Houston is the fourth largest city in the US with about half of its population under the age of 35. The city has a large number of young workers just starting out in the workforce. Let’s examine the ways that Houston can capitalize on this younger population of workers and help them live up to their potential.
In the past, Houston was heavily reliant on the energy industry, namely oil and gas-related jobs. The demand for these workers is now declining. Diversification into the petrochemical industry, construction, healthcare, and industrial construction is needed.
The petrochemical industry is expected to grow at least 30% in the next decade, according to www.petrochemworks.com. Engineers, mechanics, research & development, and logistics & supply are just a few of the jobs needed for this growing field.
Even a two-year degree can get you into a good paying job in petrochem. Good paying, steady work becomes more important as young adults transition from singlehood into meeting a partner and starting a family.
There are many organizations in the Greater Houston Area that focus on workplace training, education, and services to help adults find placements, including HAUL (Houston Area Urban League), SER-Jobs for Progress, and Hire Houston Youth from the mayor’s office, to name a few.
The Gulf Coast Workforce Board is working with state and local institutions to offer training and guidance to young workers in the Houston area. They partner with the local community colleges and universities to offer educational services and help for those who need additional training for higher skilled jobs.
Energize Houston is an organization offering community college scholarships for young adults to receive training and work towards gaining a position in a petrochemical career.
These younger workers, therefore, have many resources to choose from as they search for work, though they often switch jobs to find employment that best meets their needs.
The way to capitalize on the younger workforce is to give them the tools to succeed and help them realize their passion. In a survey of young workers aged 18-29, polled in 2012 by the Clark University Poll of Emerging Adults, 79% said that it was “more important to enjoy my job than to make a lot of money.” And 86% said, “it is important to me to have a career that does some good in the world.”
It’s worth remembering that most workers, young or old, will be most satisfied when they feel their contribution matters.