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PROVO — Josh Fowlke worked for a company that was cutting back.
"I thought that was the perfect starting point to do something. I've always wanted to do and go out on my own," said Fowlke, who lives in Provo.
What concerned Fowlke most was financial stability for his growing family.
"I knew I could get work right away, but I don't know five months from now or four months from now," he said.
Fowlke is now part of the fluid, or liquid, workforce. It's where people work independently and come together around projects instead of companies. The number of professionals working this way has increased by 50 percent in the last decade, according to a 2016 research. According to experts, most students today will work on a contract basis at some time in their lives.
"I think it's the future and it will continue to grow," said Troy D'Ambrosio, who is helping prepare the future workforce at the Lassonde Institute, a hub for student entrepreneurs at the University of Utah. "There's no boss that's coming in to say, 'What are you gonna get done today? Here's what you should do today.'"
Vitaliy Mahidov Kirkpatrick is developing a Wi-Fi listening device.
"You have multiple connections. You have the Internet. There are different audio outputs," he said.
Kirkpatrick said his tough past, growing up as an orphan in Ukraine, prepared him for the rigors of developing his own business.
"I always was seeking for help, but I never got that help. I had to go through all the issues in life, learn on my own a lot," he said.
Good skills for self-employed workers like Kirkpatrick, who face new challenges. D'Ambrosio points to the lack of infrastructure to support this change in the labor force.
"Healthcare is one of those things that's an interesting challenge because it's always been tied to your employer," he said. "Now with a more portable workforce, there's going to have to be some way to do that, and I think it's a big challenge."
D'Ambrosio said the best protection is a strong economy, which assures work is plentiful and wages fair. He recommends self-employed people cut themselves a salary and save for leaner months, which is how Fowlke is making it work.
"I actually think it was a great thing that happened. I've really enjoyed it so far. It's been amazing," he said.
Fowlke said he's busier than ever, enjoys greater independence and has even had to turn away work. Despite his worries, Fowlke believes the layoff is a blessing in disguise.
Experts say continually educating yourself and increasing your skills are also keys to success in the fluid workforce.
