A weak economic outlook in the Anderson Forecast last week does not bode well for job opportunities for students, economists say.
The recession is over and will likely not return, the report states. But UCLA students should expect slow growth over the next few years, said UCLA Anderson Forecast director Edward Leamer.
The report describes a national economy fraught with high unemployment, low consumer confidence and declining gross domestic product, trends which will likely carry into 2012.
In California, unemployment rates are projected to continue to remain high through 2013, dropping only 1 percent by that time, said Jerry Nickelsburg, a senior economist with the Anderson Forecast.
But this prediction does not apply to all sectors of the economy, Nickelsburg said. In California, technology, information, manufacturing, health care and hospitality services are all growing industries.
“It’s important to recognize that the world of tomorrow is going to be an information- and technology-driven world,” Nickelsburg said. Coastal regions, including Los Angeles, that have large technology and information sectors are thriving, he added.
Students said they remain hopeful at a time of bleak predictions.
Sean Mosman, a first-year student at the UCLA School of Law, said the opportunities provided by an alumni network and services such as the Career Center can properly prepare students leaving the university.
He also feels the job market cannot get much worse.
“I feel like we’re at rock bottom in terms of the job market,” Mosman said. “We can only go up from here.”
Jennifer Lopez, a second-year business economics student, said she plans on staying in school to acquire the qualifications that will give her the best opportunities outside of UCLA.
“I’m not leaving school until the (job market) gets better,” Lopez said.
By staying in school to pursue a master’s degree and possibly a doctorate, Lopez said she hopes her academic accomplishments will help her get a foot in the door.
To be competitive in today’s job markets, students should try to be creative and improve their problem-solving skills, Leamer said.
Their time at UCLA should not be spent memorizing facts, but rather learning to think creatively and critically and to take courses that will provide a challenge, he said.
“UCLA students are going to be in a very competitive environment,” Leamer said. “They need to make sure they are acquiring the skills that will land them a job.”