More than 3,000 students from area colleges were recently handed diplomas and are taking their first steps into the career world. And despite the slowing economy, those steps often lead graduates into jobs in their field of study.

Area colleges collect information each year from surveys and other sources to see what their graduates go on to do after school.
“It is kind of our bottom line,”said Beth Dolder-Zieke, director of career services at Viterbo University.“This is a way to measure our effectiveness.”

The slowing of the economy hasn’t appeared to have an effect on the number of students finding work, said Tim Tritch, senior student service coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

“Everyone seems to be doing well despite the doom and gloom that you hear about,” Dolder-Zieke agreed.

Tritch said the reason might be the relatively strong job markets in the Twin Cities, Madison and Chicago.

Viterbo and UW-L officials both say health care and technology are highly marketable fields both regionally and nationally. Both schools also have a high numbers of students finding jobs in accounting.

At Western Technical College, the job skills most in demand are in health care, welding, mechanical design technology, diesel and heavy equipment technician, HVAC and early childhood education.

Education majors are doing fairly well despite the shortage of education jobs in the Midwest, Dolder-Zieke said. Viterbo had an 86 percent placement of education majors, including substitute teaching, said Dolder-Zieke.

Education graduates do well if they are willing to go to where the job growth is, Tritch said.

UW-L graduates starting yearly salary averaged $36,125, according to their survey. At Western, the average hourly wage was $15.36. Viterbo did not have salary information.

By the numbers

AT VITERBO UNIVERSITY:

About 98 percent of 2006-07 graduates were placed within six months of graduation. Placed includes employed in their field, out of their field, in the military service, public or volunteer service, or some form of continuing education such as graduate school.

Of those placed, 92 percent found work in their field or went on to graduate school. Also, 61 percent of those who were placed found work in Wisconsin.

These numbers are based on 88 percent of Viterbo 2007 graduates who responded to a survey or provided their career information to Viterbo University in another form.

AT UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-LA CROSSE:

About 98 percent of 2006-07 graduates who were seeking employment found work within six months of graduation. Employment includes jobs in their field or outside their field of study, military service, public or volunteer service, but not continuing education.

Nearly 89 percent of all graduates getting a job found work related to their major.

About 23 percent of graduates decided to continue their education.

These numbers are based on the 70 percent of 2007 graduates who responded to the survey or provided the information in another form to UW-L’s Career Services.

AT WESTERN TECHNICAL COLLEGE:

About 96 percent of 2007 graduates who were available for employment and responded to a survey were employed within six months of graduation.

About 81 percent of those who were employed found work within their area of study; 89 percent were employed in Wisconsin and 76 percent were employed in Western’s District.

About 83 percent of Western’s 2007 graduating class responded to the survey.

KJ Lang can be reached at (608) 791-8226 or klang@lacrossetribune.com.

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