Job Outlook 2011: Career Preparedness Now

Austin ForumFebruary 18, 2011

Beverly Amer, Northern Arizona University

Summary of Surveys & Reports

AAC&U Survey Employers want:

o Employees to use a broader set of skills o Colleges to help develop those skills AND in-depth skills/knowledge for a

specific major or fieldo More 4-year college graduates

Employers support:o Assuring students are actually acquiring skills/knowledge

o Using real-world settings to apply knowledge

o Projects, active learning, research and evidence-based analysis

o Emphasis on ethical decision-making

AAC&U Survey How well are we doing in preparing graduates for the

challenges of today’s global economy?

Percentage of employers who say improvement is needed:

68%

AAC&U Survey What employers suggest we do:

84%: Require a significant project before graduation that demonstrates:

- depth of knowledge in major AND - acquisition of analytical, problem-solving & communication

skill

81%: Have students complete an internship or community-based project to connect classroom to real world

AAC&U Survey, cont.

81%: Help develop skill to research issues and develop evidence-based analysis

73%: Set expectations for ethical behavior and support learning through debate of tough issues

60%: Challenge students to learn about cultural and ethnic diversity

Action Plan What am I already doing well?

What needs attention?

Who has a great idea to share?

National Association of Colleges and Employers: Job Outlook 2011 College Hiring Forecast: “GOOD”

oUp 5% for 2011 grads over last year

oUp 23.5% in West

Low Demand For:o International students and associate degree graduates – less than

19% plan to recruit

What Employers Are Looking For Strong emphasis on GPA as an interview screen

o75% of employers use a GPA screen

On resume’ – choosing one candidate over anothero Leadership positiono Majoro High GPA (3.0 +)o Extra-curricular activitieso School attended o Volunteer work

What About Work Experience?

72.4% prefer someone with relevant work experienceo Internships count here

Skill Most In Demand?Communication

o Students using on-campus practice interview services found positions ahead of those who didn’t

Other attributes near the top:o Strong work ethico Initiativeo Interpersonal skillso Problem-solving and analytical skillso Teamwork skills

Oddly Enough… Attributes employers list as MOST LACKING in

college graduates?o Communication skillo Flexibility/adaptabilityo Initiativeo Problem-solving and analytical skillso Teamwork skillso Strong work ethic

o Note: technical and computer skills seem to be acceptable

Bureau of Labor Statistics: 2008-2018

Of the projected increase in jobs, 96% will be in service industrieso Largest in terms of growth:

Professional and business services Health care and social assistance

Action Plan – part 2

What are my students getting?o Oral Communication Skillo Written Communication Skillo Problem Solving/Critical Thinkingo Teamworko Innovation/Creativityo Knowledge Acquisitiono Quantitative & Statistical Analysis

Why I Teach Communication Skills“I submitted the wrong one, i will attach it to this

file, oh and i put average next to the average cause it didnt make sence not to, and im sorry if i was just meant to tell you and you would forget about that one but i dont know if i will be here in the morning to check my email but ya i will just attach it to this file, well see you tomorrow”

Cengage Resources Visit the Interactive Learning Center Ask your sales rep about:

Portfolio Projects for Soft Skills 2e Other titles in the Cengage family of products

Sources AAC&U “Raising the Bar”

o www.aacu.org/press_room/press_releases/2010/employersurvey.cfm NACE “Job Outlook 2011”

o www.nace.org (membership or fee required) Bureau of Labor Statistics

o www.bls.gov “Employment Projection: 2008-2018”