Lack of future jobs concern students
Jennifer Martinez
Finding a job can be a troublesome affair for current college students in the midst of an economic crisis.”I’m not really concerned about it,” said Kim Thomas, an MCC student, “I want to be a prosecutor, it’s my dream job.”
“There’s more hiring going on than most people think,” said Justin Finnerty, Director of Career Preparation Center at the ASU Polytechnic campus.
Finnerty stated that the opportunities are there but are not as abundant as they once were.
“I am worried about finding a job when I do graduate, due to the economy,” said Vanessa Kalepp, a math major at MCC.
“But one of the reasons I chose math is because math teachers are more in demand right now,” said Kalepp.
Nursing is another area having challenges, according to Finnerty.
“Last year was the first time in 20 years that our nursing majors had trouble finding a job,” said Debby Smith, a Career Services Specialist in the Career and Re-Entry Services at MCC.
James K. Pedderson, the director of public relations for Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., surveyed a little over 100 human resources executive for their opinions on the job prospects for graduates.
The survey showed health care and business administration graduates have a better chance to find a job, 26 and 18.4 percent respectively.
Monica Ramirez, a nursing student at MCC, said she is not really concerned about finding a job once she finishes the program.
“I’m already working at Verve Medical Group, so hopefully they take me,” she said.
The survey listed communication and journalism as the lowest percent of success in finding employment, at 2.6 percent.
“People aren’t reading newspapers anymore. They’re reading it online,” Smith said.
Lisa Diaz, an ASU student attending the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication agrees that journalism is turning digital.
Although Diaz has chosen a career path riddled with changes, she has chosen to remain positive.
The jobs for college graduates are a little bit better than last year, stated Pedderson.
“The number one way to identify and secure a position is networking,” Finnerty said. “The job search is a process; it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”
For more information visit the Career & Re-entry Services at MCC or at http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/students/career
