Nationwide job trends may affect student major choices

When the GCSU class of 2010 graduates, many in it will be making the decision between entering the work force or going to graduate school. The National Association of Colleges and Employers conducted its 2009 student survey regarding job search last year and found that there are some trends away from finding employment in the for-profit, private sector marketplace.

A weakening job market hasn’t deterred students from seeking a full-time job after graduation. According to the NACE survey of more than 35,000 students across 840 four-year and two-year universities and colleges, 69 percent of students said they wanted a full-time job after graduation. The biggest difference in the class of 2009 from previous classes was the shift away from those looking for the private sector jobs. Only 39 percent of students named that their primary goal, down from 45 percent in 2007 and 2008. On the other hand, students’ intentions to work for the public sector and for non-profit organizations increased some.

The percentage of seniors who applied for a job and got it or received an offer was down to 40 percent in 2009 from 50 percent in 2008 and 66 percent in 2007. Also, slightly less than half of students who received an offer for a job accepted. The report said that this could be due to compensation issues, job location, employer recognition or even confidence issues. Furthermore, the survey found that most students that apply for and get jobs after graduation were regularly familiar with their university’s career service center.

Olivia Dowd, a senior English major, said she is planning on attending graduate school at GCSU to get a master’s degree. “I’m looking for a job as a professor, so I’m going to need the higher degree to help out,” Dowd said.

Daniel Yarborough, a senior computer science major, is planning to get a job before eventually returning to graduate school.

“I figured it would be best for me to go ahead and get some experience, and then after a year or two, I’ll go back to school,” Yarborough said.

According to Mary Roberts, director of the Career Center at GCSU, the center will be conducting a survey of GCSU students after spring break.

“It’s the NAPSA Student Voice Survey that will ask students questions about their career services experience at GCSU and what they plan to do in terms of internships, jobs and graduate school,” Roberts said.

According to NACE’s job outlook report, out of the top five majors for students in the southeast, GCSU offers only one of them. Roberts said that ultimately, she still sees students choosing majors that interest them and not so much on job availability.

“They still pick what they enjoy for the most part,” Roberts said. “Even if they initially go into the major because they think it will ensure them a job or higher salary, at some point they realize their decision was not made for the right reasons.”

“I think it’s good that students are generally sticking with their interests because it’s what our university is about,” Roberts added. “It’s all about the experience, and a job is never a guarantee, especially in these real competitive majors like nursing and education.”

Roberts added that other factors besides job availability may come into play. “Sometimes popular culture like popular television shows could increase students’ interests in a particular major,” she said.

Posted by Scotty Thompson on Mar 20 2010. Filed under Focus On. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry