

The transportation category [6] is essential for moving people and goods safely and efficiently around the country and overseas. This includes truck drivers and those professions that require CDL licenses like bus drivers, and forklift operators. Truck drivers with experience driving hazardous materials may also be needed for the transport of chemicals, which is also considered an essential job.

Communications And Information Technology

These two categories support the communications and technology necessary for command and control centers to share information. These centers rely on HVAC-MAR and electrical technicians to maintain and operate facilities [7].

Food And Agriculture

Grocery store and restaurant workers, delivery drivers, pharmacy employees, and farm workers are all essential [7] professionals necessary for maintaining the food supply and keeping Americans fed, stores stocked, and food delivered.

Childcare Workers

Although it is ultimately determined by individual states [8], many states consider childcare workers essential, particularly for the families of other essential workers whose children need a safe place to go while their parents are at work.

MTI Offers Programs That Prepare Students For Work In Essential Fields

At Midwest Technical Institute (MTI), students can train for careers as essential workers, offering stability in a changing world.

MTI’s programs in allied health, mechanical trades, truck driving, and other skilled trades will be taught by blending online classroom instruction and hands-on training in the lab, offering a plan for the future and the chance to move forward in a positive, new direction.

Programs include:

Now is a great time to meet virtually with the MTI Admissions Team, who are available to chat by video or phone. Explore MTI’s campus through a virtual tour, see inside labs, classrooms, and around campus facilities.

*Not all programs and courses are available at all campuses.

Sources

[1] https://www.foxnews.com/us/coronavirus-who-are-considered-essential-workers

[2] https://www.cisa.gov/identifying-critical-infrastructure-during-covid-19

[3] https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/infectioncontrol/statement-COVID.html

[4] https://www.cisa.gov/critical-manufacturing-sector

[5] https://www.cisa.gov/energy-sector

[6] https://www.cisa.gov/transportation-systems-sector

[7] https://www.cisa.gov/publication/guidance-essential-critical-infrastructure-workforce

[8] https://www.npr.org/2020/03/31/824385002/essential-child-care-workers-struggle-to-balance-family-needs-safety