The new year brings with it change of all kinds, but some of that change could lead to big opportunities for WNY workers.
With the proper training and education, experts say the door is wide open.
"The rapid pace of change in society and in our communities is really accelerating a lot of these opportunities," Arlene Kaukus said.
Kaukus is the director of Career Services at the University at Buffalo. Part of her job is staying in tune with hiring trends and job opportunities here in WNY and, as she looks ahead to 2019, three big trends stick out.
Her advice for students and older WNYers who might be looking for a career change: "Just continuing to be in a learning mode, if you will. Be open to learning new skills, developing new competencies, shoring up skills and competencies that you already have."
Trend #1: Aging Population
With a growing elderly population in WNY, Kaukus says people will see more opportunities in healthcare.
"I think healthcare is an area, and all the fields within healthcare, that will need to design and respond to the growing needs of the senior population in our community," she said.
Trend #2: Baby Boomer Retirement
As the Baby Boomer generation starts retiring, job opportunities are opening up in a variety of fields, Kaukus says. One field she mentions in particular is education. That lines up with this report from 7 Eyewitness News about a looming shortage of teachers across the state.
"I think in many industries the impact of retirees opening up positions in all kinds of fields: government positions, non-profit positions, for-profit sector," she said.
Trend #3: Continuing Growth in Tech Jobs
Data science, in particular, is an area of interest for employers in nearly every industry, according to Kaukus. It's a valuable skill across all sectors and one that more and more companies are looking for in job candidates.
