So you want to go to college and earn a degree. Figuring out what college to go to is the easy part. The hard part? Sometimes figuring out what you want to do when you get there.

If you plan on returning to Bermuda to live and work when you graduate, you need to know that what you have studied will translate into a career.

Derrick Smith of the Bermuda Careers Centre, recommends that before you take your first class, you research the local job market so you will not be disappointed when you get back.

“When I was growing up, the only places we could go for information were libraries. There wasn’t a lot of networking available,” he says. “Here at the Careers Centre, we think it is important that the information be available to students to help prevent them from going overseas and earning a degree that isn’t useable on the Island.”

The Royal Gazette <$>spoke with Mr. Smith about the history of the job market in Bermuda and if the trends that we are seeing today are likely to continue to change in the future.

“Back in the early 1970’s, positions like clerks, lawyers, nurses, teachers and waiters were some of the ‘hot’ jobs in Bermuda,” he says. “Compared to then, the demand now is more for accountants, actuaries and underwriters, IT positions, rehabilitation posts in health care and reinsurance-related positions.”

But Mr. Smith also wants to make note of the many job opportunities on the Island that are not being taken advantage of by Bermudians.

“When was the last time you went to the grocery store and saw a Bermudian butcher? Have you tried to find or change dentists only to be told that they are not taking new clients?” he asks.

“It’s obvious there are opportu“It’s obvious there are opportunities for Bermudians.”

“It has to be taken into account that probably one of the most prevalent trends of our time has been that of technological innovation,” Mr. Smith notes.

“The technological revolution will continue to cause rapid, unpredictable changes in the career demand.

“Also, international business will continue to become stronger within our economy and by 2010 will employ the most people in Bermuda.”

It seems that the cause of this may lie in the fact that most people overlook certain jobs in favour of the “hot” jobs of today, which are thought to earn the most money:

“Because of the international sectors, banking, finance, reinsurance, insurance and the support industries (human resources, business consulting), Bermuda is pretty much a white collar environment.”

However, he also mentions the fact that today, qualifications are needed for many jobs Island-wide.

“Back then you could have gotten by without any formal qualifications,” Mr. Smith says. “Nowadays people need to be qualified to fill posts such as horticulturist or IT positions. Many fields require certification to be eligible for employment.

“Can we say that there is an average level of education needed to be successful? Due to the demands for specific skills it would be difficult to state that there is an average level of education necessary to be successful.”

Although there are some students who do not return to Bermuda from college, there is a larger percentage returning and finding jobs. The difficulty they face, he says, is the high cost of living in Bermuda.

“Once they are here they realise that it is extremely difficult to get on their feet, primarily because of housing costs.”

Ignoring the extenuating circumstances that may affect the return of our Island’s best and brightest, the fact remains that there is ample opportunity for Bermudians to find employment in a wide variety of occupations; they just have to look for it.

“A lot of the jobs here have become more technical and require specialised skills,” Mr. Smith says. “But part of the formula for finding gainful employment in Bermuda is to do the research to find out what’s in demand, not only currently but in the future as well.”