How much do you see the labor market heating up? (Boston: 2015, loans) - Massachusetts (MA) - City-Data Forum

mdovell · 03-06-2015, 09:19 AM

Unemployment in the U.S. - Google Public Data Explorer

That's the state and we're near prerecession lows.

The rates in many towns have dropped considerably even in cities.
Workforce Development

Parsec · 03-06-2015, 09:26 AM

I thought it started heating up 4 years ago when I was getting a call every week from recruiters. There aren't enough qualified people to fill the available jobs. That's why there's such a large influx of out-of-staters moving to Boston over the past several years. I'm speaking specifically about the creative class. The job market is still bad for people with generic college degrees and even worse for those with no college degree or any specific trade skills.

BTW, the natural rate of unemployment (i.e. the unemployment rate when the economy is at full employment taking into consideration cyclical unemployment) is around 6%. According to that link we're at 5.5% which indicates the economy is very good right now.

timberline742 · 03-06-2015, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Parsec

I thought it started heating up 4 years ago when I was getting a call every week from recruiters. There aren't enough qualified people to fill the available jobs. That's why there's such a large influx of out-of-staters moving to Boston over the past several years. I'm speaking specifically about the creative class. The job market is still bad for people with generic college degrees and even worse for those with no college degree or any specific skills.

This. Getting good candidates is the issue.

Whatsnext75 · 03-06-2015, 09:47 AM

'That's why there's such a large influx of out-of-staters moving to Boston over the past several years.'

and this is killing us. We are not that big of an area and we've become so over populated. We do have good jobs as far as tech and healthcare and these jobs pay well, hence the housing market is insane. I just saw in boston magazing that a house in Arlington was listed for 699k and sold for 800k. That is insane and quite frankly should not be happening.

I'd love to see trades/labor jobs make a come back. Otherwise this country is coming to be in trouble. We will have rich people and poor people and very few in between. I actually know a few people who turned to jobs in the carpentry or electric union after getting a worthless degree from umass boston in geological studies or something. It's really too bad that these folks were told you HAVE to go to college or you will amount to nothing. Many people took that as ok, i just need to get a degree in something and i'll be fine. Not the case.

Higher ed is in trouble.

Interview: Kevin Carey, Author Of 'The End Of College' : NPR Ed : NPR

I realize I've gotten off track, but yes, people need to realize that they are not a loser if they opt out of 4 year college. Sometimes I wish i'd just done a 2 year RN program.

bUU · 03-06-2015, 09:55 AM

Just one data point: A candidate just turned down a phone interview after being presented to us by her recruiter because she's received so much interest over the past week that she's focusing only on jobs with companies based inside Boston city limits, for now.

timberline742 · 03-06-2015, 09:59 AM

I couldn't imagine having not gone to college. Even if for many of my jobs I didn't use me degree (though I needed them to get the job), I'm so thankful to have had the experience and the knowledge I learned from college. I wish I could go back in many ways for even another degree, even if it didn't pay anything.

Parsec · 03-06-2015, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timberline742

I couldn't imagine having not gone to college. Even if for many of my jobs I didn't use me degree (though I needed them to get the job), I'm so thankful to have had the experience and the knowledge I learned from college. I wish I could go back in many ways for even another degree, even if it didn't pay anything.

Learning is a life-long pursuit. I'm married with 2 kids, but I am still in college. Education is a never-ending process for me. I'd rather spend 10 hours a week to take a graduate course and learn something new than waste 10 hours a week on something fruitless like watching TV. Everyone has a time-waster whether it's playing on their phone, watching TV or surfing the web. For me it's C-D

Everyone can find time for a graduate or continuing education course if they actually analyze what they are wasting their time on. It's never too late to go back to school. I have a friend in his 40s who recently went back to nursing school to start a new career. I've even encountered 50-year olds in some of my previous classes

EconHusky · 03-06-2015, 10:28 AM

Employers are just starting to hire again- they want to start off strong with experienced professionals, not new grads. It's unfortunate because new grads need the experience and training.

mdovell · 03-06-2015, 11:44 AM

The other part in the back of my mind is how much more is going to pick up once the snow melts?

Whatsnext75 · 03-06-2015, 12:45 PM

'It's unfortunate because new grads need the experience and training.'

and there are so many of them

I went back for masters and was lucky to have my work pay for it. I just feel bad for people who take out loans then still can't find a job. I know people who have phD's who cant find work. I wonder if they regret going back. I will never regret getting my masters, it's something I will always have. I just think that sometimes the wrong type of people go to college and they expect it to do all of the work for them. You have to take control of your career path after college and many people don't get this. A job won't just fall into your lap, a promotion won't just fall into your lap. Many people assume, oh well i have masters! So do many other people.