Laura Ridley knows she's going to be asked two questions right off the bat this Thursday: "Where in the world are you from?" and "What are you doing in Cody, Wyoming?" 

The city of Cody employee's melodious Georgia accent inspires the first question, but the second requires explanation. Ridley, 56, is part of the westward movement of baby boomers drawn to the area to start a second career. 

"There are so many attractions here-the phenomenal scenery, a small town atmosphere, a chance to see the tourist activity in the summer and get acquainted with each other in the winter," Ridley said. 

But Cody is lacking in one important area - employment opportunities for those over 50 years old, she said. 

Ridley will join a panel of older workers who will discuss what they want from a job at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in Cody s Quad Center as part of the "Ahead of the Curve II: Economic Planning for Wyoming's Retirement Boom" state workshop. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics, between 2000-2010, there will be a 33 percent increase in the number of people 65 years and older in the paid workforce. 

Baby boomers are staying in the workforce longer than their parents for a few reasons, Ridley said. Finances top the list. 

"Often boomers are supporting not only themselves, but their older parents, their children and sometimes their grandchildren," Ridley said. "Your finances are a bit like a pie-you have to have a piece for everybody." 

Another, less-tangible explanation for their continued role in the workforce is the "enjoyment" factor, as concluded by a recent AARP study of people 50 and over. 

"We can bring so much to the workforce, given the opportunity," Ridley said. "We bring skills, reliability, dependability and we don't have young children that are going to be sick. We know the value of doing a good job and we like the work." 

But if Wyoming's workforce does not change with the times, the consequences can be severe, according to AARP economist Clare Hushbeck. 

"If people don t have good paying jobs because they're unemployed or losing pensions and health benefits, they can't purchase. And that becomes a vicious cycle: consumers can't purchase, producers and sellers don't sell as much so they don't produce as much, so they can't hire and must even fire workers," Hushbeck said. "It all means fewer and less paying jobs and a weakened economy."