Steps to success

Consider these factors when choosing a college or university

Good news! The nation’s unemployment rate recently hit its lowest level in seven years. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, that’s just in time for 2.8 million soon-to-be graduates who will be earning bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate degrees to enter the workforce.

However, a college degree does not always lead to gainful employment. Millennials make up 40 percent of the unemployed in the United States, said Anthony Carnavale, a director and research professor at Georgetown University’s Center on Education and Workforce.

For those who are just beginning their journey into higher education, it is more important than ever that students select a college or university with the resources to help them land a job after

graduation. While it is important to consider proximity, cost, accreditation and atmosphere when choosing a college, students must also keep the end goal in mind — a career.

So what factors should you look at when researching a college, university or other training program?

INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS

It’s all about connections in today’s job hunts, and the same is likely to be true for the class of 2020 and beyond. In fact, 80 percent of jobs aren’t advertised, said Steven Rothberg, founder of CollegeRecruiter.com.

A search on a university’s professional networking page will reveal the cities, companies and industries in which alumni of the institution work. Having access to a strong alumni network will help prepare students for a career by opening doors to internships and jobs.

A network of trusted and connected professors is equally as important as a network of successful alumni. During their campus visit, students need to ask about faculty members’ experience and reputations and make introductions early.

REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE

Today’s employers are on the lookout for students who have found their niche and demonstrated leadership skills in real-world scenarios, not just in the classroom. There is a variety of nationally sponsored programs and competitions that may be offered by colleges and universities.

For example, students thinking about a career in engineering should look for schools that participate in programs such as EcoCAR 3, an advanced vehicletechnology

competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. This premier collegiate competition grooms the next generation of advanced engineers trained across disciplines, from engineering to marketing.

Public-relations majors can participate in the Bateman Case Study Competition, sponsored by the Public Relations Student Society of America, in which college teams create and implement a full public-relations campaign to raise awareness on a selected topic.

For students interested in information assurance or computer security, the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition offers the opportunity to defend a commercial network against common outside threats.

“More and more, we’re seeing today’s top companies request students from our program because they’ve gained the hands-on experience that the classroom doesn’t offer,” said Kristen De La Rosa, EcoCAR 3 program director at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory.

“We give students the opportunity to gain access to millions of dollars of cutting-edge technology and top industry experts to solve complex engineering and marketing challenges,” she said. “For this reason, almost 100 percent of our participants land a job immediately after graduation.”

BE NEAR THE ACTION

While a beautiful campus is nice to look at, that alone isn’t enough to justify years of classes taken and money spent. It helps to be close to an industry hot spot where internship and volunteer opportunities are plentiful and easy to access.

Studying near industry hubs helps students gain access to mentors, networking events and international conferences, furthering the students’ competitive advantage and adding value to their degrees.

Tech-savvy students who dream of launching the next big start-up may want to position themselves near the action in California’s Silicon Valley, in Boston or another region known for technological innovations. Those looking to create the next head-turning design might consider studying fashion and design in New York City or Los Angeles.

Physical proximity to an industry, participation in extracurricular activities and third-party recommendations can help make a student’s dream career a reality. Parents and high-schoolers should keep these tips in mind throughout the college application process to make the most of college — and, hopefully, land that first job.

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