Roughly 60 percent of students graduate from college and even less graduate with a job offer. Many end up working in fields that they didn’t receive their degree in.
While colleges struggle to bring recruiters to their university, student complaints about job offers remain.
Who is to blame for these disappointing statistics? I blame the individual. The University’s obligation is to educate and enlighten and it is up to the individual to take that knowledge and put it to work.
There is no reason for seniors entering the workforce to be void of internship experience. Florida A&M University boasts a career center and two large career fairs. Not to mention the career fairs within the colleges. These careers offer access to some of the largest and most successful corporations in the United States including Proctor & Gamble and Wachovia Corporation.
These opportunities are promoted in The Famuan, on WANM 90.5 and through campus flyers. In a nutshell, the school pushes these opportunities down students’ throats. Just two days before the Journalism School career fair, only seven of the 36 seniors had signed up for interviews.
“We are essentially having to beg these students to sign-up,” Yanela Gordon, a journalism professor said.
Corporations are coming to universities with the intent of hiring students for jobs and internship possibilities.
It doesn’t get any easier than having a school prepare you for a career as well as bring the career to you. However, career fairs continue to have a low turnout.
There is nothing more the University can do to create future job opportunities for the students. Instead of placing the blame on their University for their failures, students should be proactive. Not only are students who dismiss career fairs and resume preparation, doing themselves a misdeed, but they are a disappointment to the University. Low turnout at career fairs causes companies to opt not to attend future career fairs.
In essence students are ruining their opportunities and making it more difficult for students who follow in their footsteps.
Latoya Russell is a third-year public relations student from Charlotte. She can be reached at lsrussell@hotmail.com.