Chris Burger knows things are looking pretty bleak on the jobs front for Ballenas graduates right now, but he’s urging students to take heart, because the times they are going to be a-changin’ — for the better.
“I find there is a lot of negativity in the world right now, and if there isn’t more than there was, we’re exposed to it more than ever before and it can give people a negative impression about their prospects,” he said. “However, there’s light at the end of the tunnel.”
That light, he said, comes in the form of a Baby Boom bulge that is rapidly heading into retirement — leaving job postings in their wake.
“The demographics are in their favour,” he said. “There’s a tremendous demand to fill the shoes of the older folks who will be retiring, so in the long term, there is a real opportunity for young people.”
Ballenas grads should keep that in mind when they put their gowns and mortarboards away, Burger said.
They should also consider another couple of advice nuggets as well.
“Stay true to your goals and don’t try to grow up too fast,” he said.
“When you are young it is important that you still enjoy yourself — but keep your focus on what will make you happy in any endeavour you do.”
That last piece of advice comes from Burger’s own experience.
“I spent years doing various things before I decided to follow my heart,” he said.
“Pick a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. Stay true to your real ambitions, your goals and yourself. Go into something you know you are really going to enjoy.”