Crossroads: Kirk Kordeleski, Bethpage Federal Credit Union

Kirk Kordeleski, chief executive of Bethpage Federal Credit Union, one of the largest credit unions in the nation.

Economic outlook: The region's economic future is largely bright, but would be brighter if the "will to build" is recovered.

Job outlook: More than ever, a college education will be vital to getting a good job here. But there will be jobs for skilled workers.

We remain optimistic, that because

Long Island's doing better than the rest

of the country, that we'll fare better

in this process.

I think that we will see continued job growth in those areas that you see today - health, education, consulting services, accounting, lawyers, legal services. I think that the challenges will be so much about the workforce. If you're not college-educated, it's going to be a challenge. The call center jobs, the backroom operations, the labor jobs - particularly as we're not doing a lot of building here on Long Island - they're going to be harder and harder to come by.

I would think that many of the technology companies that are here and even the defense contracting companies that are here will continue to survive. I don't think they're going to grow. I don't have a sense that you're going to see Computer Associates or others expand here. Health [care] will continue to grow.