Graduation season is upon us once again. It’s a hopeful and happy time, with graduates excited about achieving such an important milestone and embarking on the start of their professional careers. According to Handshake, the online recruiting platform used by many college students nationwide, more than 80% of the current crop of new grads are seeking stability as the top criterion for their first job, followed closely by good benefits and high starting salaries.
This shouldn’t surprise anyone. It’s a very confusing time for new job hunters right now. The media has been warning of an imminent recession for well over a year, and sizable layoffs are occuring at giant tech companies. On the other hand, states like Florida are experiencing historically low unemployment. Here in Tampa Bay, employers across industry categories have thousands of positions open. And with the cost of housing increasing exponentially, young people just starting out in their careers could certainly use some sense of stability and security as they sign expensive leases for their new apartments.
Tampa Bay has much to offer college graduates hoping to stay here or move to our community. For those preparing to embark on tech careers, Tampa Bay’s salaries are rising at a higher percentage than similar positions in Silicon Valley, according to Dice’s 2023 Salary Report. WalletHub recently ranked Tampa as the 5th best city in the US to start a career, and the 4th best large city in the US to launch a new business. And when it comes to overall quality of life, it’s hard to beat the many options that Tampa has to offer a young person these days. When Time Magazine names your city one of the greatest places in the world and Forbes ranks Tampa the #1 best place to live in Florida, you know you’ve chosen a city that has some great days ahead of it.
Tampa has changed so much in the past decade, but one thing remains the same: We are a welcoming, diverse, and supportive community. The Tampa Bay EDC and our Investors are excited to welcome new grads into our workforce and eager to help them find success here. We encourage new grads to visit our MakeitTampaBay.com web site, to peruse the Careers section of our Investors’ web sites, and to get involved in young professionals organizations like the Tampa Bay Chamber’s Emerging Leaders program. You’ve got a great future ahead of you here!
Craig
