Facing the Future: College Seniors Plan For The 2024 Job Market

Mariana Corona scanned her class schedule for the fall semester. This was her last year before she finished her undergraduate studies.  And she was anxious about her future.

“Once I finish this year, I have to start immediately with trying to find a good grad school that will accept me, and that is not easy,” Corona said. “I also have to help provide for my mother and brother, too.”

Corona is majoring in chemistry and plans to study pharmaceutical medicine. She considers it a winning combination:  profitable and prestigious.  A first-generation immigrant, this career will provide her the ticket into the middle class.

Laila Wainright has a similar story. She is a first-generation immigrant from Haiti, starting her senior year as a software engineering major. Much like Coronoa, Wainright hopes to continue her studies. Money for graduate school remains a major challenge.

“I know I can do whatever is asked of me in school,” she said. “My only concern is if I can afford the expenses. I have to find enough money for books, housing and to even get admitted. I have the right permits and documents to stay here in the United States, but that is only half the battle. I have to also be able to live here, too.”

If Wainright and Corona forgo plans to further their studies, they will likely encounter fewer troubles than most graduates in the job market.

For some, job openings are plentiful. Employment in education, health care or retail are available because the coronavirus pandemic created high demand. Restaurant owners have been forced to offer signing bonuses and other perks to fill staff positions. The shortage of workers persists three years after the pandemic started.

On the other hand, the technology industry is experiencing layoffs.

“This is my only option,” Wainright said. “Being here. Working here. I’m not going back to Haiti, and I’m not going back to the Dominican Republic. Here is where I have the best prospects. I know things look crazy in tech right now, but I’ll deal with it. I don’t even think the turmoil in tech will last long.”

There is some good news as the fall semester begins. The National Association of Colleges and Employers conducted its annual job outlook survey, and if the current trend continues, upcoming graduates are in good shape.

The survey indicated employers hired 4% more graduates in 2023 than they did 2022. The best advice for future college grads is to lean into career adaptability.

“There are opportunities out there. They just might not be where you’d think they’d be,” said Julia Pollak, chief economist at Zip Recruiter.

The world of today is an entirely different one from the world of even 20 years ago, and if chat GPT offers any immediate lessons, it’s that many jobs are up for grabs, and AI will serve as a formidable candidate.

This generation’s college graduates face different obstacles than others, but these challenges are not indissoluble. Economists point out they endured a pandemic and still managed to complete their education.

As Mariana, Corona explained, “I can do internships. Now that COVID restrictions are gone, and I can’t wait to prove myself, and show what I’m capable of.”

She, Wainright and their peers have the potential to do great things, and with their resilience solidified during a once-in-a-lifetime health crisis, the odds are in their favor.