Labor Figures Show Promise for High School & College Students

Staff Photo by Jeff Depew

Good news may be on the horizon for high school and college students looking at potential future employment. According to figures released last month by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, baby boomers will be bailing out of the job market during the next eight years and that will leave openings in a variety of areas. While the employment market has been tight for the past several years, the retirement of the boomers may be the break that the millenniums are looking for. The market for service jobs, particularly in the health care field, appears to be the most promising, though construction, sales, food service and general office work will also see an exodus during the next eight years. Interestingly, while a college degree statistically has a direct impact on salary, jobs that do not require post secondary education represent a heavy percentage of employment openings expected to be available due to replacement needs. While retirement numbers are projected to be high in positions that require more physical stamina, including nursing and elementary school education, boomers are projected to hold onto less physically taxing positions longer. Total employment is projected to increase 10.8% in the decade from 2012-2022. More than 65% of the job openings during the 2012-2022 decade are expected to be from replacement needs due to retirement.