Worcester Career Development Directors Explained the Future for the Class of 2025
- Wanjiru Waweru
- May 30
- 3 min read
Wanjiru Waweru, Jadetimes Contributor
W. Waweru is a Jadetimes News Reporter Covering America News
Worcester, Massachusetts – A whole new graduating class is heading forward into the workforce, and it has been a significant 5-year change, as most of the college graduates in 2025 who attended schools returned during the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
As the Class of 2025 is well-prepared to participate in the full-time workforce …
“Companies are still hiring,” Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Heebner Career Development Center director Amanda Laungani said.
“The forecast looks good,” Worcester State University’s Career Development Center director Dannie Lacks said.
According to MassHire Central, “the job outlook for college graduates in Massachusetts this year is positive with a 7.3% increase in hiring compared to 2024.”
Career Development directors at WPI and Worcester State University reported that opportunities are open for their recent college graduates.
“There’s lot of uncertainty in the market but based on what we're seeing from the state of Mass and our employers," said Lacks said. "They're not in a position now to start any hiring freezes or layoffs because the economy is so strong here in the state.”
“We're working a lot with employers and they're looking for college grads," said Laungani. "And so I think, you know, at a STEM institution like WPI, we're pretty well positioned for our students to be successful in the job market.”
However, you become excited and thrilled for Graduation Day. Languani and Lacks reported that the important role for students to create a sense of knowledge about their future endeavors especially throughout their college career.
“Really," said Laungani. "Students when they're coming into college should be thinking about, ‘Where do they want to go in four years?’ and garnering experiences along the way to set them up for success as they graduate.”
“Employers want to see those soft skills that you have that you get through work experience or an internship," said Lacks. "And those transferable skills will move into the skills within the workplace.”
For the third consecutive year, according to MassHire, “fewer than 40% of employers report using GPA as a screening tool, and it’s important to know what skills job seekers are looking for.”
“An employer will come in and talk to our business class and say, ‘This is what we're looking for when we look at a resume. This is what we're looking for at an interview. These are the skills we're looking for in this particular industry,’" said Lacks. "So, it's not us telling them that, it's real-life experiences that they hear from real employers who are hiring our students to help them prepare for that transition.”
People wanted to know what the class of 2025's future looks like and how they are moving forward after college. It is predicted that they would receive a new perspective on a work-life balance with priorities, and working in a small group of employees.
“I think a couple of years ago, I think students were more, open to taking risks and going somewhere new where they've never been. I think students are looking for more risk averse options," said Laungani. "They're thinking more about, is this going to fit into my lifestyle? Is this going to fit into my values? Is it going to fit into my culture? And so, we're seeing that a lot in this class.”
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