2007 Post Graduate Survey Report :
Student Destinations and FeedbackRelease session.
Including Perspectives on the
Current Job Market
Denise Dwight Smith
University Career Center
January 2009
1
Highlights of 2007 Post-Graduation Survey
• Process, results
• Key employers
• College outcome comparisons
• Student feedback on UNC Charlotte
Perspectives – Today’s Job Market for college
students
• Career center response and resources
• Spring Events
Questions, Discussion, Evaluation
2
Uses of Post-Graduation Survey
May 2007, Dec 2006, August 2006
 Faculty / Staff / Administration: SACS
 Career counselors
 Students – employers, salary benchmark
 Alumni
 Employer benchmarks
 Data for trends (note collected since 1994)
 Prospective students / their parents
 NACE / other associations
3
Data Collection Method
(Report produced by CPCC Center for Applied Research)
 Questions (see back)
 54 Undergraduate
 50 Graduate
 Likert scale items, self report
 Mailings – 3 formats (online completion option was
offered- 85% used this)
 E-mail / follow-up e-mail
 Color postcard
 Mailed Survey packet
 Return rate (effected by 6 month delay)
 22.5% overall
 28.9% graduate
4
New Features









Separate graduate / undergrad surveys
Employers by major App J
Reports by college include departments, note “n”
Overall educational goal assessments plus advising
feedback
All in one document: Overall results (pages 1-69) and
each college report
College Key Findings Summary Page
Overall result categories: Intro, Demographics,
Academics, Full and part time student info, UNC
Charlotte Experience (Goals), Career center outcomes
and employment status, Student Differences
New Extensive Tables format
On line at www.career.uncc.edu, under faculty
5
Undergraduate / Graduate Responses
 Mean GPA
 3.22 Undergraduate, 3.78 Grad
 Mean age
 25
Undergraduate
 33
Graduate
 Gender / Ethnicity
 37%
Male
 63%
Female
 76%
Caucasian
 12%
African American
6
Highlights
 92.8%
 8.3%
Employed or in graduate school
Did not want to be employed after
graduation (national trend)
10%
6%
• 81%
• 88%
 86%
 86%
 85.6%
Undergraduate
Graduate
Education adequately prepared them to
enter chosen field
Obtained position within 6 months
Position related to major
Satisfied with position
North Carolina (southern region 91%)
7
Experiential Learning
67%
Co-op, 49ership, Internship (for credit), Community
Service, Special Professional Program, or Related TA/GA
 5.7%
more undergraduates with EL found jobs
before graduation than those without EL
 $5,000
Students with co-ops or 49erships earned
more than those without either
 9.7 %
With EL, more satisfied w/ current position
 20%
More Arts and Sciences students with EL
indicated they were well prepared for world of work
8
Adequately Prepared for Chosen Career Field
2001
2003
2005
Overall
79%
81.4% 81.47% 81.1% 80.5%
ARCH
A&S
BUSN
EDUC
ENGR
HHS
C&I
85.7%
73.2%
81%
84.9%
84.5%
85.7%
68.8%
81.8%
76.2%
83.6%
92.2%
88.6%
85.2%
66.7%
91.7%
73.2%
84.7%
94.8%
92.8%
86.7%
66.7%
2007
100%
74.7%
88.3%
90%
90%
80%
72.7%
1999
58.3%
74.2%
86.5%
88.7%
78.6%
84.2%
N/A
9
Highest Job Satisfaction?
 Above 90% from which college?
10
Satisfaction with Current Position
2001
2003
2005
2007
Overall
82.1
80.3%
85.7% 85.6% 88%
ARCH
A&S
BUSN
EDUC
ENGR
HHS
C&I
85.7%
78.2%
78.1%
90.6%
86.9%
89.6%
87.5%
84.6%
75.8%
76%
93.6%
83.1%
88%
65.4%
84.6%
77.8%
87.6%
93.3%
90.4%
89.3%
81.3%
84.6%
84.1%
86.4%
88.3%
94.7%
77.5%
75%
1999
100%
82%
87.1%
95.4%
94.2%
85.5%
N/A
11
Working While
In School







86.7%
89%
58%
60%
71%
29%
15%
Worked
Career related
21 + hours (Undergraduates)
30 + hours (Graduates)
Completed degree in time planned
Did not complete in time planned
Undergrad volunteer or service
12
Reasons for Work while in College
(Undergraduate)
 37% Necessary - pay for tuition, room, board
 74% Paid for personal expenses
 24% Helped me organize my time
 22% Important – I am full-time career student
 35% As career preparation
IMPACT:
 27% Did not affect performance
 24% Helped me be better student
 22% Negative impact on academics
13
Highest Median Salary
 Undergrad: $50,000
 Graduate: $60,000
14
Salary Information
• $32,000
Undergraduate Median
Females $33,000: higher in engineering
• $47,000
Graduate Median
Correlations between GPA and Salary
• Overall group statistically significant (r=.157,
p=.002)
• Colleges with significant correlation
• Architecture
• Business
• Education
15
Undergraduate Salaries
(Median) by College
ARCH
A&S
BUSN
EDUC
ENGR
H&HS
C&I
Female
Male
2001
$30,000
$26,000
$33,000
$25,000
$43,000
$35,750
$49,000
$27,250
$36,000
2005
$35,000
$29,000
$34,500
$26,000
$43,000
$38,500
$34,500
$29,000
$36,000
2007
$34,000
$27,000
$37,900
$30,000
$50,000
$29,800
$28,900
$30,000
$40,000
2003
$31,800
$25,200
$31,000
$26,000
$40,000
$36,000
N/A
$28,000
$35,000
1999
$37,000
$26,000
$32,000
$24,000
$40,000
$31,500
N/A
$25,500
$34,000
16
Graduate Salaries
(Median) by College
2001
2005
ARCH $32,000 $39,500
A&S
$39,750 $36,500
BUSN
$57,000 $55,000
EDUC $36,750 $36,250
ENGR
$56,800 $55,000
H&HS $51,000 $60,000
C&I
$60,000 $57,500
Female $45,000 $44,000
Male
$54,500 $51,000
2007
2003
$38,000 $30,000
$42,000 $35,000
$58,300 $58,000
$40,000 $40,000
$56,000 $52,000
$44,000 $57,500
$60,000 N/A
$41,000 $40,500
$56,600 $53,500
1999
$31,000
$35,000
$57,500
$32,250
$51,500
$50,000
N/A
$34,000
$47,500
17
Annual Survey Comparisons
2001
Responses
954
% emp/grad s
94
% Exp Learning 67
% adequate prep 79
% job satisfaction 82.2
% position related 82.2
consultant +
299
2003
2005
2007
1999
920
90
63
81.4
80
79
212
911
92
78.6
81.4
86
85.4
526
904
89
67
81
86
86
522
963
94
57.3
80.5
88
82.4
513
18
Graduate School Acceptances



Arizona State Univ
•
Charlotte School of Law •
Keller Graduate School
•
Mgmt







McCormick Theological
Seminary
NC Central University
University of Edinburgh
University of Florida
UNC Chapel Hill
UNC Charlotte
University of Virginia
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Columbia Univ
East Carolina
Florida State
Michigan State
NY University
NC State
Univ of
Cincinnati
Univ of Phoenix
Va Tech
Wake Forest
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
ASU
Duke
Emory
GWU
Howard
Indiana
Strayer
UMD
UNCG
Wingate
61% Good Preparation for GS
19
Top Employers










Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Wachovia
Bank of America
UNC Charlotte
Carolinas Health Care System
Cabarrus County Schools
Rowan-Salisbury Schools
General Electric
Lincoln County Schools
Northeast Medical Center
20
Top NAICS Industries
 Overall
61 Educational Services
 ARCH
 BUS
Professional, Scientific, Technical / Other Svcs
Finance & Insurance / Professional, Scientific,
Technical Manufacturing
Educational Svcs / Health care & Social Assistance
Finance and Insurance
Educational Svcs / Healthcare & Social Assistance
Other Svcs
Manufacturing / Construction / Professional,
Scientific,Technical
Health care & Social Assistance / Educational Svcs
Other Svcs
Information / Professional, Scientific, Technical
Educational Svcs
 A&S
 EDUC
 ENG
 H & HS
 C&I
21
Employment Locations
 86% employed in NC
 Others in 31 states
 9 employed
Internationally
 Taiwan
 Chile
 United Arab Emirates
 Mexico
 Uzbekistan
22
Further Education
 11%
 54%
 57%
 32%
 6%
undergrads attending GS
undergrads’ parents obtained
bachelor’s degree
grad students worked with employer as
part of academic program
grad students said degree assisted
career advancement
reported received TA/GA or stipend
23
Worth Noting
 81 %
Would likely or very likely
choose UNC Charlotte
 75%
Would likely or very likely
choose their major again
 86%
Satisfied with current employment
 65%/ 62% Used at least one Career Center service
 78.1%
Agreed had a supportive learning
environment
 4.2
Agreed well developed communication skills
24
Primary reason to stay
and complete my degree:
 23%
 18%
 16%
 7%
 9%
Geographic location
Felt good about career options
Department’s excellent program
Teachers who cared
Family influence
25
Most Widely Used Career Center Services
 UCC Homepage*
 Individual Appointments*
 Resume Critiques*
 NinerJobNet database*
 Career Resource Collection
 Mock Interviews
 EL/part time jobs
 UCC Career Fairs
 65% used at least one service in
or out of classroom
*High Tech, High Touch demands
26
University Career Center
Services 45 Programs
 Individual assistance
 Career Assessment- SII, MBTI
 Group based assistance, workshops
 Career Resource Library
 Internet / other Tech Services
 Experiential Learning Programs (includes UNC in
Washington), 49ership , Co-op
 On-Campus Interviewing, Info sessions
 Part-time Jobs (JLD) off campus
27
Services, continued





Outreach: classes, clubs, residence halls
Mini-computer lab
7 Career and Job Fairs
Majors Day
Career publications -print, on-line
(students, employers, faculty)
 Computer guidance system FOCUS-2 ™




, Bridges
My Future- WCIDWAMI
Job listings from 12,000 employers and links
Consultation
142,000 Student Contacts in 07-08
28
First Learned About UCC
 11.5%
 9.3%
 9%
 9%
 8.7%
As undergraduate
Faculty/staff referral
Class presentation
Flyer/special promo
Ad
29
32: Perception Highlights
of Educational Outcomes
at UNCC
GoalsTable
Response
(1-5SA)
Undergraduate Mean
Graduate Mean
Total Mean
I have well developed communication skills – both written and oral.
4.21
4.14
4.18
I have well developed mathematical and logical reasoning skills.
3.93
3.84
3.90
I have gained an understanding of the methods of the life and/or physical sciences.
3.77
3.4
3.64
I have gained an understanding of the methods of the social sciences.
3.91
3.75
3.86
I have gained an understanding of the relationship between the arts and the broader society.
3.72
3.32
3.58
I have gained an awareness of how Western culture has evolved over time.
3.6
3.28
3.49
I have gained an understanding of how changing global conditions influence the development of various
cultures throughout the world.
3.81
3.55
3.72
I have gained an understanding of how cultural and ethical issues influence the development of society.
3.97
3.86
3.93
30
*
Questions?
Post-Graduation Survey
Section
31
UCC Common Myths and Misconceptions
 Career Centers are only useful for seniors.
 Career Centers only assist Business and Engineering
majors.
 Doing well academically is enough to achieve success.
 Career development/job search takes little time or
effort on the part of students.
 Career centers will place me; no need to worry.
 There are No Jobs during a recession and I should
Not bother trying
32
"Don't project beyond the range of the known
observations"
Adage for economists
NACE Strategic Research report excerpts- Ed Koc
The Job Market and Campus Recruiting
How Bad?
 The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined by
nearly 40% since last October.
 This is the largest annual decline since the Great
Depression (1932).
 Overall unemployment is close to 8%-the highest
level since 1992, but still considerably below the
11.4% in January 1983.
Trends in the Dow Jones Average
40.00%
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
-20.00%
-30.00%
-40.00%
-50.00%
20
07
20
05
20
03
20
01
19
99
19
97
19
95
19
93
19
91
19
89
19
87
19
85
19
83
-10.00%
19
81
19
79
0.00%
Trends in the U.S. Unemployment Rate
12.0
10.0
8.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
Overall rate
College
Young
20
07
20
05
20
03
20
01
19
99
19
97
19
95
19
93
19
91
19
89
19
87
19
85
19
83
19
81
19
79
0.0
Forecasting Power of the Dow
 The Dow Jones Industrial Average is frequently
cited as a leading economic indicator with the
unemployment rate lagging.
 The data relationship between the two since 1979
suggests a clear inverse pattern—as the Dow
decrease, the unemployment rate increases.
Change in the DJIA vs. Unemployment
40.0
40.00
30.0
30.00
20.0
20.00
10.0
10.00
0.0
-10.0
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
1989
1988
1987
1986
1985
1984
1983
1982
1981
1980
1979
0.00
-20.0
-10.00
-30.0
-20.00
-40.0
-50.0
-30.00
Unemployment
Change in Dow
Unemployment in 2009
 Overall unemployment rate is likely to reach 8.5%
in 2009.
 Unemployment for those with a bachelor’s degree
or better is likely to go from the current 3.1% to
3.7%.
 Unemployment for young bachelor’s degree
holders figures to go from the current estimate
of 3.4% to an estimated 4.1%.
Job Outlook – Class of 2009
 Job prospects for the class of 2009 are considerably
below those for the previous five graduating
classes.
 NACE’s Job Outlook 2009 Quick Poll, conducted
in October 2008, found an overall flat job market
for this year’s candidates.
 Most sectors were projecting decreases, with
government, high-tech manufacturing, and
professional services firms still projecting some
increase.
NACE Job Outlook Projections
2006 - 2009
Percent change
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
2006
2007
Fall
Spring
2008
October
2009
Job Outlook by Industry
Percent Change, August-October
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
-5%
-10%
-15%
-20%
&
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In
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Majors in Demand
 The current Job Outlook survey projects the
majors most in demand to be consistent with
previous surveys:
 Undergraduate majors with “technical” skills
(accounting, engineering, computer sciences) command
the most attention in today’s job market.
Top Degrees in Demand
Job Outlook 2009
Accounting
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Computer Science
Business Administration
Economics/Finance
Information Systems
Computer Engineering
Management Information Systems
Marketing
0
10
20
30
40
Percent Respondents Hiring
2009
2008
50
60
Longer-term Prospects
for College Graduates
 Economic outlook is for significantly slower
growth over the next several years than was
experienced over the past 15 years.
 New jobs are not likely to be plentiful, but
replacement openings due to aging in the work
force will be dominant.
The Demographic Advantage
For New College Graduates
 Current work force is aging:
 Average age is currently 41 (up from 35 in 1980)
 20 percent of the work force will be over 55 during the
next decade
 Firms are developing succession strategies focused
on college recruiting.
Trends in the Labor Force
Exits vs. Entrants?
600
500
(000s)
400
300
200
100
0
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
In the work force
60-64
25-29
2014
2015
2016
Top Jobs in a Down Economy
for College Graduates
 Elementary and Secondary Education
and Information Technology are the best prospects
for new grads in the next few years.
 Healthcare positions, particularly in nursing,
are also attractive options.
Top Jobs Requiring a Post-Secondary Degree:
Replacement Openings
General & Operations managers
Registered Nurses
Elementary school teachers, except special ed.
Secondary school teachers, except special ed.
Postsecondary teachers
Accountants and auditors
Lawyers
Middle school teachers, except special ed.
Computer systems analysts
Management analysts
0
50
100
150
200
250
(000s)
300
350
400
450
Top Jobs Requiring a Bachelor’s Degree:
Replacement Openings
Elementary school teachers, except special ed.
Secondary school teachers, except special ed.
Accountants and auditors
Middle school teachers, except special ed.
Computer systems analysts
Computer software engineers
Insurance sales agents
Computer programmers
Securities, commodities & financial service agents
Construction managers
0
50
100
150
200
(000s)
250
300
350
Prospects for a Paradigm Shift
 The most recent period of extended recession was
marked by de-industrialization in the United
States.
 Additionally, a major shift in college majors
reflecting the change in the economy took place.
Trends in Academic Majors
By Bachelor’s Degrees
25
20
15
10
5
0
Business
Engineering
Computer
Science
1975
Education
1985
1995
Social
Science
2005
Health Care
English
Top Skills Employers Look For
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Communication Skills
Motivation/Initiative
Teamwork Skills
Leadership Skills
Academic
Achievement/GPA
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Interpersonal Skills
Flexibility/Adaptability
Technical Skills
Honesty/Integrity
Work Ethic
Analytical/Problem
Solving
53
Paradigm Shift?
 Diminished financial sector
 Lower prestige
 Fewer job openings
 Limits on compensation
 Business majors and M.B.A.s: Less attractive?
 Alternative: Washington (federal employment)
instead of Wall St.?
Perceptions on this Job Market
EL/JLD Internship and part time job fair:
 Spring 2002: 12 (Fair immediately post-9/11) (73 in
01)
 Spring 09 to date: 22 (Feb 20) 83% higher
Career Expo:
 Spring 02: 38 (Fair immediately post 9/11) (76 in
fall 01)
 Spring 08: 175, Fall 08: 154
 Spring 09 to date 42 (April 8) 11% higher
55
Job Market Highlights (HOPE list)
Employers having memory
8.7% NC vs. 4.1% college market
1000 jobs, NJN 35% down
Career fairs, still a presence
Charlotte Chamber, 8 prospects, 700 jobs (1)
Census 15,000 PT jobs
75% want work experience, 67% have EL
FBI highest demand since 9-11
Dept State- exam filled
1,066 finance jobs Charlotte (indeed.com)
75-80% hidden
56
Career Center special response









Job Market Banner and collection of info
Call re employers and fairs
EL Open House
Chamber assistance
Collaboration with Belk College and Alumni Assoc Career
Transition Saturday conferences
Media response- 6 interviews, includes Charlotte Talks
Parent letter for Homecoming
Today’s Job Market: The 49er CSSI (Career Success
without Stress Initiative)- web updates, quick tip cards,
articles, UCC Hope List Blog, Career Fest, Career Super
Saturday Boot Camp, 6 session career group
Staff response in the community
57
58
Spring Happenings
 Experiential Learning Fair- Friday February 20th
 Education Job Fair -Friday February 27th
 Mock Interview Day -Friday February 6th
 UNC in Washington; deadlines: Summer-Feb 1,
Fall 2009: 3/20
 NC State Engineering Fair Feb 5th
 Career Transition program with COB and Alumni
office Feb 7th
 Spring Expo: Wednesday April 8
 Spring Career Fest - February
 Senior Super Saturday - March
59
The University Career Center
for Work, Service and Internships
150 Atkins
704-687-2231(phone)
704-687-2683 (fax)
www.career.uncc.edu
Denise Dwight Smith, Director
ddsmith@uncc.edu
60