May 18 grows closer. Plans for after graduation, though, haunt us.

While restricting the search for a career within the four walls of Connecticut used to seem like a

safe bet, recent reports from the Connecticut Department of Labor have thrown some wrenches

in those plans for some.

The department reported last week a 3,400 job loss since the beginning of the year until March

31, with 400 of those lost in February and 1,300 in March. The unemployment rate stayed at a

constant 3.8 percent.

Although jobs in construction and mining have continued to be hit the hardest with another 900

jobs lost, where does that leave the thousands of soon-to-be recent grads when they start their

job search?

It is stressful enough when family and friends berate their loved ones about their future plans, but

it is more stressful when the reality of staying in your home state becomes more and more grim.

People are leaving this state for more career opportunities because the jobs here are simply not

available, are underpaid or are unattainable with only a measly bachelor’s degree. For this reason, and

many others, I have decided to hightail it out of here.

After graduating with a degree in journalism, I am moving to Pennsylvania where there are just

as many reporter jobs as there are in Connecticut: very few. Although, there are some things other states have that Connecticut doesn’t, like lower taxes, bigger cities and younger people. Sorry Hartford, but you don’t cut it anymore.

When I think of the future of the job market here, all I expect are more and more service jobs.

Indeed.com is full of opportunities in restaurants and retail stores, but none of that will pay for a

one bedroom apartment, a phone bill and groceries.

Connecticut needs more entry-level jobs at young and growing companies in order to keep the

thousands of students that graduate from college every year within state lines. But with

businesses closing frequently and others leaving for states that promise tax incentives, recent grads are simply left high and dry.

Job markets in states like Nevada, Utah and Arizona boomed in 2018, but living and working

there often seemed like a far off destination for small-town folks from the East Coast.

Let’s be realistic: who really wants to go to Utah? I’m not quite sure, but if you want to be a

veterinary technician or software developer, you may want to book a flight.

leave Connecticut. Wouldn’t you rather take the chance and thrive a few hundred miles away

than stay and perhaps struggle to find work? My bags are already packed.