By
Rebecca Missel
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Smaller firms recruit more new grads
More job opportunities are waiting for the newest crop of accountants, educators, engineers and computer specialists just as they leave their caps and gowns behind.
In July, the National Association of Colleges and Employers released their summer edition of Salary Survey, a quarterly report of starting salaries for new college graduates. The survey highlighted fields where students were actively recruited.
"Obviously, students with technical degrees are doing very well," said Mimi Collins, the organization's communications director . "The environment for new college graduates is extremely positive."
According to Collins, the growth extends beyond education and into economics.
"It is simply supply and demand. In computer science, few students graduate and the demand is high there," she said. "Also, over the last decade consulting firms have made inroads into the college market."
Seventy colleges, including the University of Arizona, contribute information to the report from their career services departments. Tucson's statistics follow national trends.
"We are in a tremendous hiring phase," said Bill Ruggerillo, assistant director of employer relations for UA Career Services. "Employers are looking for a variety of majors that have skills that can apply to other areas."
With unemployment in Tucson at 3 percent, well below the national average of 4.1, Ruggerillo said UA graduates have many career opportunities.
"Being a Research I institution we have an impressive program," he said. "Employers are drawn to us."
Combined with research, UA officials are also trying to provide work-related experiences.
"The reason they (accounting students) are recruited is that they have skills to contribute to an organization from the beginning," said Dan Dhaliwal, head of the accounting department. "It is a well-established and prestigious profession and people have familiarity with it."
UA graduates earn an average of $40,000 in accounting jobs - Dhaliwal said the figure is near the national average.
"We try to reach students, tell them where the job opportunities are, the types of jobs and that the faculty is interested in working with them on an individual basis," Dhaliwal said.
Students will have to be better prepared to handle technological advances in the job market.
"Everything is high technology in the world today," said Laura Acosta, manager of college programs for Raytheon Missile System Company in Tucson.
While much of the focus is on science and math, students interested in engineering need more than technical skill, Acosta said.
"They should have the obvious ability to read, write and speak; to work on a team; have presentation skills; be flexible and be a multitasker, and be able to deal with change because it's inevitable," she said. "Technical folks also continue to get educated because often their knowledge is outdated in two years."
Since few students complete their degrees in these areas, the ones who graduate are in demand, Acosta said.
"There is a tendency to either stick with it or to quit and do something easier. If you put forth the effort, the rewards are there when you get out," she said.
Besides traditional, high-volume corporate recruiters, smaller firms are now searching for younger employees as well, Collins said.
"Unemployment is so low that employers who want to hire experienced help cannot always afford it. So they are looking to college campuses," she said.
Education majors are the third most recruited graduates, yet they only earn $26,000 to $31,000 as opposed to $43,000 to $50,000 for students with science and technical majors.
"In our society everything is money, but there needs to be a lot of teachers," said Katie Marasco, an elementary education senior. "People always say to me, 'you're really smart, why not be a doctor?' But I want to express my enthusiasm for teaching."
Though salaries vary depending on the industry, employers are now offering more than money to new graduates, Ruggerillo said.
"The benefits are more attractive," he said. "Employees' environments are better, there are health facilities, child care, flexible schedules - it's a complete package."
