The future is bright for those graduating this semester. For UW-Whitewater students entering the workforce with a degree in hand, a job might be easier to come by than in years past.
According to a survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), employers say they plan on hiring 9.5 percent more graduates than they did in the year 2011.
Most of the companies hiring are in the fields of technology, engineering and business.
With the national unemployment rate slowly declining to 8.2 percent and Wisconsin’s unemployment rate under seven percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the economy seems to be slowly improving.
Many of the jobs available to recent graduates are those that replace employees who have been laid-off or fired.
It’s up to interpretation how we decipher this information. It might mean businesses are just looking for cheaper options in a sluggish economy.
Despite these sobering facts, there is even more good news for graduates. According to the same survey by the NACE, graduates in 2012 will earn an average of six percent more than last year.
For those of us still in school beyond this semester, it’s a comfort to know employers are taking to college campuses to fill voids in their companies and organizations more than in years past.
While some of us might be headed to graduate school to further our education, the economy has been a scary thing for our generation as we look to enter the workforce.
The survey conducted by NACE states that students who hold a paid internship are among the most attractive candidates for hire.
With this in mind, freshman, sophomores and students who haven’t been putting an emphasis on paid internships should keep their eyes open for opportunities to enhance their résumé.
After hearing rhetoric from politicians on both sides of the aisle that our financial instability will challenge our generation because of the uncertainty that we face, it’s encouraging to hear that we might instead be about to reap the benefits of employers who are enthusiastically hiring recent college graduates.
While those graduating from UW-Whitewater this semester have a more optimistic outlook than in years past, UW-Whitewater is not giving out as many diplomas on commencement day than they should be.
As of 2011, UW-Whitewater’s graduation rate was 5.1 percent lower than the average graduation rate of the UW System.
With the allure of more jobs out there to be had, students at UW-Whitewater must take advantage of the opportunity available both on campus and in the workforce.
A coveted degree from UW-Whitewater should not be taken for granted.
