Sunday, January 20, 2013

What is Hot? We are ...

This is the time of the year when many surveys are conducted to rate what’s hot in an area …

… places to dine & wine

… to be entertained

… to see and be seen

We are so fortunate to have so many wonderful places to explore, try and enjoy in our Region. There is so much to do and see.

And – we live in a region that is hot – yes – hot! (I don’t mean the temperatures!)

I track job market activity on a daily basis and report to the media each week. My story seems to have the same ring – Albany beats Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse for the number of available jobs, and our Albany market is about 25% smaller.

So – we are doing well – and this has been consistent. Even though overall the number of jobs are down in the Region and in the country as a whole (about 35% less than 2010) we still rank high for job opportunities in the market fueled by a number of factors including the development of our nanotechnology semiconductor business in Albany and Malta, new businesses moving into the area to support this development and generally a pretty stable economy unlike other markets in the country experiencing double-digit unemployment and continued job losses. The unemployment rate in our region is 7.3%, below the statewide average and well below the national average.

The region is becoming the “in” place to be …

Over the past few years, our region has been recognized domestically and internationally as the place to be for business. Some of the kudos include:
… and the list goes on.  We have jobs, and it is a hot place to be now – and for the future. What helps is the continued expansion of new ventures in our Region. Global Foundries starts $10 billion expansion with a $2 billion plant, GE continues to grow and the College of Nanotechnology is booming and growing even more. Have you heard about the secret Project Azalea – this could be another technology plant employing 3,000 people – if our market is selected.

So what does this mean to you and your career?

One word – opportunity.

There are and will continue to be new needs for workers in the region in new roles and new careers. Our region is beginning the slow change from the center of state employment (about 24% of workers in the region work in the public sector) to  an area with robust business opportunities and new needs from our workforce.
Now, more than ever before, it is the time to rethink you career direction and determine how you can jump on the bandwagon and ride the tide in our region. There will be needs in manufacturing, logistics, sales & marketing, retail, healthcare, services and more – some requiring more specialized training and some not. There is a huge need for those with “middle skills” – not just high school but one or two years specialized education in a technology or trade – and this need exists nationally as well.

Over the past few years, I have met with many who saw the tide coming and began to plan their next career move to take advantage of opportunities. They saw the changes occurring and seized the opportunity. They began the process of retooling – learning new technologies, skills and more. Many have opened their own businesses as well.

And to the naysayers who put our region down …


We have arrived. We are HOT!

And thank you for reading this. - Dan
Dan Moran
President & Founder
Next-Act:
Career Management & Transition Specialists
Corporate Management Services
Celebrating 25 years providing career & corporate management services in 2013!
125 Wolf Road, Suite #128
Albany, NY 12205
Phone: 518-641-8968
eFax: 586-279-4212
dmoran@next-act.com
Visit the Assessment Center: next-act.com/assessment-center.cfm
Manage Performance & Achievement: next-act.com/prescriptive-performance-analysis.cfm
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)