2016 has arrived. And no matter how many “get healthy” resolutions we might make, we can’t escape the fact that we will all turn another year older in 2016. Whether or not we publicly admit to having a birthday is another matter…but one thing about birthdays is they come around every year, no matter what we do.
In fact, the North American population is growing older. That’s largely because of the baby boomers. There are 76 million baby boomers in the U.S. Those baby boomers are getting older every year, even if they never tell anyone. The result? The American Association of Retired Persons says the number of Americans over 65 will double in the next 30 years.
Today’s students don’t typically think much about adults and aging. But although they may not realize it, the aging of the baby boomers has big implications for tomorrow’s jobs. For proof, just check out the The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently released employment projections for 2014-24.
As we grow older, we tend to need more healthcare, despite those New Year’s resolutions. As a result, healthcare careers are expected to have the fastest employment growth and most new jobs between 2014 and 2024. A quick look at the fastest-growing careers 2014-2024 shows the predicted need for healthcare workers, as does the list of careers with the most projected openings.
Students might roll their eyes when adults complain about growing older, but the stats show the value of looking at the demographics of the people around them. The start of the new year is a good time to talk about the future – and how it could affect their careers.
XAP 
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