Really worried about my college senior graduating into this environment

[Anonymous]

Living at home is an easy way to save money but also to strain relations, undermine independence and regression.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are plenty of jobs outside of DC!!

There is always a bull market somewhere, and right now in DC, Defense-Tech is super hot. Just in the last week I have seen five start-ups in the DC area raise $250MM+ (total) in this sector. You need AI/ML/Computer Vision skills, as well as engineering/robotics skills.

It requires security clearances. I am in the DoD AI/ML/VHDL and we have ten openings for skills like this; however, it also requires TS clearance.

Are you saying they won't hire you if you don't have clearance? I assume most US-born engineers would not have any problem getting clearance.

It takes long time.

I get that…but I assume it’s not easy to hire people with those STEM skills and clearance…so you are going to have hire them and get the cleared.

It takes about 18 months to get clearance, longer to TS. It means they can't work for those 18 months. Most people can't do that. That's the issue.

These Defense Tech startups definitely are hiring people without a clearance. You are in the DoD, so I get that...but these companies are still trying to sell their technology to the government and 90% of the company does not yet have a clearance (though, they may have their employees go through the process).

[Anonymous]

Finishing undergrad and heading to graduate school (medical research).

[Anonymous]

For those of us living in the DC area, the trade off for our kids might be saving money living at home but poor job prospects vs better job prospects but spending money on rent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are plenty of jobs outside of DC!!

There is always a bull market somewhere, and right now in DC, Defense-Tech is super hot. Just in the last week I have seen five start-ups in the DC area raise $250MM+ (total) in this sector. You need AI/ML/Computer Vision skills, as well as engineering/robotics skills.

It requires security clearances. I am in the DoD AI/ML/VHDL and we have ten openings for skills like this; however, it also requires TS clearance.

Are you saying they won't hire you if you don't have clearance? I assume most US-born engineers would not have any problem getting clearance.

It takes long time.

I get that…but I assume it’s not easy to hire people with those STEM skills and clearance…so you are going to have hire them and get the cleared.

It takes about 18 months to get clearance, longer to TS. It means they can't work for those 18 months. Most people can't do that. That's the issue.

I am 48 (I say my age because that equals more to investigate) and I applied for a TS last September, had an interim TS within 3 weeks and my TS was adjudicated a month ago. Took way less than 18 months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are plenty of jobs outside of DC!!

There are plenty of companies laying off outside DC, that don't work in Govt related jobs. There are also plenty who are not hiring. I personally have heard of 3 kids we know, who had jobs lined up based on prior internships. Well those jobs are not happening, they were just told in the last month. And they have to start their searches again. It's the fact that companies are NOT hiring. Many are doing their own layoffs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son has accepted a job but I'm still nervous that it might go away between now and June. Too many stories of jobs being rescinded as companies are skittish about their future.

Exactly!

I'm worried about my junior's summer job. Landed a research position at their unviresitiy. Really hoping it still exists come late May

[Anonymous]

My AC graduated in May 2024 and has been cobbling together: Instacart, dog walking, and other side hustles. The job market is awful right now so he's making the best of it, living at home and saving as much money as possible. He will likely go to grad school in a year. I would lay the ground work with your kids to start thinking about creative ways to make money NOW because it's not pretty out there.

[Anonymous]

My oldest is a sophomore and was talking excitedly yesterday about his academic program, internships for the next two summers and job prospects and I kept thinking that in two years when he graduates there may be no jobs anywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:and finding a job.

That's all. Just needed to say it out loud. Thanks for listening.

Don’t worry

Our gov has been expanding H1B and opt for 35 years , taking Jobs from our children to give to cheap foreign labor

Here's a clue: Many kids in the US do not want the H1B jobs held by the "foreigners" you use a scapegoat for your grievances.

A friend of mine moved to the US, first, on a J1 student visa and later held a job with H1B visa. He has an MD/PhD and made about 30k at his first job. With H1B he made around 45k. He is likely now making a middle class salary for this area and it only took 25 years to make that happen.

I assure you that people in this country with MD/PhDs are not clamoring for these jobs. But, hey, don't worry. These jobs (medical research) are being eliminated now anyway. GL to you when your or someone you love needs cancer, diabetes treatments, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He can also tutor kids as a part time job.

Also, he should live with you for free for at least a few years to make up for this terrible job market and any loss in potential earnings. You all need to have a plan as a family.

We are doing the same for our kids.

Same. UMC family in DC. But I grew up MC/LMC (child of teachers) who valued education, yes, but never had a cent leftover to help us as older teens/young adults.

If my kid lives at home while working after college, I'm not going to make him pay "rent" like my parents would have. Instead, I'm going to cut a deal where he invests all the money he would've blown on a shittily built apt. in Navy Yard. They can get an unpaid internship, which would not have been an option for 21 yr old me, since volunteer jobs don't pay for car insurance or the cellphone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:and finding a job.

That's all. Just needed to say it out loud. Thanks for listening.

Another thread here was salivating and advocating for manual labor for Americans at some magical high wages. 🤷‍♂️

[Anonymous]

If job prospects are not looking good, send them overseas for paid english teaching programs in Middle East. There are good opportunities there for American educated people.

[Anonymous]

*they can build contacts and find other jobs while there

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:and finding a job.

That's all. Just needed to say it out loud. Thanks for listening.

Don’t worry

Our gov has been expanding H1B and opt for 35 years , taking Jobs from our children to give to cheap foreign labor

Here's a clue: Many kids in the US do not want the H1B jobs held by the "foreigners" you use a scapegoat for your grievances.

A friend of mine moved to the US, first, on a J1 student visa and later held a job with H1B visa. He has an MD/PhD and made about 30k at his first job. With H1B he made around 45k. He is likely now making a middle class salary for this area and it only took 25 years to make that happen.

I assure you that people in this country with MD/PhDs are not clamoring for these jobs. But, hey, don't worry. These jobs (medical research) are being eliminated now anyway. GL to you when your or someone you love needs cancer, diabetes treatments, etc.

Well here’s the problem those jobs do not require a MD/PHD. Universities are pumping out a lot of STEM students, med school is extremely difficult to get into and those research jobs are in demand now. The same thing is happening in tech. It used to be that US IT candidates in the DMV only had MS centric skills, no C+, Python, JAVA or whatever. We hired H1Bs for programming, integration and web positions but now US schools are pumping out tons of potential employees with current skills.