With hundreds of thousands of baby boomers within a few years of retirement and a handful of key sectors poised for substantial employment growth, New York City faces a potential shortage of skilled workers. But a new report by the Center for an Urban Future, City Limits’ sister organization, argues that this scenario brings with it an unprecedented opportunity for policymakers to move enormous numbers of young, at-risk New Yorkers into career-track jobs in seven major NYC industries projected for major employment gains, large numbers of imminent boomer retirements, or both. The study, Chance of a Lifetime, explores health care, construction, aviation, automotive maintenance, commercial driving, science and technology, and manufacturing. Each industry profile includes details of what skills and attributes employers in those fields are looking for, and recent developments within those fields that contribute to job growth now and in coming years. Finally, the report makes recommendations for how leaders in and out of government can expand access to these opportunities for all New Yorkers—particularly the city’s approximately 200,000 “disconnected youth,” individuals between 16 and 24 who are neither in school nor working. (D.J. Fischer) [05/08/06]