Page 17 - Careers & Stuff 2021

Choosing a Career With a Future
DELAWARE HAS A WEALTH OF INDUSTRIES WHERE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ARE GROWING
BY ROGER MORRIS
Many teens understandably struggle with choosing a career. Even once a decision has been made, it can be hard to figure out how best to begin that career.
Fortunately for young Delawareans, the future couldn’t be brighter or the choices more exciting. And more than ever, a four-year college degree isn’t essential to a successful career.
Indeed, the demand is huge for workers to fill entry-level positions that don’t require a four-year degree, and that demand stretches across almost all industries in Delaware and across the country. Additionally, there is a once-in-a lifetime demographic transformation that is boosting this demand: Baby Boomers, those adults born between 1946 and 1964,
are retiring in record numbers and need to be replaced in the workforce.
“We have a retirement problem in business,” says Michael Quaranta, president of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce. “Between now and 2029, an average of 10,000 Baby Boomers will be retiring every day.”
An added bonus for those getting ready to begin their careers is that as people throughout an organization retire, the opportunity for career advancement will become even more rapid and diverse. Additionally, most industries have active programs for workforce diversity that surpass all previous efforts. There is also a huge range of career opportunities, both in traditional businesses with new needs and in new industries that merge traditional skills with entrepreneurial opportunities.
For any career path you consider, it’s important to have a checklist of questions:
• Will this industry and this job be able to maintain my
interest?
• Will wages and salaries meet by needs and expectations?
• Will the job skills I develop be portable if I decide to change
companies, geographic locations or even industries?
• Will advancement possibilities meet my goals?
Keep those questions in mind as you learn more about Delaware’s fastest-growing employment sectors.
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