SALT LAKE CITY — Spring is often a time of celebration for graduates at Utah's colleges and universities, but what's in store for them as they enter the job market?
Utah's strong labor market is good news for graduates, but they may have to sell their skills to find the right jobs.
"There's a lot of discomfort from the fact that we've had this period of inflation . . . So they're not quite sure what to make of the economy. But the labor market is still really strong,” said Dr. Beth Akers of the American Enterprise Institute and contributing scholar for the Sutherland Institute in Utah.
Dr. Akers says that because Utah has growth in every sector of the economy, graduates need to show they have particular skills.
“It used to be that having a bachelor's degree made you pretty special in the labor market. And so now you're competing with lots of people that have these degrees. So as the market becomes more saturated with people with higher education, you need to find a different way to stand out," she said.
But she pointed out that having liberal arts or humanities degrees is "not a particular disadvantage," as a strong labor market lifts all industries.
Since the pandemic, many workers are still remote, but Dr. Akers believes that might not be in the best interest of recent grads.
"People who are starting their career, it's probably not the best bet. We are seeing that employers are asking workers to come back to the office. And I think that the reality is that it's particularly advantageous for young people to get the mentoring that they can get in the workplace," she explained.
What advice does she give to those newly entering the workforce? Know yourself.
“The advantage of this particular economic moment is that you can be a bit more choosy than you are another time. So find a job that fits, figure out who you are, and sell that to the employers that you're looking at."
According to ZipRecruiter, the average wage for college graduates in the state is just over $37,000, ranking Utah 37 out of 50 for college graduate salaries.
