Florida’s Chief Economist told members of a higher education task force that the state’s job outlook will improve, but it will also come with challenges from changing demographics. Amy Baker says an aging population will open up more opportunities and problems for the state’s future graduates.
Baker says that by the time the baby boom generation fully retires, around the year 2030, Florida’s worker needs will have dramatically changed. Leading the job growth will be the healthcare industry, and transportation.
“We’re going n to see changes in criminal justice, and changes in housing and greater need ways to make living in your own home easier. So when we think of what fields we need to be supporting don’t think about healthcare, but more community-wide changes we ‘re going to be looking at.”
Baker says the workforce needed to fill these positions will shrink as it ages. She told members of the governor’s higher education panel that Florida should start focusing on attracting people from other countries to deal with the labor shortage, as well as designing programs that keep Florida’s graduates in the state.
