It’s never too soon for students to explore careers; and conversely, it’s never too late for an adult. You can learn about the types of high school and college coursework needed, and -- whether or not you go to college -- the types of jobs that you can prepare for, in each cluster. At the States Career Clusters Initiative, there are 16 Career Cluster Plans of Study; and 81 Pathway Plans of Study across them.
According to the site, “A Plan of Study can serve as a guide, along with other career planning materials, as learners continue on a career path.” Course recommendations should be individualized to meet each learner’s educational and career goals and each school’s entrance and graduation requirements.
Knowledge and Skills Charts are available at the links provided for each Cluster and under the "Resources" tab on the site. Secondary and post-secondary coursework is detailed “across the disciplines” of math, science, social studies and English/Language Arts. Other required courses, electives and learner activities are also provided.
Since many professional jobs these days don’t require a college degree, coursework in both career and technical programs and degree major courses are provided for each cluster. A sample listing of job titles gives you an idea of the types of jobs that can result from following these study programs. For example, in the Marketing, Sales and Service cluster, common job titles include:
►Copywriter/Designer
►E-Commerce Director
►Entrepreneur
►Field Marketing Representative
►Forecasting Manager
►Interactive Media Specialist
►Inventory Manager/Analyst
►Logistics Manager
►Merchandise Buyer
►On-line Market Researcher
►Public Relations Manager
►Promotions Manager
►Retail Marketing Coordinator
►Sales Executive
►Shipping/Receiving Clerk
►Telemarketer
►Trade Show Manager
►Warehouse Manager
►Webmaster
Armed with this information, you can jump over to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook to learn about salaries, what the jobs are like, and the growth projections in your region. Contact me at jill@whatsyourmajor.net for help with streamlining this process.
My mission is to empower youth with: - The knowledge about career possibilities, and the education and training needed to attain them - The creative-thinking and emotional skills that make for good career decisions and which employers prefer; - And the resilience needed to flourish in life.
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Monday, June 01, 2009
Look and See! Use the New Interactive College Search Tools to Understand the Intangibles
Data are great, but when push comes to shove, your choice of college will most likely be based on intangibles: a feeling of connection that's hard to describe.
When your college meets your hard academic, financial and logistical requirements, AND just feels right, you've found your "best fit".
College search road trips can be physically and emotionally exhausting. Prepare yourself with a "look and see" approach before getting in the car:
1. Start with the usual list of 20-some schools on your consideration list. You'll wind up with fewer than ten at decision time. Contact me at http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/index.php/Contact-Us.html for free advice about how to compile your list.
2. Use student-directed interactive tools to develop an understanding about what life is really like at your first 20 choices.
US News and World Report, for example, now offers online videos of 150 campuses, with student commentary and blogs .
Collegeconfidential.com offers a topic-specific forum where parents and students can share impressions and experiences openly. You can submit a question about your colleges and someone with experience is very likely to respond quickly.
Some printed college guides are written from a student's point of view, such as "The Insider's Guide to the Colleges," and "Students' Guide to the Colleges". These are great places to do a first screening of your list of 20 colleges.
3. Visit five to ten schools on your list during the first go-around. Through the visits, you'll find yourself developing the criteria for the intangibles that matter to you: The social culture on campus, the teaching philosophy of the faculty you will meet, and more.
4. If a faculty presentation is not on your campus visit agenda, make sure you make an appointment with a faculty member from either the core curriculum or your field of interest. Ask about the teaching philosophy on campus and how it's realized in the classroom. Inquire about job opportunties and hiring trends in the field.
5. Don't omit any colleges from your list based on indirect internet or book resources. Look and see for yourself! But be sure to get details from college officials about any areas of special interest or concern.
Happy Hunting!
Sunday, May 31, 2009
College Grads: Rally Your Enthusiasm During Job Interviews
In a job interview, a recent college graduate was asked what she thought of the opportunity.
Her answer: "It wouldn't be my first choice."
The result: No job offer
Author Barbara Pachter says that many millennials limit their job options by making poor choices in etiquette (http://barbarapachter.blogspot.com/2009/05/mistakes-to-avoid-when-looking-for-work.html)
The graduate above was essentially insulting the interviewer by demeaning the job, in telling the "truth".
It's not necessary to lower your career goals, but it is important to show that you spent your time well right after graduation. You need a job as soon as possible to provide proof of your ambition.
If you're going to accept an interview, make sure that you prepare, demonstrate openness and a positive attitude and followup in a way that keeps everything going in your favor. Don't assume anything about the position you're interviewing for, or the person doing the interview. He or she may even have other "unadvertised" opportunities.
True,
Your first job may not align with your college major.
It may be a hourly rate and not a salary.
It may be part-time.
It may not pay what you think you're worth.
But, in today's job market, you're competing with experienced professionals. They know something that you don't know.
1. Any seemingly great job offer can turn out to be disappointing, once you get there. And..
2. A position that seems inadequate at first can produce unforeseen opportunities, once you get there.
When your expectations about your first job are too lofty, you won't take interviews seriously, you won't get a job offer, and -- worst of all -- you will undermine your own confidence. Handle the interview well, and you're sure to get a boost in your self-image.
In an interview, it's best to focus on evaluating the job positively, thinking of ways it can help you, instead of assuming that it's not what you're looking for. Keep your options open. You don't have to make a decision until you get an offer!
Once you get a job, learn as much as you can while there, build professional friendships that will help you build your future; and create a reputation for reliability and expertise. You'll soon be in a position to control your own destiny.
Her answer: "It wouldn't be my first choice."
The result: No job offer
Author Barbara Pachter says that many millennials limit their job options by making poor choices in etiquette (http://barbarapachter.blogspot.com/2009/05/mistakes-to-avoid-when-looking-for-work.html)
The graduate above was essentially insulting the interviewer by demeaning the job, in telling the "truth".
It's not necessary to lower your career goals, but it is important to show that you spent your time well right after graduation. You need a job as soon as possible to provide proof of your ambition.
If you're going to accept an interview, make sure that you prepare, demonstrate openness and a positive attitude and followup in a way that keeps everything going in your favor. Don't assume anything about the position you're interviewing for, or the person doing the interview. He or she may even have other "unadvertised" opportunities.
True,
Your first job may not align with your college major.
It may be a hourly rate and not a salary.
It may be part-time.
It may not pay what you think you're worth.
But, in today's job market, you're competing with experienced professionals. They know something that you don't know.
1. Any seemingly great job offer can turn out to be disappointing, once you get there. And..
2. A position that seems inadequate at first can produce unforeseen opportunities, once you get there.
When your expectations about your first job are too lofty, you won't take interviews seriously, you won't get a job offer, and -- worst of all -- you will undermine your own confidence. Handle the interview well, and you're sure to get a boost in your self-image.
In an interview, it's best to focus on evaluating the job positively, thinking of ways it can help you, instead of assuming that it's not what you're looking for. Keep your options open. You don't have to make a decision until you get an offer!
Once you get a job, learn as much as you can while there, build professional friendships that will help you build your future; and create a reputation for reliability and expertise. You'll soon be in a position to control your own destiny.
Friday, May 29, 2009
A College Major is not a Career Choice! Get Out from Behind Yourself and Talk to People
In today's economy, many professional jobs do not require a four-year degree, and there is an oversupply of college graduates. This changes the equation for what the payback of a college education really is, and, the kind of investment you need to make to get the best results.
Many students, and certainly, their parents, say that they choose a major with the expectation of a particular job. The folly of this is that, too often, they act on incomplete information: what someone told them. They omit the critical step of finding out for themselves.
First, most professional jobs accept a variety of training options. College may not even be required.
And, if you are a college graduate, a variety of majors will be viewed by employers as applicable to your job of choice. You might be competing with more applicants that you planned on.
The only way to prove out your expectations for work after college is to use the principles of job shadowing that you learned about in high school: Talk to people!
Seek out people who are employed in the profession. How did they get there? What specific types of education, on-site training and networking would they recommend to you? If you don't know anyone employed in the field, go to the library or search online and find the professional trade association. Locate someone in your area and email them or ask for an in-person coffee meeting (your treat, of course).
College students, remember: You're the "customer" of your college. Use the faculty as a career resource. You're entitled to free access to them. Your instructors know the emerging trends in the profession and, best of all, they are connected. They know people who make the hiring decisions. They can assist you with your search for an internship, which is the best way to try on a job, before continuing to pursue it.
College is not just a monetary investment. It also occupies critical years of your life. Don't let that time produce lost opportunities.
Many students, and certainly, their parents, say that they choose a major with the expectation of a particular job. The folly of this is that, too often, they act on incomplete information: what someone told them. They omit the critical step of finding out for themselves.
First, most professional jobs accept a variety of training options. College may not even be required.
And, if you are a college graduate, a variety of majors will be viewed by employers as applicable to your job of choice. You might be competing with more applicants that you planned on.
The only way to prove out your expectations for work after college is to use the principles of job shadowing that you learned about in high school: Talk to people!
Seek out people who are employed in the profession. How did they get there? What specific types of education, on-site training and networking would they recommend to you? If you don't know anyone employed in the field, go to the library or search online and find the professional trade association. Locate someone in your area and email them or ask for an in-person coffee meeting (your treat, of course).
College students, remember: You're the "customer" of your college. Use the faculty as a career resource. You're entitled to free access to them. Your instructors know the emerging trends in the profession and, best of all, they are connected. They know people who make the hiring decisions. They can assist you with your search for an internship, which is the best way to try on a job, before continuing to pursue it.
College is not just a monetary investment. It also occupies critical years of your life. Don't let that time produce lost opportunities.
Saturday, April 04, 2009
If You Choose Your Academic Program Wisely, It Just Doesn't Matter Where You Go To College
Many students don’t realize that it isn’t their choice of college, or choice of major, that will determine success at college. They should consider your happiness first.
But what does that mean, exactly?
We tell students: If you can engage in the “community,” you will be more likely to optimize your experience, socially and academically, and be satisfied with the “value for the money” from your choice of college.
But the hidden secret of college shopping, is that your WILL depend of your choice of academic program within a college. It’s the “program” that you should be shopping for, once you’re sure that you will be comfortable with the social environment of top choice schools.
The latest National Survey of Student Engagement uncovered that 90% of the variance in student satisfaction campus quality is explained by students at the same schools not having the same experiences. The study reported that there are differences across academic programs at the same college when it comes to important factors like “social support”, “interactions with students from other ethnicities”, and “active and collaborative learning”.
And, this week, Forbes Magazine urged the 3.3 million newly minted high school graduates to save themselves pronounced anxiety by bargain shopping for their educations. Author and recent grad student/blogger Joie Jager-Hyman says that what's most important is a student’s “willingness to engage…, commit to learning and actively take part in classes that challenge…”.
Source: http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/26/college-admission-officer-opinions-contributors-decision.html
Coming up! Workshops on College Essay Writing and Career Exploration (May 2), Register at http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/Jill Bernaciak at Linked In
But what does that mean, exactly?
We tell students: If you can engage in the “community,” you will be more likely to optimize your experience, socially and academically, and be satisfied with the “value for the money” from your choice of college.
But the hidden secret of college shopping, is that your WILL depend of your choice of academic program within a college. It’s the “program” that you should be shopping for, once you’re sure that you will be comfortable with the social environment of top choice schools.
The latest National Survey of Student Engagement uncovered that 90% of the variance in student satisfaction campus quality is explained by students at the same schools not having the same experiences. The study reported that there are differences across academic programs at the same college when it comes to important factors like “social support”, “interactions with students from other ethnicities”, and “active and collaborative learning”.
And, this week, Forbes Magazine urged the 3.3 million newly minted high school graduates to save themselves pronounced anxiety by bargain shopping for their educations. Author and recent grad student/blogger Joie Jager-Hyman says that what's most important is a student’s “willingness to engage…, commit to learning and actively take part in classes that challenge…”.
Source: http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/26/college-admission-officer-opinions-contributors-decision.html
Coming up! Workshops on College Essay Writing and Career Exploration (May 2), Register at http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/Jill Bernaciak at Linked In
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Pursuing The Value-Add of a College Education
Marty Nemko's opinion-editorial in The Chronicle of Higher Education last spring raised challenges to both colleges and families to each create the "value-add" of a college education. Nemko contended that college students who have weak high school records often drop out from college without gaining much. They often leave the college experience with "devastated self-esteem, a mountain of debt, and a job they could have obtained without college."
Nemko, US News and World Report's contributing editor on career and college issues, cited several notable studies of low satisfaction with college among graduate and lack of preparedness for the work force. Among his proposed solutions: College view guides should include detailed scorecards on student progress.
In his blog, Nemko urges families to save money by making the most of college and to make college selection decisions accordingly:
"Choose professors carefully; for example, read online student reviews of them. Pick the professors most likely to teach you to think and write better and who will inspire you.
Take writing-and reasoning centric courses: for example, rhetoric.
Participate in extracurriculars such as debate, student govt, and student newspaper.
Take classes that expose you to a wide range of political perspectives.
Search out great peer and adult mentors."
Coming up! Workshops on College Essay Writing and Career Exploration (May 2), Register at http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/
Jill Bernaciak at Linked In
Nemko, US News and World Report's contributing editor on career and college issues, cited several notable studies of low satisfaction with college among graduate and lack of preparedness for the work force. Among his proposed solutions: College view guides should include detailed scorecards on student progress.
In his blog, Nemko urges families to save money by making the most of college and to make college selection decisions accordingly:
"Choose professors carefully; for example, read online student reviews of them. Pick the professors most likely to teach you to think and write better and who will inspire you.
Take writing-and reasoning centric courses: for example, rhetoric.
Participate in extracurriculars such as debate, student govt, and student newspaper.
Take classes that expose you to a wide range of political perspectives.
Search out great peer and adult mentors."
Coming up! Workshops on College Essay Writing and Career Exploration (May 2), Register at http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/
Jill Bernaciak at Linked In
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Four Northeast Ohio Colleges offer Human Resource Specializations, with Job Growth Exceeding 18%
Baldwin-Wallace, Cleveland State University, Ursuline College and Chancellor University offer Human Resource Majors; with job growth exceeding 18% in some specializations.
Generally, with a median salary of $88,510 and job growth exceeding 11 percent through 2016, the human resource profession is a broad category with lots of potential for the well-prepared job seeker. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, job growth approaching 18% is expected in specialties in employment, recruitment, and placement; compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists; and training and development, whose job holders can seek areas of specialization, for example, as:
- Compensation and Benefits, where managers plan, direct, or coordinate compensation and benefits activities and staff of an organization. They can specialize in areas such as pensions or position classifications. For example, job analysts collect and examine details about job duties and prepare job descriptions that explain the duties, training, and skills that each job requires.
- Training and Development, where managers perform duties similar to the above and may also plan, direct, or coordinate the training and development activities and staff of an organization, a key employee benefit.
Four northeast ohio colleges offer programs leading to a bachelor’s degree in personnel, human resources, or labor relations:
Baldwin-Wallace College – Human Resources
Cleveland State University – Management and Labor Relations
Ursuline College – Human Resource Management
Chancellor University (formerly Myers University) - Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Human Resource Management
Beyond those four, courses leading to a career in human resources management may be found in departments of business administration, education, instructional technology, organizational development, human services, communication, or public administration.
Coming up! Workshops on College Essay Writing (March 28) and Career Exploration (May 2), Register at http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/
Jill Bernaciak at Linked In
Generally, with a median salary of $88,510 and job growth exceeding 11 percent through 2016, the human resource profession is a broad category with lots of potential for the well-prepared job seeker. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, job growth approaching 18% is expected in specialties in employment, recruitment, and placement; compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists; and training and development, whose job holders can seek areas of specialization, for example, as:
- Compensation and Benefits, where managers plan, direct, or coordinate compensation and benefits activities and staff of an organization. They can specialize in areas such as pensions or position classifications. For example, job analysts collect and examine details about job duties and prepare job descriptions that explain the duties, training, and skills that each job requires.
- Training and Development, where managers perform duties similar to the above and may also plan, direct, or coordinate the training and development activities and staff of an organization, a key employee benefit.
Four northeast ohio colleges offer programs leading to a bachelor’s degree in personnel, human resources, or labor relations:
Baldwin-Wallace College – Human Resources
Cleveland State University – Management and Labor Relations
Ursuline College – Human Resource Management
Chancellor University (formerly Myers University) - Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Human Resource Management
Beyond those four, courses leading to a career in human resources management may be found in departments of business administration, education, instructional technology, organizational development, human services, communication, or public administration.
Coming up! Workshops on College Essay Writing (March 28) and Career Exploration (May 2), Register at http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/
Jill Bernaciak at Linked In
Sunday, February 22, 2009
With Passion for Fashion, Kent State Students are Well-Prepared to Compete in the Global Industry
There are two strategies that Northeast Ohio college students can take to choose a college major that ensures employment:
- Find a profession with largeness and growth and/or
- Find a school that’s the top in its field
Employment in the fashion design and fashion merchandising is not just a glamour job. Self-employment is common. Most jobs are highly competitive and located in New York and California. Job growth is slower than average, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
However, with top local training, students have the best chances of success.
Since 1983, the Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design and Merchandising at Kent State University’ has been turning out graduates who go on to lead their professions. Guided by a strong advisory board, students work side-by-side with top industry professionals from JCPenney, Sears and Simplicity Pattern Company, among others. Students consistently win national competitions sponsored by the Council of Fashion Designers of America and Target.
Recently, the fashion school received a $1 million gift from the Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation. that provides “world-class quality leadership” for the next ten years from Elizabeth Rhodes, an exceptional industry visionary leader, according to Rick Kellar, the foundation’s president.
Over thirteen full-time faculty use hands-on and real-life experiences with over 700 students. Study tours to Europe and Asia are offered on a regular basis. Facilities include a studio in New York City, an international school in Florence, Italy and study opportunities in Hong Kong, London and Paris.
The NYC Studio is a new 4500-square-foot space with lecture room, computer lab and world class design studio, located in the heart of New York City's Garment District, where one-third of all clothing manufactured in the USA is designed and produced and home to America's world-renowned fashion talent.
The Kent State location has several CAD (computer-aided design) labs for digital fabric printing. pattern-making and 3-D merchandising. It houses world-renown library and museum.
A Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design is available on two tracks with different emphasis:
- Conceptual design with illustration
- Problem solving and technical design skills with strong construction skills.
In Fashion Merchandising, a Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising and a five-year MBA are available.
Basic coursework includes color, textiles, sewing and tailoring, pattern making, fashion history, computer-aided design (CAD), and design of different types of clothing such as menswear or footwear.
In addition to general admission requirements, applicants to the fashion design program must submit a skills assessment, including drawing and machine stitching samples, and a letter of intent and ‘statement of honor”. The school offers Academic Discovery days and shadowing for high school students for an in-depth exploration of the program.
Visit http://www.fashionschool.kent.edu/for more information
Median annual earnings for salaried fashion designers were $62,610 in May 2006. Earnings in fashion design can vary widely based on the employer and years of experience. Starting salaries in fashion design tend to be very low until designers are established in the industry. According to the Department of labor, some fashion designers also combine a fashion design degree with a business, marketing, or fashion merchandising degree, especially those who want to run their own business or retail store.
Coming up! Workshops on College Essay (March 28) and Career Planning (May 2)
Register at http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/
Jill Bernaciak
See my Linked In Profile
- Find a profession with largeness and growth and/or
- Find a school that’s the top in its field
Employment in the fashion design and fashion merchandising is not just a glamour job. Self-employment is common. Most jobs are highly competitive and located in New York and California. Job growth is slower than average, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
However, with top local training, students have the best chances of success.
Since 1983, the Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design and Merchandising at Kent State University’ has been turning out graduates who go on to lead their professions. Guided by a strong advisory board, students work side-by-side with top industry professionals from JCPenney, Sears and Simplicity Pattern Company, among others. Students consistently win national competitions sponsored by the Council of Fashion Designers of America and Target.
Recently, the fashion school received a $1 million gift from the Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation. that provides “world-class quality leadership” for the next ten years from Elizabeth Rhodes, an exceptional industry visionary leader, according to Rick Kellar, the foundation’s president.
Over thirteen full-time faculty use hands-on and real-life experiences with over 700 students. Study tours to Europe and Asia are offered on a regular basis. Facilities include a studio in New York City, an international school in Florence, Italy and study opportunities in Hong Kong, London and Paris.
The NYC Studio is a new 4500-square-foot space with lecture room, computer lab and world class design studio, located in the heart of New York City's Garment District, where one-third of all clothing manufactured in the USA is designed and produced and home to America's world-renowned fashion talent.
The Kent State location has several CAD (computer-aided design) labs for digital fabric printing. pattern-making and 3-D merchandising. It houses world-renown library and museum.
A Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design is available on two tracks with different emphasis:
- Conceptual design with illustration
- Problem solving and technical design skills with strong construction skills.
In Fashion Merchandising, a Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising and a five-year MBA are available.
Basic coursework includes color, textiles, sewing and tailoring, pattern making, fashion history, computer-aided design (CAD), and design of different types of clothing such as menswear or footwear.
In addition to general admission requirements, applicants to the fashion design program must submit a skills assessment, including drawing and machine stitching samples, and a letter of intent and ‘statement of honor”. The school offers Academic Discovery days and shadowing for high school students for an in-depth exploration of the program.
Visit http://www.fashionschool.kent.edu/for more information
Median annual earnings for salaried fashion designers were $62,610 in May 2006. Earnings in fashion design can vary widely based on the employer and years of experience. Starting salaries in fashion design tend to be very low until designers are established in the industry. According to the Department of labor, some fashion designers also combine a fashion design degree with a business, marketing, or fashion merchandising degree, especially those who want to run their own business or retail store.
Coming up! Workshops on College Essay (March 28) and Career Planning (May 2)
Register at http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/
Jill Bernaciak
See my Linked In Profile
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Are You Efficient and a Strong Leader? Many Northeast Ohio Colleges Can Prepare You to be a High-Paid Administrative Service Manager
One of the only ways that a company can grow in today’s economy is to optimize the efficiency of its operations.
With the right degree and experience, you could be a key player as an “Administrative Services Manager”; which will be a higher-demand, high paid job through 2016 (and probably beyond).
While the job title is about as nondescript of an occupation as you could imagine, it pays an average of $67,000 annually and will have 276,000 people employed by 2016. This is an almost 12 percent increase from 2006.
Relevant majors depend on the work environment and include:
- Business (specifically finance or human resources)
- Engineering
- Architecture
- Construction management
- Facility management
What’s this Job Entail?
You don’t need to be an expert in the functional areas that you’d supervise, but you do need to demonstrate strong leadership and communication skills, which is why lower-level experience is so vital. You must enjoy working with details, and a wide range of people; from managers, supervisors, and professionals, to clerks and blue-collar workers. You must be flexible, decisive and effective with meeting deadlines and managing multiple activities at once.
Administrative services managers coordinate and direct a broad spectrum of services that keep a company running smoothly. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, they can oversee:
- Secretarial and reception services and mail
- Administration and payroll
- Conference planning and travel
- Information and data processing
- Materials scheduling and distribution
- Printing and reproduction
- Records management
- Telecommunications management
- Security, parking
- Energy consumption
- Personal property
- Procurement, supply, recycling, and disposal
Specific duties for these managers vary by their level of responsibility and authority. Some advance to upper level positions, such as vice president of administrative services.
Experience and Courses Required
Managerial and industry-specific experience is the key to attaining this position. You might have to start in a non-managerial position and work up the ladder. Your chances for promotion to this position can be enhanced by earning the Certified Manager (CM) designation offered by the Institute of Certified Professional Managers (ICPM), along with the right experience and education.
The degree required depends on the work environment. In less complex organizations, a high school education and experience could suffice. But other employers, such as in contract administration or facilities management, require a bachelor’s degree. In facilities management, many managers have a background in real estate, construction, or interior design. Courses in office technology, accounting, business mathematics, computer applications, human resources, and business law would be expected, regardless of industry.
Sources: Occupation Outlook Handbook, 2008-09
With the right degree and experience, you could be a key player as an “Administrative Services Manager”; which will be a higher-demand, high paid job through 2016 (and probably beyond).
While the job title is about as nondescript of an occupation as you could imagine, it pays an average of $67,000 annually and will have 276,000 people employed by 2016. This is an almost 12 percent increase from 2006.
Relevant majors depend on the work environment and include:
- Business (specifically finance or human resources)
- Engineering
- Architecture
- Construction management
- Facility management
What’s this Job Entail?
You don’t need to be an expert in the functional areas that you’d supervise, but you do need to demonstrate strong leadership and communication skills, which is why lower-level experience is so vital. You must enjoy working with details, and a wide range of people; from managers, supervisors, and professionals, to clerks and blue-collar workers. You must be flexible, decisive and effective with meeting deadlines and managing multiple activities at once.
Administrative services managers coordinate and direct a broad spectrum of services that keep a company running smoothly. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, they can oversee:
- Secretarial and reception services and mail
- Administration and payroll
- Conference planning and travel
- Information and data processing
- Materials scheduling and distribution
- Printing and reproduction
- Records management
- Telecommunications management
- Security, parking
- Energy consumption
- Personal property
- Procurement, supply, recycling, and disposal
Specific duties for these managers vary by their level of responsibility and authority. Some advance to upper level positions, such as vice president of administrative services.
Experience and Courses Required
Managerial and industry-specific experience is the key to attaining this position. You might have to start in a non-managerial position and work up the ladder. Your chances for promotion to this position can be enhanced by earning the Certified Manager (CM) designation offered by the Institute of Certified Professional Managers (ICPM), along with the right experience and education.
The degree required depends on the work environment. In less complex organizations, a high school education and experience could suffice. But other employers, such as in contract administration or facilities management, require a bachelor’s degree. In facilities management, many managers have a background in real estate, construction, or interior design. Courses in office technology, accounting, business mathematics, computer applications, human resources, and business law would be expected, regardless of industry.
Sources: Occupation Outlook Handbook, 2008-09
Monday, February 09, 2009
Building a Career? Look into Construction Management and Cleveland State University
Economic forecasts aside, the long-run job prospects in Construction Management are much better than average, from the perspective of salary and chance of hire.
The number of construction management jobs will grow 15.7% between 2006 and 2016. The median salary in 2006 was $73,700.
A bachelor’s degree in construction science, construction management, building science, or civil engineering or architecture are preferred and work experience is also expected, whether through an internship, a cooperative education program, or a job in the industry. The traditional path to advancement begins with long-term experience as, for example, carpentry, masonry, plumbing, or electrical installation.
In Northeast Ohio, five colleges have relevant four-year programs that would qualify you, after work experience, for a construction management opportunity:
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland State University
Kent State University
The University of Akron
Youngstown State University
For example, Cleveland State University’s Engineering program has made “large investments have been made in new labs and the renovation of classrooms and office space…” Its co-op program enables students to alternate between classes and work at many (related) “prominent companies”.
According to the Dean’s report in spring 2008, 63% of the faculty graduated from the top 26 engineering schools in the United States, including MIT, Princeton, Carnegie Mellon, Purdue, Texas A&M and a variety of others. The Visiting Scholar program has hosted scholars from Carnegie Mellon University and internationally from Myong Ji University and Dankook University in South Korea, Fujian University and Shanghai Polytechnic University in China, Federal University of Sao Carlos in Brazil and JNTU in India.
In the Cleveland marketplace, there are an estimated 970,000 construction management positions, with an average hourly wage of $42.55 and an average annual salary of $88,510.
According to the Occupational Outlook, construction managers “plan, direct, coordinate, or budget…activities concerned with the construction and maintenance of structures, facilities, and systems”. Construction managers help conceptualize the development of a construction project and organize, schedule, and implement related activities with the help of supervisory subordinates. Specialties such as carpentry or plumbing are included in this profession, and job titles include general superintendents, project managers, and constructors.
The biggest employers of construction managers include petroleum and related wholesale, investment pools or funds, and travel accommodations. Most managers are involved with nonresidential, residential, building equipment, foundation, structure and exterior contactors.
Sources: Occupational Outlook Handbook, http://www.csuohio.edu/engineering/
The number of construction management jobs will grow 15.7% between 2006 and 2016. The median salary in 2006 was $73,700.
A bachelor’s degree in construction science, construction management, building science, or civil engineering or architecture are preferred and work experience is also expected, whether through an internship, a cooperative education program, or a job in the industry. The traditional path to advancement begins with long-term experience as, for example, carpentry, masonry, plumbing, or electrical installation.
In Northeast Ohio, five colleges have relevant four-year programs that would qualify you, after work experience, for a construction management opportunity:
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland State University
Kent State University
The University of Akron
Youngstown State University
For example, Cleveland State University’s Engineering program has made “large investments have been made in new labs and the renovation of classrooms and office space…” Its co-op program enables students to alternate between classes and work at many (related) “prominent companies”.
According to the Dean’s report in spring 2008, 63% of the faculty graduated from the top 26 engineering schools in the United States, including MIT, Princeton, Carnegie Mellon, Purdue, Texas A&M and a variety of others. The Visiting Scholar program has hosted scholars from Carnegie Mellon University and internationally from Myong Ji University and Dankook University in South Korea, Fujian University and Shanghai Polytechnic University in China, Federal University of Sao Carlos in Brazil and JNTU in India.
In the Cleveland marketplace, there are an estimated 970,000 construction management positions, with an average hourly wage of $42.55 and an average annual salary of $88,510.
According to the Occupational Outlook, construction managers “plan, direct, coordinate, or budget…activities concerned with the construction and maintenance of structures, facilities, and systems”. Construction managers help conceptualize the development of a construction project and organize, schedule, and implement related activities with the help of supervisory subordinates. Specialties such as carpentry or plumbing are included in this profession, and job titles include general superintendents, project managers, and constructors.
The biggest employers of construction managers include petroleum and related wholesale, investment pools or funds, and travel accommodations. Most managers are involved with nonresidential, residential, building equipment, foundation, structure and exterior contactors.
Sources: Occupational Outlook Handbook, http://www.csuohio.edu/engineering/
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Case Western Reserve University -- and several others in Northeast Ohio -- offers Best Odds for Hiring and High Pay in the Computer Science Field
Northeast Ohio has always been a tough job market. Unless you have a rich uncle -- it's paramount to have a solid strategy for your college education and career.
If you take the trouble to identify a top-paying occupation early in your college career, would you also want to know about where you can find a top-rated academic program, locally?
-- Or, would you also be interested in finding a top-rated program, locally and at the lowest cost?
Answering these questions may seem unwieldy.
You could define your "best fit" college by finding one that gives you a top education in a top paying, promising field. Of course, for most students, it's not quite that crystal clear. Your college lifestyle is also an important consideration.
In Ohio, Case Western Reserve University and The Ohio State University both offer a top rated program in Computer Science, according to both The Gourman Report and Rugg's Recommendations on the Colleges. (The Gourman report was acquired by The Princeton Review in 1997.)
Rugg's includes Denison University in its best Computer Science majors list in the "most selective" category.
Hiram College and Kent State University are also included, although considered by Rugg's to be "very", not "most" selective in admitting students.
Baldwin-Wallace College and Mount Union College also make the cut in the more general, "selective" category.
Majors in computer and information sciences, computer systems analysis, networking and telecommunications or information technology can leads to a position as network systems and data communications analyst, the best job for college graduates, as defined by Laurence Shatkin.
Shatkin and Michael Farr, authors of the "200 Best Jobs for College Graduates", say that Systems analysts design, test and evaluate systems such as intranets and local area networks. The average starting salary is $40,100 and there will be over 35,000 openings for them annually, through 2016.
Sources: Forbes, 1/9/09
Rugg's Recommendations on the Colleges, 2006
The Gourman Report, 1997
If you take the trouble to identify a top-paying occupation early in your college career, would you also want to know about where you can find a top-rated academic program, locally?
-- Or, would you also be interested in finding a top-rated program, locally and at the lowest cost?
Answering these questions may seem unwieldy.
You could define your "best fit" college by finding one that gives you a top education in a top paying, promising field. Of course, for most students, it's not quite that crystal clear. Your college lifestyle is also an important consideration.
In Ohio, Case Western Reserve University and The Ohio State University both offer a top rated program in Computer Science, according to both The Gourman Report and Rugg's Recommendations on the Colleges. (The Gourman report was acquired by The Princeton Review in 1997.)
Rugg's includes Denison University in its best Computer Science majors list in the "most selective" category.
Hiram College and Kent State University are also included, although considered by Rugg's to be "very", not "most" selective in admitting students.
Baldwin-Wallace College and Mount Union College also make the cut in the more general, "selective" category.
Majors in computer and information sciences, computer systems analysis, networking and telecommunications or information technology can leads to a position as network systems and data communications analyst, the best job for college graduates, as defined by Laurence Shatkin.
Shatkin and Michael Farr, authors of the "200 Best Jobs for College Graduates", say that Systems analysts design, test and evaluate systems such as intranets and local area networks. The average starting salary is $40,100 and there will be over 35,000 openings for them annually, through 2016.
Sources: Forbes, 1/9/09
Rugg's Recommendations on the Colleges, 2006
The Gourman Report, 1997
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Even High Demand Degree-Holders Need to Get Smart about Developing "Soft" Skills
College Graduates! Do You Know Who is Hiring? Or Who is Being Hired?
Don’t overlook the importance of proving your soft skills to employers when entering the job market for the first time. Everyone – regardless of your degree -- has to overcome employer bias against recent college graduates.
Employers want communication and team work skills but they believe that young people lack them. You will be better off in this flat job market, if you can demonstrate your team work experience and individual contributions from college classes, extracurricular experience, internships and “first jobs”.
According to the 2009 Job Outlook Survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the job market is flat. And it's more competitive. There are more job-seekers; recent graduates and job changers are pursing the same positions.
Engineers, accountants and computer scientists with "people smarts" will be very competitive in the 2009 job market.
The highest demand is for bachelor's degrees are in the following fields:
Accounting
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Computer Science
Business Administration/Management
Economics/Finance
Information Sciences & Systems
Computer Engineering
Management Information Systems
Marketing/Marketing Management
At the master's degree level, the highest demand is for:
M.B.A.
Electrical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Computer Science
Accounting
These hiring trends are likely to continue for awhile, so undergraduate students who are considering one of these majors will be well-advised to confirm that decision.
Where Should you Target your Job Search?
If you're a newly minted degree-holder in Accounting, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Business Administration/Management, the Federal Government is the best place to seek a job.
If you're an MBA, you will lead the pack at 60% of employers surveyed by NACE.
Who's Hiring by Employer Type
(Bachelor's Degree)
Accounting:
Accounting (public)
Financial Services
Utilities
Government (Federal)
Mechanical engineering
Government (Federal)
Chemicals & Allied Products
Food & Beverage Processing
Electrical engineering:
Government (Federal)
Electrical & electronic machinery & equipment manufacturers
Chemicals & allied products
Computer Science:
Computer software development& data processing services
Communication Services
Government (Federal)
Business Admin./Mgmt.:
Insurance
Financial Services
Food & Beverage Processing
Government (Federal)
Associate degree holders in business, engineering, drafting, design, and computer-aided design (CAD) are also in demand. Industries that are doing the most hiring for associate degrees are utility companies, research organizations, communications services, electrical/electronic machinery and equipment manufacturers.
High Demand "Soft" Skills
Employers want skills that they say recent college graduate lack; most importantly:
1. Communication skills, especially writing
2. Strong work ethic
3. Teamwork skills (works well with others)
4. Initiative
5. Analytical skills
6. Computer skills
7. Flexibility/adaptability
8. Interpersonal skills (relates well to others)
9. Problem-solving skills
10. Technical skills
High GPAs and Internships are Other Ways to Get Over the Hurdles
Over 50% of employers use a GPA cutoff of 3.0 to screen out candidates. Adding an internship or two in your field will show an employer that you’ve tested your new knowledge.
Even better, internships are a foot in the door. Employers often use them for try-outs; a talent pool for future employees. So, even if it's an unpaid internship, if it's with a desirable future employer, you should seriously consider it!
Don’t overlook the importance of proving your soft skills to employers when entering the job market for the first time. Everyone – regardless of your degree -- has to overcome employer bias against recent college graduates.
Employers want communication and team work skills but they believe that young people lack them. You will be better off in this flat job market, if you can demonstrate your team work experience and individual contributions from college classes, extracurricular experience, internships and “first jobs”.
According to the 2009 Job Outlook Survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the job market is flat. And it's more competitive. There are more job-seekers; recent graduates and job changers are pursing the same positions.
Engineers, accountants and computer scientists with "people smarts" will be very competitive in the 2009 job market.
The highest demand is for bachelor's degrees are in the following fields:
Accounting
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Computer Science
Business Administration/Management
Economics/Finance
Information Sciences & Systems
Computer Engineering
Management Information Systems
Marketing/Marketing Management
At the master's degree level, the highest demand is for:
M.B.A.
Electrical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Computer Science
Accounting
These hiring trends are likely to continue for awhile, so undergraduate students who are considering one of these majors will be well-advised to confirm that decision.
Where Should you Target your Job Search?
If you're a newly minted degree-holder in Accounting, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Business Administration/Management, the Federal Government is the best place to seek a job.
If you're an MBA, you will lead the pack at 60% of employers surveyed by NACE.
Who's Hiring by Employer Type
(Bachelor's Degree)
Accounting:
Accounting (public)
Financial Services
Utilities
Government (Federal)
Mechanical engineering
Government (Federal)
Chemicals & Allied Products
Food & Beverage Processing
Electrical engineering:
Government (Federal)
Electrical & electronic machinery & equipment manufacturers
Chemicals & allied products
Computer Science:
Computer software development& data processing services
Communication Services
Government (Federal)
Business Admin./Mgmt.:
Insurance
Financial Services
Food & Beverage Processing
Government (Federal)
Associate degree holders in business, engineering, drafting, design, and computer-aided design (CAD) are also in demand. Industries that are doing the most hiring for associate degrees are utility companies, research organizations, communications services, electrical/electronic machinery and equipment manufacturers.
High Demand "Soft" Skills
Employers want skills that they say recent college graduate lack; most importantly:
1. Communication skills, especially writing
2. Strong work ethic
3. Teamwork skills (works well with others)
4. Initiative
5. Analytical skills
6. Computer skills
7. Flexibility/adaptability
8. Interpersonal skills (relates well to others)
9. Problem-solving skills
10. Technical skills
High GPAs and Internships are Other Ways to Get Over the Hurdles
Over 50% of employers use a GPA cutoff of 3.0 to screen out candidates. Adding an internship or two in your field will show an employer that you’ve tested your new knowledge.
Even better, internships are a foot in the door. Employers often use them for try-outs; a talent pool for future employees. So, even if it's an unpaid internship, if it's with a desirable future employer, you should seriously consider it!
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Innovative, Cross-Disciplinary Golf Management Program at Ohio State University
Try telling mom and dad that you want to major in “golf”.
Even the savviest college shopper might never ask him- or herself:
“What do science, business, and golf have in common?”
Ohio State University (OSU) provides all the right justifications for turning your golf passion into a lucrative career. The right facilities, broad cross-disciplinary coursework and specializations, premiere faculty and intensive professional networking can make you a sought-after candidate in a $62 billion industry.
OSU' s creative four-and-a-half year Professional Golf Management (PGM) Program collaborated across three academic departments and with a leading professional association to offer high-potential student golfers an opportunity to make their passion into a career. The program combines the academic requirements of The Ohio State University with the golf business knowledge and golf aptitude expectations.
The OSU College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) houses the program, which is delivered by the Horticulture & Crop Science Department. CFAES, the College of Education and Human Ecology, the Fisher College of Business, and the OSU Athletics Department partnered to develop the program, which is sanctioned by the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA). PGA requires students to become Class A PGA professionals after graduation
Why OSU? Why a Career in – of all things – Golf!?
According to program officials, about $4.4 billion of (the $62 million golf industry) is produced in Ohio, according to a PGA study. “The starting median salary for someone going through a PGM program is about $50,000 and can eventually reach six figures,” program literature points out.
Ohio is fifth among U.S. states for the number of golf courses (~ 800). Most of them serve as sites for OSU PGM students to conduct internships.
Ohio State was the 18th institution in the United States to implement a Professional Golf Management program, and has the distinction of offering the only PGM program in Ohio, and only the second in the Midwest.
What’s Involved with a Golf Management Major at OSU?
Applicants to the PGM program must be admitted to the University and provide proof of an 18-hole golf handicap of 10 or better. This provides evidence that PGM students have the potential to pass the PGA of America’s Playing Ability Test (PAT).
This degree is multi-disciplinary and incorporates on-campus courses required to complete the major and the General Education Curriculum. Students must also complete the course requirements for a minor in many areas of interest, such as General Business, Agribusiness, Coaching Education or Exercise Science.
All students majoring in PGM at Ohio State complete at least 16 months (five academic quarters) of internships prior to graduation.
Courses are offered in finance, personnel management, marketing, merchandising, plant science, inventory control, lesson planning, individual and group teaching, and social and professional interactions. Students learn to operate a golf course or resort, studying accounting, food and beverage management, event planning, turfgrass science - while honing their golf skills and teaching expertise.
A range of internship opportunities allow OSU PGM students to gain a breadth of experience in the golf industry, as well as focus on specific career interest areas. Students intern at high quality sites across the United States and internationally at university, municipal, public, private and semi-private courses/clubs, resorts, retail stores, learning centers, golf club manufacturers, and sport management companies.
The program is led by Dr. Ray Miller, who has been a member of the faculty at The Ohio State University since 1985 and was previously employed in the chemical industry and served as an environmental consultant.
"(Our PGM students) begin gaining the knowledge and skills required to become a resort manager, club pro, equipment representative or instructor in the golf industry," Dr, Miller notes.
"Other schools, especially the smaller ones, are very 'golfcentric,'" Miller says. "Even though students might learn human resource management or restaurant management, their programs are really focused on the golf part of that. Our students here, even if they decide to get out of golf, will have a broad enough background to do other things in life."
Dr. Miller helps students succeed in their academic program to become members of the Professional Golfer's Association of America. He carries a 7 handicap.
I’m Interested! What Do I Need to Do Next?
Prospective students must show proof of an 18-hole golf handicap of 10 or better. Proof of this handicap may be established by any one of the following:
· Confirmation of playing ability form signed by a high school golf coach
· Confirmation of playing ability form signed by a PGA of America member
· Current United States Golf Association Handicap card
· Confirmation of Playing Ability form - download form
Students can also visit the PGM website at pgm.osu.edu or call Mary Rose Molinaro at 1-866-367-5268 for further information.
Source: http://hcs.osu.edu/pgm/
Even the savviest college shopper might never ask him- or herself:
“What do science, business, and golf have in common?”
Ohio State University (OSU) provides all the right justifications for turning your golf passion into a lucrative career. The right facilities, broad cross-disciplinary coursework and specializations, premiere faculty and intensive professional networking can make you a sought-after candidate in a $62 billion industry.
OSU' s creative four-and-a-half year Professional Golf Management (PGM) Program collaborated across three academic departments and with a leading professional association to offer high-potential student golfers an opportunity to make their passion into a career. The program combines the academic requirements of The Ohio State University with the golf business knowledge and golf aptitude expectations.
The OSU College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) houses the program, which is delivered by the Horticulture & Crop Science Department. CFAES, the College of Education and Human Ecology, the Fisher College of Business, and the OSU Athletics Department partnered to develop the program, which is sanctioned by the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA). PGA requires students to become Class A PGA professionals after graduation
Why OSU? Why a Career in – of all things – Golf!?
According to program officials, about $4.4 billion of (the $62 million golf industry) is produced in Ohio, according to a PGA study. “The starting median salary for someone going through a PGM program is about $50,000 and can eventually reach six figures,” program literature points out.
Ohio is fifth among U.S. states for the number of golf courses (~ 800). Most of them serve as sites for OSU PGM students to conduct internships.
Ohio State was the 18th institution in the United States to implement a Professional Golf Management program, and has the distinction of offering the only PGM program in Ohio, and only the second in the Midwest.
What’s Involved with a Golf Management Major at OSU?
Applicants to the PGM program must be admitted to the University and provide proof of an 18-hole golf handicap of 10 or better. This provides evidence that PGM students have the potential to pass the PGA of America’s Playing Ability Test (PAT).
This degree is multi-disciplinary and incorporates on-campus courses required to complete the major and the General Education Curriculum. Students must also complete the course requirements for a minor in many areas of interest, such as General Business, Agribusiness, Coaching Education or Exercise Science.
All students majoring in PGM at Ohio State complete at least 16 months (five academic quarters) of internships prior to graduation.
Courses are offered in finance, personnel management, marketing, merchandising, plant science, inventory control, lesson planning, individual and group teaching, and social and professional interactions. Students learn to operate a golf course or resort, studying accounting, food and beverage management, event planning, turfgrass science - while honing their golf skills and teaching expertise.
A range of internship opportunities allow OSU PGM students to gain a breadth of experience in the golf industry, as well as focus on specific career interest areas. Students intern at high quality sites across the United States and internationally at university, municipal, public, private and semi-private courses/clubs, resorts, retail stores, learning centers, golf club manufacturers, and sport management companies.
The program is led by Dr. Ray Miller, who has been a member of the faculty at The Ohio State University since 1985 and was previously employed in the chemical industry and served as an environmental consultant.
"(Our PGM students) begin gaining the knowledge and skills required to become a resort manager, club pro, equipment representative or instructor in the golf industry," Dr, Miller notes.
"Other schools, especially the smaller ones, are very 'golfcentric,'" Miller says. "Even though students might learn human resource management or restaurant management, their programs are really focused on the golf part of that. Our students here, even if they decide to get out of golf, will have a broad enough background to do other things in life."
Dr. Miller helps students succeed in their academic program to become members of the Professional Golfer's Association of America. He carries a 7 handicap.
I’m Interested! What Do I Need to Do Next?
Prospective students must show proof of an 18-hole golf handicap of 10 or better. Proof of this handicap may be established by any one of the following:
· Confirmation of playing ability form signed by a high school golf coach
· Confirmation of playing ability form signed by a PGA of America member
· Current United States Golf Association Handicap card
· Confirmation of Playing Ability form - download form
Students can also visit the PGM website at pgm.osu.edu or call Mary Rose Molinaro at 1-866-367-5268 for further information.
Source: http://hcs.osu.edu/pgm/
Thursday, January 01, 2009
College Majors that Pay the Most!
In August 2008, Payscale, Inc. released its annual rankings for college majors that result in the highest salaries, based on data from 10 million users.
When looking at private sector jobs (excluding social work and education) and excluding graduate degrees, Computer Engineering is one of the highest paid occupations with the greatest demand. Furthermore, Computer Engineering achieves this salary range in under five years of experience.
The only downside of this occupation is that job growth isn’t particularly high and salaries don’t tend to grow with experience.
According to the College Board, "Computer engineering technology students learn the technical skills they need to help computer engineers design computer hardware and software. Class topics include computer electronics and programming, computer installation and testing, and report writing."
Nearest to Northeast Ohio, the Firelands campus of Bowling Green State University (BGSU) in Huron offers an associate degree in Computer Engineering. For information, contact:
Admission Office
One University Drive
Huron, OH 44839 (419) 433-5560
Fax: (419) 372-0604 fireadm@bgsu.edu
Contact: Debralee Divers Director of Admissions and Financial Aid
According to the IEEE Computer Society:
"Computers are used in almost every aspect of today’s life: in automobile engines, microwave ovens, video games, watches, telephones, desktops at home and work, mainframe computers in government and industry, and in supercomputers extending the frontiers of science and technology. The computer, network and Internet industries are the fastest growing segments of our economy and of the new millennium."
BGSU says that "students who are interested in computer and network engineering technology can pursue a four-year bachelor’s degree or a two-year associate degree. Technologists with the bachelor’s degree may work creating scientific and engineering advances or producing high quality products and are more likely than the technician to take on a project-leadership role after a year or two of experience.
A student with a two-year degree can enter the industry as a member of an engineering team working with engineers, technologists and other engineering technicians. Technicians are often involved in the maintenance, repair, installation, industrial application, testing, trouble-shooting, sales and field service of computer and network systems. They are expected to keep up with the latest technological advancements.
Typical job titles include: computer systems specialist, computer support specialist, computer maintenance technician, software engineering technician, installation technician, field engineer, field service representative, systems integrator and applications specialist, and systems support technician."
BGSU's Program Requirements Include:
Communications (6 hours minimum), General Studies (6 hours minimum), Basic Courses (20 hours minimum) and Electronics and Computer Technology Major (37 hours minimum) covering:
Design (DESN 104)Manufacturing (MFG 112) or Basic Computer-Aided Design (DESN 131)Energy, Power, Instrumentation and Control (ECT 191)
Electric Circuits (ECT 240)
Electronic Circuits (ECT 241)
Digital Electronic Components and Systems (ECT 249)
Real Time Microcomputer Systems for Industrial Control (ECT 250)
Programmable Logic Controllers (ECT 310 or ECT 248)
Electrical Measurements and Instrumentation (ECT 247)
Digital Computer Analysis (ECT 349)
Network & Internet Principles (CST 181)
Network & Internet Implementation (CST 281)
Employment Outlook
The U.S. Dept. of Labor expects the computer and network engineering technology career to be the fastest growing field well into the 21st century. According to the latest figures from the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, computer support specialists and computer engineers are the top two fastest growing occupations through 2008. Projected growth employment rates exceed 90 percent.
So, knowing the trade-offs in picking a major is critical. If you’re out for the quickest return on your investment in college, and you’re willing to stick out a tough academic program, don’t want to pursue a graduate degree and are fascinated with how computers work, Computer Engineering could be the perfect choice for you!
Sources:
http://www.abcnews.go.com/print?id=5304488
http://www.firelands.bgsu.edu/academics/asas_eeet-ect.html
www.collegeboard.com
When looking at private sector jobs (excluding social work and education) and excluding graduate degrees, Computer Engineering is one of the highest paid occupations with the greatest demand. Furthermore, Computer Engineering achieves this salary range in under five years of experience.
The only downside of this occupation is that job growth isn’t particularly high and salaries don’t tend to grow with experience.
According to the College Board, "Computer engineering technology students learn the technical skills they need to help computer engineers design computer hardware and software. Class topics include computer electronics and programming, computer installation and testing, and report writing."
Nearest to Northeast Ohio, the Firelands campus of Bowling Green State University (BGSU) in Huron offers an associate degree in Computer Engineering. For information, contact:
Admission Office
One University Drive
Huron, OH 44839 (419) 433-5560
Fax: (419) 372-0604 fireadm@bgsu.edu
Contact: Debralee Divers Director of Admissions and Financial Aid
According to the IEEE Computer Society:
"Computers are used in almost every aspect of today’s life: in automobile engines, microwave ovens, video games, watches, telephones, desktops at home and work, mainframe computers in government and industry, and in supercomputers extending the frontiers of science and technology. The computer, network and Internet industries are the fastest growing segments of our economy and of the new millennium."
BGSU says that "students who are interested in computer and network engineering technology can pursue a four-year bachelor’s degree or a two-year associate degree. Technologists with the bachelor’s degree may work creating scientific and engineering advances or producing high quality products and are more likely than the technician to take on a project-leadership role after a year or two of experience.
A student with a two-year degree can enter the industry as a member of an engineering team working with engineers, technologists and other engineering technicians. Technicians are often involved in the maintenance, repair, installation, industrial application, testing, trouble-shooting, sales and field service of computer and network systems. They are expected to keep up with the latest technological advancements.
Typical job titles include: computer systems specialist, computer support specialist, computer maintenance technician, software engineering technician, installation technician, field engineer, field service representative, systems integrator and applications specialist, and systems support technician."
BGSU's Program Requirements Include:
Communications (6 hours minimum), General Studies (6 hours minimum), Basic Courses (20 hours minimum) and Electronics and Computer Technology Major (37 hours minimum) covering:
Design (DESN 104)Manufacturing (MFG 112) or Basic Computer-Aided Design (DESN 131)Energy, Power, Instrumentation and Control (ECT 191)
Electric Circuits (ECT 240)
Electronic Circuits (ECT 241)
Digital Electronic Components and Systems (ECT 249)
Real Time Microcomputer Systems for Industrial Control (ECT 250)
Programmable Logic Controllers (ECT 310 or ECT 248)
Electrical Measurements and Instrumentation (ECT 247)
Digital Computer Analysis (ECT 349)
Network & Internet Principles (CST 181)
Network & Internet Implementation (CST 281)
Employment Outlook
The U.S. Dept. of Labor expects the computer and network engineering technology career to be the fastest growing field well into the 21st century. According to the latest figures from the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, computer support specialists and computer engineers are the top two fastest growing occupations through 2008. Projected growth employment rates exceed 90 percent.
So, knowing the trade-offs in picking a major is critical. If you’re out for the quickest return on your investment in college, and you’re willing to stick out a tough academic program, don’t want to pursue a graduate degree and are fascinated with how computers work, Computer Engineering could be the perfect choice for you!
Sources:
http://www.abcnews.go.com/print?id=5304488
http://www.firelands.bgsu.edu/academics/asas_eeet-ect.html
www.collegeboard.com
Friday, August 22, 2008
Get Fit for New Job Prospects in Sports and Exercise at New Cuyahoga Community College Program!
If you're a fitness nut in Northeast Ohio, you can now turn your passion for activity into a job opportunity through a new program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C). According to a press release from Tri-C, a new associate degree program, Sport and Exercise Studies (SES), launches this Fall 2008.
The degree prepares students for positions such as:
• Fitness Specialist
• Personal Trainer
• Recreation Director
• Program Manager/Director
• Group Fitness Instructor
• Health Fitness Instructor
• Sport Coach
The U.S. Department of Labor says that jobs for fitness workers are expected to increase 27 percent over the 2006-2016 decade, much faster than the average for all occupations; due to rapid job growth in health clubs, fitness facilities, and other settings.
In May 2007, for example, according to the Department of Labor, there were 6450 jobs for fitness trainers and aerobics instructors in the state of Ohio. the median hourly salary was $9.82 and the median annual salary was $25,000. In the Cleveland/Elyria/Mentor region specifically, there were 1150 jobs, with a median hourly pay rate of $12.35 or an annual salary of $20,020.
In May 2006, median annual earnings nationwide of fitness trainers and aerobics instructors were $25,910, not including self-employed workers. Earnings of successful self-employed personal trainers can be much higher. The largest numbers of fitness workers in 2006 were in the following industries:
Median Salary
General medical and surgical hospitals $29,640
Local government $27,720
Fitness and recreational sports centers $27,200
Other schools and instruction $22,770
Civic and social organizations $22,630
In order to advance in this field, the Department of Labor says "A bachelor’s degree in exercise science, physical education, kinesiology (the study of muscles, especially the mechanics of human motion), or a related area, along with experience, usually is required to advance to management positions in a health club or fitness center. Some organizations require a master’s degree. As in other occupations, managerial skills are also needed to advance to supervisory or managerial positions. College courses in management, business administration, accounting, and personnel management may be helpful, but many fitness companies have corporate universities in which they train employees for management positions.
Personal trainers may advance to head trainer, with responsibility for hiring and overseeing the personal training staff and for bringing in new personal training clients. Group fitness instructors may be promoted to group exercise director, responsible for hiring instructors and coordinating exercise classes. Later, a worker might become the fitness director, who manages the fitness budget and staff. Workers might also become the general manager, whose main focus is the financial aspects of an organization, particularly setting and achieving sales goals; in a small fitness center, however, the general manager is usually involved with all aspects of running the facility. Some workers go into business for themselves and open their own fitness centers."
Coursework for the degree includes anatomy and physiology; instructional techniques of cardiorespiratory, flexibility, and resistance training; sport injury care; CPR and first aid; sport management; fitness coaching; exercise physiology; kinesiology; exercise testing; exercise program design; personal training and group fitness instructor certification preparation; and practicum experience.
Tri-C's program includes classes in:
Principles of Cardiorespiratory Fitness
Muscular Strength and Conditioning
Sport Injury Care
First Aid
CPR
AED
Sport Management
Exercise Physiology
Fitness and Wellness Coaching
Kinesiology
Students can enroll now for fall classes, which are available at all three main campuses. Fall courses include SES 1000: introduction to sport and exercise studies; SES 1040: instructional techniques of training; and SES 1200: fitness and wellness coaching.
For more information about fitness careers and training, contact:
IDEA Health and Fitness Association, 10455 Pacific Center Court., San Diego, CA 92121-4339.
National Strength and Conditioning Association, 1885 Bob Johnson Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80906. Internet: http://www.nsca-lift.org/
For information about personal trainer and group fitness instructor certifications, contact:
American College of Sports Medicine, P.O. Box 1440, Indianapolis, IN 46206-1440. Internet: http://www.acsm.org/
American Council on Exercise, 4851 Paramount Dr., San Diego, CA 92123. Internet: http://www.acefitness.org/
National Academy of Sports Medicine, 26632 Agoura Rd., Calabasas, CA 91302. Internet: http://www.nasm.org/
NSCA Certification Commission, 3333 Landmark Circle, Lincoln, NE 68504. Internet: http://www.nsca-cc.org/
For information about Pilates certification and training programs, contact:
Pilates Method Alliance, P.O. Box 370906, Miami, FL 33137-0906. Internet: http://www.pilatesmethodalliance.org/
For information on yoga teacher training programs, contact:
Yoga Alliance, 7801 Old Branch Ave., Suite 400, Clinton, MD 20735. Internet: http://www.yogaalliance.org/
To find accredited fitness certification programs, contact:
National Commission for Certifying Agencies, 2025 M St., NW., Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036. Internet: http://www.noca.org/ncca/accredorg.htm
For information about health clubs and sports clubs, contact:
International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association, 263 Summer St., Boston, MA 02210. Internet: http://www.ihrsa.org/
Sources:
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos296.htm
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes399031.htm
http://www.tri-c.edu/programs/sportsmanagement/Pages/default.aspx
http://data.bls.gov/oes/occupation.do
Jill Bernaciak
Owner
http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/
440-668-3446
What's Your Major? SM
P.O. Box 321
Berea, OH 44017-9918
The degree prepares students for positions such as:
• Fitness Specialist
• Personal Trainer
• Recreation Director
• Program Manager/Director
• Group Fitness Instructor
• Health Fitness Instructor
• Sport Coach
The U.S. Department of Labor says that jobs for fitness workers are expected to increase 27 percent over the 2006-2016 decade, much faster than the average for all occupations; due to rapid job growth in health clubs, fitness facilities, and other settings.
In May 2007, for example, according to the Department of Labor, there were 6450 jobs for fitness trainers and aerobics instructors in the state of Ohio. the median hourly salary was $9.82 and the median annual salary was $25,000. In the Cleveland/Elyria/Mentor region specifically, there were 1150 jobs, with a median hourly pay rate of $12.35 or an annual salary of $20,020.
In May 2006, median annual earnings nationwide of fitness trainers and aerobics instructors were $25,910, not including self-employed workers. Earnings of successful self-employed personal trainers can be much higher. The largest numbers of fitness workers in 2006 were in the following industries:
Median Salary
General medical and surgical hospitals $29,640
Local government $27,720
Fitness and recreational sports centers $27,200
Other schools and instruction $22,770
Civic and social organizations $22,630
In order to advance in this field, the Department of Labor says "A bachelor’s degree in exercise science, physical education, kinesiology (the study of muscles, especially the mechanics of human motion), or a related area, along with experience, usually is required to advance to management positions in a health club or fitness center. Some organizations require a master’s degree. As in other occupations, managerial skills are also needed to advance to supervisory or managerial positions. College courses in management, business administration, accounting, and personnel management may be helpful, but many fitness companies have corporate universities in which they train employees for management positions.
Personal trainers may advance to head trainer, with responsibility for hiring and overseeing the personal training staff and for bringing in new personal training clients. Group fitness instructors may be promoted to group exercise director, responsible for hiring instructors and coordinating exercise classes. Later, a worker might become the fitness director, who manages the fitness budget and staff. Workers might also become the general manager, whose main focus is the financial aspects of an organization, particularly setting and achieving sales goals; in a small fitness center, however, the general manager is usually involved with all aspects of running the facility. Some workers go into business for themselves and open their own fitness centers."
Coursework for the degree includes anatomy and physiology; instructional techniques of cardiorespiratory, flexibility, and resistance training; sport injury care; CPR and first aid; sport management; fitness coaching; exercise physiology; kinesiology; exercise testing; exercise program design; personal training and group fitness instructor certification preparation; and practicum experience.
Tri-C's program includes classes in:
Principles of Cardiorespiratory Fitness
Muscular Strength and Conditioning
Sport Injury Care
First Aid
CPR
AED
Sport Management
Exercise Physiology
Fitness and Wellness Coaching
Kinesiology
Students can enroll now for fall classes, which are available at all three main campuses. Fall courses include SES 1000: introduction to sport and exercise studies; SES 1040: instructional techniques of training; and SES 1200: fitness and wellness coaching.
For more information about fitness careers and training, contact:
IDEA Health and Fitness Association, 10455 Pacific Center Court., San Diego, CA 92121-4339.
National Strength and Conditioning Association, 1885 Bob Johnson Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80906. Internet: http://www.nsca-lift.org/
For information about personal trainer and group fitness instructor certifications, contact:
American College of Sports Medicine, P.O. Box 1440, Indianapolis, IN 46206-1440. Internet: http://www.acsm.org/
American Council on Exercise, 4851 Paramount Dr., San Diego, CA 92123. Internet: http://www.acefitness.org/
National Academy of Sports Medicine, 26632 Agoura Rd., Calabasas, CA 91302. Internet: http://www.nasm.org/
NSCA Certification Commission, 3333 Landmark Circle, Lincoln, NE 68504. Internet: http://www.nsca-cc.org/
For information about Pilates certification and training programs, contact:
Pilates Method Alliance, P.O. Box 370906, Miami, FL 33137-0906. Internet: http://www.pilatesmethodalliance.org/
For information on yoga teacher training programs, contact:
Yoga Alliance, 7801 Old Branch Ave., Suite 400, Clinton, MD 20735. Internet: http://www.yogaalliance.org/
To find accredited fitness certification programs, contact:
National Commission for Certifying Agencies, 2025 M St., NW., Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036. Internet: http://www.noca.org/ncca/accredorg.htm
For information about health clubs and sports clubs, contact:
International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association, 263 Summer St., Boston, MA 02210. Internet: http://www.ihrsa.org/
Sources:
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos296.htm
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes399031.htm
http://www.tri-c.edu/programs/sportsmanagement/Pages/default.aspx
http://data.bls.gov/oes/occupation.do
Jill Bernaciak
Owner
http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/
440-668-3446
What's Your Major? SM
P.O. Box 321
Berea, OH 44017-9918
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
12 Local Colleges Named "Best Colleges" by Forbes
Forbes Magazine has developed an "alternative" to the highly read US News and World Report college rankings. In its August 2008 issue, Forbes teamed with Dr. Richard Vedder, an economist at Ohio University, and the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, to rank 569 undergraduate institutions based on the quality of the education they provide, and how much their students achieve.
Whether you buy into the methodology of any ranking system, somehow it's always compelling to see who made the list and to try to figure out why, especially if you're close to making your own "college shopping decision".
In Northeast Ohio, 12 colleges were selected by Forbes to be among the top 15% in the nation:
Rank College Cost ($) Size of Freshman Class
51 Oberlin College 48,070 742
123 College of Wooster 41,432 543
152 John Carroll University 37,224 720
206 Hiram College 25,160 NA
232 Baldwin-Wallace College 32,862 740
390 Mount Union College 30,850 593
403 Case Western Reserve University 45,826 1,133
481 Ohio Northern University 40,575 722
482 Kent State University 21,020 3,800
500 University of Akron, Main Campus19,789 4,109
505 Bowling Green State University 20,156 3,241
564 University of Toledo 20,700 NA
Compiling data from a "variety of sources", Forbes strove to answer the following questions:
- How good will my professors be?
- Will the school help me achieve notable career success?
- If I have to borrow to pay for college, how deeply will I go into debt?
- What are the chances I will graduate in four years?
- Are students and faculty recognized nationally, or even globally?
So first, you have to agree that these are the right questions. They certainly appear to answer some key questions that parents have about payback of their investment in tuition toward a successful job future for their children.
Forbes combines quantitative and qualitative measures (numerical measures and accumulated opinions). And so should parents. Like the US News and World Report version, the Forbes (and other) rankings offers "indicators" for families in their choice of college. But it still comes down to the fit of the individual student with the college (often a "gut feel"), as well as the opportunities initially offered by the college (financial and otherwise), that set up the student for success in higher education.
And other data sources suggest that -- once you get out into the work world -- successful employment simply doesn't have anything to do with where you went to school and what your major was. Getting hired -- and staying employed -- ultimately depends on proficiency in soft skills, like interpersonal communication and self-motivation; even if you land the "hot job" for which you are academically prepared.
But Forbes did come up with the following conclusions from its research:
Students strongly prefer smaller schools to big ones.
Big state schools performed poorly.
Small liberal arts schools faired very well.
Readers are reminded that the U.S. Department of Education, there are more than 4,000 college campuses in the U.S.. So the "decision set" is much larger than these rankings would suggest. The editors also recognize that it's fairly "absurd" to rank colleges with "mock precision", when the process of individual choice is so much more complex. But "when families have to make a decision with a six-figure price tag and lifelong impact, .....they deserve all the information they can get."
Jill Bernaciak
Owner
http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/
440-668-3446
What's Your Major? SM
P.O. Box 321
Berea, OH 44017-9918
Whether you buy into the methodology of any ranking system, somehow it's always compelling to see who made the list and to try to figure out why, especially if you're close to making your own "college shopping decision".
In Northeast Ohio, 12 colleges were selected by Forbes to be among the top 15% in the nation:
Rank College Cost ($) Size of Freshman Class
51 Oberlin College 48,070 742
123 College of Wooster 41,432 543
152 John Carroll University 37,224 720
206 Hiram College 25,160 NA
232 Baldwin-Wallace College 32,862 740
390 Mount Union College 30,850 593
403 Case Western Reserve University 45,826 1,133
481 Ohio Northern University 40,575 722
482 Kent State University 21,020 3,800
500 University of Akron, Main Campus19,789 4,109
505 Bowling Green State University 20,156 3,241
564 University of Toledo 20,700 NA
Compiling data from a "variety of sources", Forbes strove to answer the following questions:
- How good will my professors be?
- Will the school help me achieve notable career success?
- If I have to borrow to pay for college, how deeply will I go into debt?
- What are the chances I will graduate in four years?
- Are students and faculty recognized nationally, or even globally?
So first, you have to agree that these are the right questions. They certainly appear to answer some key questions that parents have about payback of their investment in tuition toward a successful job future for their children.
Forbes combines quantitative and qualitative measures (numerical measures and accumulated opinions). And so should parents. Like the US News and World Report version, the Forbes (and other) rankings offers "indicators" for families in their choice of college. But it still comes down to the fit of the individual student with the college (often a "gut feel"), as well as the opportunities initially offered by the college (financial and otherwise), that set up the student for success in higher education.
And other data sources suggest that -- once you get out into the work world -- successful employment simply doesn't have anything to do with where you went to school and what your major was. Getting hired -- and staying employed -- ultimately depends on proficiency in soft skills, like interpersonal communication and self-motivation; even if you land the "hot job" for which you are academically prepared.
But Forbes did come up with the following conclusions from its research:
Students strongly prefer smaller schools to big ones.
Big state schools performed poorly.
Small liberal arts schools faired very well.
Readers are reminded that the U.S. Department of Education, there are more than 4,000 college campuses in the U.S.. So the "decision set" is much larger than these rankings would suggest. The editors also recognize that it's fairly "absurd" to rank colleges with "mock precision", when the process of individual choice is so much more complex. But "when families have to make a decision with a six-figure price tag and lifelong impact, .....they deserve all the information they can get."
Jill Bernaciak
Owner
http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/
440-668-3446
What's Your Major? SM
P.O. Box 321
Berea, OH 44017-9918
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Job Growth in Computer Software Engineering to Continue; Local Colleges Offer Programs
The Computer Software Engineering profession will have much faster than average growth through 2016, according to The US Department of Labor. The number of jobs is projected to grow by 37.9% between 2000 and 2010. “There will be strong demand for software engineers as businesses and other organizations continue to adopt and integrate new technologies.”
As of May 2007, there were 18,860 computer software engineers in the applications category in Ohio, not including self-employed workers. Nationwide, the median average earnings are $79,780.
The following information was compiled from http://www.bls.gov/emp/
What’s the Job Like?
Computer software engineers “develop, create, and modify general computer applications software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions. Design software or customize software for client use with the aim of optimizing operational efficiency. May analyze and design databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.”
As with most occupations, advancement opportunities for computer software engineers increase with experience. Entry-level computer software engineers often test designs, but ass they become more experienced, they begin to help design and develop software. They can advance to a project manager, manager of information systems, or chief information officer role, especially if they have business skills and training. With several years of experience or expertise, there are lucrative opportunities working as systems designers or independent consultants.
What Kind of Training, Education and Skills are Required?
You need at least a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering or computer science and practical experience working with computers. Nearly 85% of job holders aged 25-44 have a bachelor’s degree. The usual college major for applications software engineers is computer science or software engineering. Systems software engineers often study computer science or computer information systems. Graduate degrees are preferred for some of the more complex jobs. In 2006, about 80 percent of workers had a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Academic programs in software engineering may offer the program as a degree option or in conjunction with computer science degrees. Because of increasing emphasis on computer security, software engineers with advanced degrees in areas such as mathematics and systems design will be sought after by software developers, government agencies, and consulting firms.
Most employers prefer applicants who have at least a bachelor’s degree and broad knowledge of, and experience with, a variety of computer systems and technologies. Students seeking software engineering jobs enhance their employment opportunities by participating in internships or co-ops. These experiences provide students with broad knowledge and experience, making them more attractive to employers. Inexperienced college graduates may be hired by large computer and consulting firms that train new employees in intensive, company-based programs.
People interested in jobs as computer software engineers must have strong problem-solving and analytical skills. They also must be able to communicate effectively with team members, other staff, and the customers they meet. Because they often deal with a number of tasks simultaneously, they must be able to concentrate and pay close attention to detail.
To help keep up with changing technology, workers may take continuing education and professional development seminars offered by employers, software vendors, colleges and universities, private training institutions, and professional computing societies. Computer software engineers also need skills related to the industry in which they work.
Where in Northeast Ohio can I Major in Computer Science or Software Engineering?
According to The College Board, the following colleges near Northeast Ohio offer a major in Computer Engineering, Computer Software or Software Engineering:
Allegheny College, Meadville, PA
Bowling Green State University: Firelands College, Huron, OH
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Cuyahoga Community College: Eastern Campus, Highland Hills, OH
North Central State College, Mansfield, OH
Ohio Business College: Sandusky, Sandusky, OH
Owens Community College: Toledo, Toledo, OH
Penn State Beaver, Monaca, PA
Penn State Shenango, Sharon, PA
Stark State College of Technology, North Canton, OH
University of Akron, Akron, OH
University of Toledo Toledo, OH
Wayne County Community College Detroit, MI
Youngstown State University,Youngstown, OH
In exploring these programs, it’s always a good idea to speak directly to the faculty and current or recently graduated students to fully understand:
- Whether the program has an applications or hardware emphasis,
- What the job placement rate is of the graduates
- What specials features, such as internship support, are provided by the college and what the “hallmarks” of the program are.
Academic program rankings are not easy to find, but contacting the professional development department in a trade association is usually a good way to get some unbiased opinions.
Who Employs Computer Software Engineers?
The industries that have the most openings for computer software engineers, in the applications classification, are as follows:
Computer Systems Design and Related Services
168,080 jobs
$41.40 average hourly wage
$86,110 average annual wage
Software Publishers
35,940 jobs
$42.77 average hourly wage
$88,970 average annual wage
Management of Companies and Enterprises
26,610 jobs
$40.93 average hourly wage
$85,130 average annual wage
Insurance Carriers
17,590 jobs
$37.98 average hourly wage
$79,000 average annual wage
Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
15,360 jobs
$45.27 average hourly wage
$94,160 averqage annual wage
What are the Job Expectations?
In the Computer Systems Design and Related Services Industry, workers averaged 38.3 hours per week, compared with 33.9 for all industries combined. Many workers in this industry worked more than the standard 40-hour work week—about 19 percent work 50 or more hours a week. For many professionals and technical specialists, evening or weekend work is commonly necessary to meet deadlines or solve problems. Professionals working for large establishments may have less freedom in planning their schedule than do consultants for very small firms, whose work may be more varied. Only about 7 percent of the workers in the computer systems design and related services industry work part time, compared with 15 percent of workers throughout all industries.
Most workers in the computer systems design and related services industry work in clean, quiet offices. Those in facilities management and maintenance may work in computer operations centers. Given the technology available today, however, more work can be done from remote locations using fax machines, e-mail, and especially the Internet. For example, systems analysts may work from home with their computers linked directly to computers at their employer or a client. Computer support specialists, likewise, can tap into a customer’s computer remotely in order to identify and fix problems. Even programmers and consultants, who often relocate to a customer’s place of business while working on a project, may perform work from offsite locations.
Those who work with personal computers for extended periods may experience musculoskeletal strain, eye problems, stress, or repetitive motion illnesses, such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
Further information about computer careers is available from:
http://www.bls.gov/emp/
Association for Computing Machinery, 2 Penn Plaza, Suite 701, New York, NY 10121-0701. Internet: http://www.acm.org/
National Workforce Center for Emerging Technologies, 3000 Landerholm Circle SE., Bellevue, WA 98007. Internet: http://www.nwcet.org/
University of Washington Computer Science and Engineering Department, AC101 Paul G. Allen Center, Box 352350, 185 Stevens Way, Seattle, WA 98195-2350. Internet: http://www.cs.washington.edu/WhyCSE/
Jill Bernaciak
Owner
http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/
440-668-3446
What's Your Major? SM
P.O. Box 321
Berea, OH 44017-9918
As of May 2007, there were 18,860 computer software engineers in the applications category in Ohio, not including self-employed workers. Nationwide, the median average earnings are $79,780.
The following information was compiled from http://www.bls.gov/emp/
What’s the Job Like?
Computer software engineers “develop, create, and modify general computer applications software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions. Design software or customize software for client use with the aim of optimizing operational efficiency. May analyze and design databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.”
As with most occupations, advancement opportunities for computer software engineers increase with experience. Entry-level computer software engineers often test designs, but ass they become more experienced, they begin to help design and develop software. They can advance to a project manager, manager of information systems, or chief information officer role, especially if they have business skills and training. With several years of experience or expertise, there are lucrative opportunities working as systems designers or independent consultants.
What Kind of Training, Education and Skills are Required?
You need at least a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering or computer science and practical experience working with computers. Nearly 85% of job holders aged 25-44 have a bachelor’s degree. The usual college major for applications software engineers is computer science or software engineering. Systems software engineers often study computer science or computer information systems. Graduate degrees are preferred for some of the more complex jobs. In 2006, about 80 percent of workers had a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Academic programs in software engineering may offer the program as a degree option or in conjunction with computer science degrees. Because of increasing emphasis on computer security, software engineers with advanced degrees in areas such as mathematics and systems design will be sought after by software developers, government agencies, and consulting firms.
Most employers prefer applicants who have at least a bachelor’s degree and broad knowledge of, and experience with, a variety of computer systems and technologies. Students seeking software engineering jobs enhance their employment opportunities by participating in internships or co-ops. These experiences provide students with broad knowledge and experience, making them more attractive to employers. Inexperienced college graduates may be hired by large computer and consulting firms that train new employees in intensive, company-based programs.
People interested in jobs as computer software engineers must have strong problem-solving and analytical skills. They also must be able to communicate effectively with team members, other staff, and the customers they meet. Because they often deal with a number of tasks simultaneously, they must be able to concentrate and pay close attention to detail.
To help keep up with changing technology, workers may take continuing education and professional development seminars offered by employers, software vendors, colleges and universities, private training institutions, and professional computing societies. Computer software engineers also need skills related to the industry in which they work.
Where in Northeast Ohio can I Major in Computer Science or Software Engineering?
According to The College Board, the following colleges near Northeast Ohio offer a major in Computer Engineering, Computer Software or Software Engineering:
Allegheny College, Meadville, PA
Bowling Green State University: Firelands College, Huron, OH
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Cuyahoga Community College: Eastern Campus, Highland Hills, OH
North Central State College, Mansfield, OH
Ohio Business College: Sandusky, Sandusky, OH
Owens Community College: Toledo, Toledo, OH
Penn State Beaver, Monaca, PA
Penn State Shenango, Sharon, PA
Stark State College of Technology, North Canton, OH
University of Akron, Akron, OH
University of Toledo Toledo, OH
Wayne County Community College Detroit, MI
Youngstown State University,Youngstown, OH
In exploring these programs, it’s always a good idea to speak directly to the faculty and current or recently graduated students to fully understand:
- Whether the program has an applications or hardware emphasis,
- What the job placement rate is of the graduates
- What specials features, such as internship support, are provided by the college and what the “hallmarks” of the program are.
Academic program rankings are not easy to find, but contacting the professional development department in a trade association is usually a good way to get some unbiased opinions.
Who Employs Computer Software Engineers?
The industries that have the most openings for computer software engineers, in the applications classification, are as follows:
Computer Systems Design and Related Services
168,080 jobs
$41.40 average hourly wage
$86,110 average annual wage
Software Publishers
35,940 jobs
$42.77 average hourly wage
$88,970 average annual wage
Management of Companies and Enterprises
26,610 jobs
$40.93 average hourly wage
$85,130 average annual wage
Insurance Carriers
17,590 jobs
$37.98 average hourly wage
$79,000 average annual wage
Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
15,360 jobs
$45.27 average hourly wage
$94,160 averqage annual wage
What are the Job Expectations?
In the Computer Systems Design and Related Services Industry, workers averaged 38.3 hours per week, compared with 33.9 for all industries combined. Many workers in this industry worked more than the standard 40-hour work week—about 19 percent work 50 or more hours a week. For many professionals and technical specialists, evening or weekend work is commonly necessary to meet deadlines or solve problems. Professionals working for large establishments may have less freedom in planning their schedule than do consultants for very small firms, whose work may be more varied. Only about 7 percent of the workers in the computer systems design and related services industry work part time, compared with 15 percent of workers throughout all industries.
Most workers in the computer systems design and related services industry work in clean, quiet offices. Those in facilities management and maintenance may work in computer operations centers. Given the technology available today, however, more work can be done from remote locations using fax machines, e-mail, and especially the Internet. For example, systems analysts may work from home with their computers linked directly to computers at their employer or a client. Computer support specialists, likewise, can tap into a customer’s computer remotely in order to identify and fix problems. Even programmers and consultants, who often relocate to a customer’s place of business while working on a project, may perform work from offsite locations.
Those who work with personal computers for extended periods may experience musculoskeletal strain, eye problems, stress, or repetitive motion illnesses, such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
Further information about computer careers is available from:
http://www.bls.gov/emp/
Association for Computing Machinery, 2 Penn Plaza, Suite 701, New York, NY 10121-0701. Internet: http://www.acm.org/
National Workforce Center for Emerging Technologies, 3000 Landerholm Circle SE., Bellevue, WA 98007. Internet: http://www.nwcet.org/
University of Washington Computer Science and Engineering Department, AC101 Paul G. Allen Center, Box 352350, 185 Stevens Way, Seattle, WA 98195-2350. Internet: http://www.cs.washington.edu/WhyCSE/
Jill Bernaciak
Owner
http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/
440-668-3446
What's Your Major? SM
P.O. Box 321
Berea, OH 44017-9918
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Ethical Standards Evolve in College Consulting
According to two recent articles in “Inside Higher Ed,” the College Consulting profession continues to be defined -- and refined -- by market responses to practices in the field.
No longer is it acceptable for members of IECA (the Independent Education Consultants Association, which is the leading professional association) to serve in dual roles as an “insider” (my word for a college admissions officer) and also as a Independent College Consultant. IECA members are practitioners who provide objective guidance in helping students find the college that fits them best.
This is good news for practitioners and clients alike. Some of us practice in regions that are not well penetrated by consultants, nor well understood by prospective clients. Our region needs trust-worthy and low-cost services to meet the needs of an under-served student population. IECA’s revised ethics code supports us in gaining trust from clients.
The articles and sources follow.
New Ethics Rules for Admissions Consultants
When news broke this spring that some college admissions counselors also were moonlighting as private admissions consultants, many college admissions experts were angry not only at the conflict of interest, but at the fact that the ethics code for private admissions consultants didn’t ban the practice.
Now it does. The Independent Educational Consultants Association has changed its ethics code to bar people who work in college admissions from also working as private college admissions consultants. This represents a major shift for the association, which until now has only required that consultants report such dual roles and pledge to avoid conflicts. Critics have charged that it is fundamentally wrong for someone who has access to inside information about admissions practices to simultaneously be advising clients on the admissions process, however much disclosure is involved.
The association has made other changes in its ethics rules as well. Gifts from colleges that have a value of more than $50 will now be banned. In addition, it will now be official association policy that Web sites and other promotional material must be designed to decrease, rather than encourage, anxiety over the admissions process. That means that boasting about admit rates of clients or scary text about the high rejection rates at many elite colleges will disqualify private counselors from group membership.
In the month since it enacted the new rules, the association has already turned away about six prospective members, saying that they don’t meet the new standards.
“We think colleges should only want to work with consultants that are above reproach,” said Mark Sklarow, executive director of the association. The idea of the tougher rules, in the wake of criticism over conflicts of interest, is to show that “we’re not doing anything unethical, immoral, underhanded. If we are not playing to parent anxieties, we can work together more effectively.”
The dual role — of college admissions counselors simultaneously working as consultants — captured attention this spring. But Sklarow said that the association went beyond that because of other problems that have been surfacing. For example, he said that the ban on gifts in excess of $50 is being adopted because of an escalation of “giving” to consultants by some admissions officers.
Many of the gifts were associated with visits to campuses arranged by admissions offices. While reimbursement for travel expenses associated with those visits will still be permitted, gifts that are added on will not. For example, Sklarow said that admissions consultants reported being offered tickets to National Football League games by one college, or offered professional massages while visiting another college. (He declined to identify the colleges, and said that the massages were literally just that, and were not a euphemism for other services.)
While Sklarow said he wasn’t bothered by colleges giving admissions consultants a T-shirt or hat, or paying for educational visits, the trend has been “from being about educational expenses to gratuitous giving.” The ban on giving goes both ways — so admissions offices that have been receiving swag from consultants may need to expect more modest fruit baskets this Christmas.
The other new ethics requirement — that counselors have a responsibility to reduce student and parent anxiety — is more subjective than the measures about conflict of interest. But Sklarow said it may be particularly important. Some private admissions consultants — including some of the most prominent — regularly give talks or have material on their Web sites that play off of the frenzy that some parents feel about the college admissions process. Sklarow said that eventually, the association will review all materials used by all members — and that for now, it will review any materials from those seeking membership — and will use this to block such material.
“If we look at a Web site or materials that emphasize getting in as opposed to a good match, that is immediate grounds” for rejection, Sklarow said. Already, he added, a number of members have changed their Web sites. Sklarow stressed that he doesn’t view removal of such materials as hurting anyone. Many critics have noted that the highest end consultants tend to specialize in exceptionally talented, well educated clients — those who would have gotten in anyway in many cases, so having a high admit rate may not say much.
“I’d rather know how many of you have kids you have worked with who are happy and thriving,” Sklarow said.
Barmak Nassirian, associate executive director of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers, has been a leading critic on conflict of interest in admissions, and he applauded the tougher stance being taken by the private counselors. He said it was “astonishing” that some of these rules haven’t been in place previously, but that he found the new rules “quite positive” and “necessary ingredients for ethical behavior.”
Nassirian said that the rules on minimizing family anxiety may be among the most significant changes. Far too many counselors, he said, have built their businesses on “ominous information” and “cynical capitalizing on the fears and lack of information of families.”
At the same time, Nassirian said that he has concerns about the private counseling industry, even as practiced by “the most ethical” of its members, under these new guidelines. “This is something that is done for a fee, and inherently the ‘haves’ benefit,” he said. When the college admissions process for wealthier students is eased and enhanced by private counselors — while others don’t have access — “is this equitable?” he asked.
— Scott Jaschik
The original story and user comments can be viewed online at http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/07/29/ethics.
Source: http://www.insidehighered.com/layout/set/print/news/2008/07/29/ethics
Admissions Official and Consultant — at the Same Time
Some in college admissions worry about a “revolving door” ethics problem in which officials of top colleges leave their positions to set up or join companies that advise students and families on how to get into college.
At the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, a senior admissions official didn’t quit; she set up a consulting business for applicants while working in admissions at Penn. Judith S. Hodara even noted her Wharton job title (senior associate director of admissions for the M.B.A. program) on the Web site of her company, IvyStone Educational Consultants.
On Thursday, shortly after receiving a voicemail and e-mail from a reporter about her consulting job, Hodara took down her company’s Web site. Later Thursday, Penn released a statement: “This matter came to our attention yesterday and we have since reviewed the situation. In order to avoid even an appearance of conflict of interest, Ms. Hodara has resigned from all outside consulting activities.”
Asked if Penn considered the arrangement appropriate, a university spokeswoman said via e-mail: “Penn does not consider this type of situation to be appropriate, which is why it has been ended.”
Penn officials and Hodara did not respond to questions about whether IvyStone clients ever applied to Penn.
For Hodara, this is the second gig outside of Penn she gave up this week. After Inside Higher Ed reported that she had been serving on an advisory board for a company in Japan that is paid by clients to help them win admission into top M.B.A. programs in the United States, she resigned from that position. In a statement, she said: “Since accepting this position, I’ve done no work with the company, I have attended no meetings, and I have received no compensation. To avoid the appearance of any possible conflict of interest I’ve resigned from the committee effective immediately.”
Earlier, she had defended her role on the company as ethical because she was not involved in counseling clients, only providing advice to company employees who did so.
IvyStone, however, offered services that were direct consulting. While Hodara took down the company’s Web site, archived versions of it are available online through the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine and show that the company offered counseling on a per-visit arrangement up through a three-year package, that counseling covered developing a list of colleges, planning for campus visits, simulated admissions interviews, and help to “present the ‘best you’ there is.” Material on the company’s Web site as of Thursday morning noted that Hodara had previously worked in undergraduate admissions at Penn.
“I have first-hand admissions experience as Associate Director of Admissions at the University of Pennsylvania where I read and counseled more than 10,000 applicants, both from the U.S. and abroad. I am currently a Senior Associate Director of Admissions at the Wharton School M.B.A. Program, and I also maintain a strong pulse on the undergraduate process,” said Hodara in a Q&A posted on the company’s Web site.
Lloyd Thacker, founder of the Education Conservancy, a group committed to reforming college admissions, said he was shocked to hear that an admissions officer had a consulting business for applicants on the side. “I would hope anybody in the profession would say that this is unethical, wrong and should not happen,” he said.
There is no evidence that Hodara in any way hid her outside activities. In a biography for a podcast, she noted both her Wharton job and her business.
Thacker said that the situation leaves him with many questions: “Why didn’t the college know about her doing business on the side. If people did know, why didn’t the college do something about it?”
— Scott Jaschik
The original story and user comments can be viewed online at http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/02/01/wharton.
Source: http://www.insidehighered.com/layout/set/print/news/2008/02/01/wharton
No longer is it acceptable for members of IECA (the Independent Education Consultants Association, which is the leading professional association) to serve in dual roles as an “insider” (my word for a college admissions officer) and also as a Independent College Consultant. IECA members are practitioners who provide objective guidance in helping students find the college that fits them best.
This is good news for practitioners and clients alike. Some of us practice in regions that are not well penetrated by consultants, nor well understood by prospective clients. Our region needs trust-worthy and low-cost services to meet the needs of an under-served student population. IECA’s revised ethics code supports us in gaining trust from clients.
The articles and sources follow.
New Ethics Rules for Admissions Consultants
When news broke this spring that some college admissions counselors also were moonlighting as private admissions consultants, many college admissions experts were angry not only at the conflict of interest, but at the fact that the ethics code for private admissions consultants didn’t ban the practice.
Now it does. The Independent Educational Consultants Association has changed its ethics code to bar people who work in college admissions from also working as private college admissions consultants. This represents a major shift for the association, which until now has only required that consultants report such dual roles and pledge to avoid conflicts. Critics have charged that it is fundamentally wrong for someone who has access to inside information about admissions practices to simultaneously be advising clients on the admissions process, however much disclosure is involved.
The association has made other changes in its ethics rules as well. Gifts from colleges that have a value of more than $50 will now be banned. In addition, it will now be official association policy that Web sites and other promotional material must be designed to decrease, rather than encourage, anxiety over the admissions process. That means that boasting about admit rates of clients or scary text about the high rejection rates at many elite colleges will disqualify private counselors from group membership.
In the month since it enacted the new rules, the association has already turned away about six prospective members, saying that they don’t meet the new standards.
“We think colleges should only want to work with consultants that are above reproach,” said Mark Sklarow, executive director of the association. The idea of the tougher rules, in the wake of criticism over conflicts of interest, is to show that “we’re not doing anything unethical, immoral, underhanded. If we are not playing to parent anxieties, we can work together more effectively.”
The dual role — of college admissions counselors simultaneously working as consultants — captured attention this spring. But Sklarow said that the association went beyond that because of other problems that have been surfacing. For example, he said that the ban on gifts in excess of $50 is being adopted because of an escalation of “giving” to consultants by some admissions officers.
Many of the gifts were associated with visits to campuses arranged by admissions offices. While reimbursement for travel expenses associated with those visits will still be permitted, gifts that are added on will not. For example, Sklarow said that admissions consultants reported being offered tickets to National Football League games by one college, or offered professional massages while visiting another college. (He declined to identify the colleges, and said that the massages were literally just that, and were not a euphemism for other services.)
While Sklarow said he wasn’t bothered by colleges giving admissions consultants a T-shirt or hat, or paying for educational visits, the trend has been “from being about educational expenses to gratuitous giving.” The ban on giving goes both ways — so admissions offices that have been receiving swag from consultants may need to expect more modest fruit baskets this Christmas.
The other new ethics requirement — that counselors have a responsibility to reduce student and parent anxiety — is more subjective than the measures about conflict of interest. But Sklarow said it may be particularly important. Some private admissions consultants — including some of the most prominent — regularly give talks or have material on their Web sites that play off of the frenzy that some parents feel about the college admissions process. Sklarow said that eventually, the association will review all materials used by all members — and that for now, it will review any materials from those seeking membership — and will use this to block such material.
“If we look at a Web site or materials that emphasize getting in as opposed to a good match, that is immediate grounds” for rejection, Sklarow said. Already, he added, a number of members have changed their Web sites. Sklarow stressed that he doesn’t view removal of such materials as hurting anyone. Many critics have noted that the highest end consultants tend to specialize in exceptionally talented, well educated clients — those who would have gotten in anyway in many cases, so having a high admit rate may not say much.
“I’d rather know how many of you have kids you have worked with who are happy and thriving,” Sklarow said.
Barmak Nassirian, associate executive director of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers, has been a leading critic on conflict of interest in admissions, and he applauded the tougher stance being taken by the private counselors. He said it was “astonishing” that some of these rules haven’t been in place previously, but that he found the new rules “quite positive” and “necessary ingredients for ethical behavior.”
Nassirian said that the rules on minimizing family anxiety may be among the most significant changes. Far too many counselors, he said, have built their businesses on “ominous information” and “cynical capitalizing on the fears and lack of information of families.”
At the same time, Nassirian said that he has concerns about the private counseling industry, even as practiced by “the most ethical” of its members, under these new guidelines. “This is something that is done for a fee, and inherently the ‘haves’ benefit,” he said. When the college admissions process for wealthier students is eased and enhanced by private counselors — while others don’t have access — “is this equitable?” he asked.
— Scott Jaschik
The original story and user comments can be viewed online at http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/07/29/ethics.
Source: http://www.insidehighered.com/layout/set/print/news/2008/07/29/ethics
Admissions Official and Consultant — at the Same Time
Some in college admissions worry about a “revolving door” ethics problem in which officials of top colleges leave their positions to set up or join companies that advise students and families on how to get into college.
At the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, a senior admissions official didn’t quit; she set up a consulting business for applicants while working in admissions at Penn. Judith S. Hodara even noted her Wharton job title (senior associate director of admissions for the M.B.A. program) on the Web site of her company, IvyStone Educational Consultants.
On Thursday, shortly after receiving a voicemail and e-mail from a reporter about her consulting job, Hodara took down her company’s Web site. Later Thursday, Penn released a statement: “This matter came to our attention yesterday and we have since reviewed the situation. In order to avoid even an appearance of conflict of interest, Ms. Hodara has resigned from all outside consulting activities.”
Asked if Penn considered the arrangement appropriate, a university spokeswoman said via e-mail: “Penn does not consider this type of situation to be appropriate, which is why it has been ended.”
Penn officials and Hodara did not respond to questions about whether IvyStone clients ever applied to Penn.
For Hodara, this is the second gig outside of Penn she gave up this week. After Inside Higher Ed reported that she had been serving on an advisory board for a company in Japan that is paid by clients to help them win admission into top M.B.A. programs in the United States, she resigned from that position. In a statement, she said: “Since accepting this position, I’ve done no work with the company, I have attended no meetings, and I have received no compensation. To avoid the appearance of any possible conflict of interest I’ve resigned from the committee effective immediately.”
Earlier, she had defended her role on the company as ethical because she was not involved in counseling clients, only providing advice to company employees who did so.
IvyStone, however, offered services that were direct consulting. While Hodara took down the company’s Web site, archived versions of it are available online through the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine and show that the company offered counseling on a per-visit arrangement up through a three-year package, that counseling covered developing a list of colleges, planning for campus visits, simulated admissions interviews, and help to “present the ‘best you’ there is.” Material on the company’s Web site as of Thursday morning noted that Hodara had previously worked in undergraduate admissions at Penn.
“I have first-hand admissions experience as Associate Director of Admissions at the University of Pennsylvania where I read and counseled more than 10,000 applicants, both from the U.S. and abroad. I am currently a Senior Associate Director of Admissions at the Wharton School M.B.A. Program, and I also maintain a strong pulse on the undergraduate process,” said Hodara in a Q&A posted on the company’s Web site.
Lloyd Thacker, founder of the Education Conservancy, a group committed to reforming college admissions, said he was shocked to hear that an admissions officer had a consulting business for applicants on the side. “I would hope anybody in the profession would say that this is unethical, wrong and should not happen,” he said.
There is no evidence that Hodara in any way hid her outside activities. In a biography for a podcast, she noted both her Wharton job and her business.
Thacker said that the situation leaves him with many questions: “Why didn’t the college know about her doing business on the side. If people did know, why didn’t the college do something about it?”
— Scott Jaschik
The original story and user comments can be viewed online at http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/02/01/wharton.
Source: http://www.insidehighered.com/layout/set/print/news/2008/02/01/wharton
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Is "Student Quality" the Only Determinant of "College Quality?"
Is "Student Quality" the Only Determinant of the Quality of a College Education?
In Atlantic Monthly's November 2005 issue, Richard H. Hersh, former president of Trinity College and author of "Declining by Degrees" points to research showing "that simply going to college, any college, makes a major difference in a young person's psychological development: students come away with improved cognitive skills, greater verbal and quantitative competence, and different political, social, and religious attitudes and values. But although the researchers found wide variations in learning within each college or university, they were unable to uncover significant differences between colleges once the quality of the entering students was taken into account."
For more information, read Hersh's article at: http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200511/measuring-college-quality.
Richard H. Hersh is a former president of Hobart and William Smith Colleges and Trinity College; a co-director of the Collegiate Learning Assessment Project; and co-editor of Declining by Degrees: Higher Education at Risk.
In Atlantic Monthly's November 2005 issue, Richard H. Hersh, former president of Trinity College and author of "Declining by Degrees" points to research showing "that simply going to college, any college, makes a major difference in a young person's psychological development: students come away with improved cognitive skills, greater verbal and quantitative competence, and different political, social, and religious attitudes and values. But although the researchers found wide variations in learning within each college or university, they were unable to uncover significant differences between colleges once the quality of the entering students was taken into account."
For more information, read Hersh's article at: http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200511/measuring-college-quality.
Richard H. Hersh is a former president of Hobart and William Smith Colleges and Trinity College; a co-director of the Collegiate Learning Assessment Project; and co-editor of Declining by Degrees: Higher Education at Risk.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Social Tone on Campus
A Mom’s Eye View of Campus Life ™
First in a Series
© What’s Your Major? SM
Liberal, Conservative or Moderate…..Oh My!
The social tone, or campus culture, is one of the most important factors that can make or break your child’s happiness at a college. It’s also one of the most difficult campus qualities to understand.
Steven W. Lawry, president of Antioch College, points out that “‘campus culture’ and ‘campus climate’ can be very difficult terms to define or phenomena to describe…they are characterized largely by a complex set of values and value judgments, they are also terms that don’t easily invite agreement….”
College is the first opportunity to get new and challenging inputs that will shape your child’s self-image and passions. But a bad reaction to campus life could show itself in your child’s detachment, boredom or feeling of isolation.
It’s important that your child “own” this aspect of college selection. Your role requires a shift from being a decision-maker to a decision-facilitator.
Diversity Rules!
Colleges strive for diversity, as one of the most important influences that shape learning. Diversity can take many forms: political, religious, social, economic or even geographic. The impact of these diversities on a student’s experience at a college is palpable, once living there. But it is difficult to anticipate from a traditional college tour. And the diversity statistics reported by a specific college often stop with the number of minority or international students enrolled.
The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) defines educational enrichment, in part, as a result of the “serious conversations” students have with people who are “very different from you”, in addition to those who are of a different race or ethnicity. However, for your child to receive knowledge effectively at college, he or she must feel comfortable with the living and learning environment. An urban, northern-bred student might be miserable at a southern, rural campus. Success depends on “what” the current climate on campus actually is, how pervasive it is in the classroom and in student housing, and how your child responds. You can make your child aware of the benefits of diversity and encourage openness.
It’s Isn’t Easy Being….Liberal
Academia is all about foraging new ideas, so you might assume that most colleges offer a liberal living and learning environment. There are no published statistics about whether a college is liberal, conservative or moderate. You have to assess this intuitively, and judge whether your child will fit in.
At top liberal schools, The Princeton Review says that "a bohemian ideal is enforced” and the environment is "Utopian-liberal", giving a parent a pretty clear idea of what lifestyle is expected. "Hippies, hipsters, and geek chic" are common sights on the Bard College campus, the most liberal campus, according to U.S. News and World Report. However, students say that the reality is that "most people here are friendly, social, and pretty normal." On the other hand, "If you're uncreative or conservative you probably wouldn't fit in."
The Princeton Review provides rankings of 361 colleges, based on such touchy-feely aspects of campus life as political persuasion, marijuana and drug use, the prevalence of religion, the popularity of student government, and the students’ level of acceptance of the gay community on campus. Of Warren Wilson College, The Review says: "(It’s) mildly famous" for their "extreme liberalism…a haven for hippies and very left-wing people. (Students are) identifiable by their dread locks, Phish t-shirts, [and] political buttons, (and they) "like good organic wholesome food" and "hand-rolled cigarettes" and typically know "some botanical-ornithological basics." Students say that: “Wilson is known as a hippie college, but there is a startling diversity of other kinds of alterna-creatures here.”
So It’s Cool to Be Conservative?
Conservatism reaches the classroom, according to Young American’s Foundation top Ten Conservative College’s list. A stated mission and programs that emphasize can identify a conservative college:
· Principles of smaller government
· Strong national defense
· Free enterprise
· Traditional values
Furthermore, according to YAF, conservative studies center on Western Civilization “instead of straying toward the study of Marxism, feminism, sexuality, postmodernism, and other modern distractions…”.
Hillsdale College, the “most conservative” on The Princeton Review’s list supports: ‘limited government,’ its role as ‘a defender of free markets and conservative values,’ and its emphasis on learning from ‘original texts’, (which) is appreciated by its largely ‘conservative, white, (and) Christian’ students...”. Students agree that “‘typical students are smart and religious’ at Hillsdale; they ‘go to church every Sunday and (their) religious beliefs come out in (how they speak and act)’.”
At other top conservative colleges, the Princeton Review says:
· “Students here ‘do not accept anything other than 100 percent manners, 100 percent class, 100 percent preppy, and 100 percent conservative all the time.’".
· “…(there is) a campus environment "full of Christians that get along great with each other, but have a hard time knowing how to treat anyone that isn't exactly like them."
Two-thirds (63%) of the students surveyed in the 2004-05 Post-Secondary Planning survey from the National Research Center for College & University Relations (NRCCUR) prefer a “moderate social environment” on campus, 12% prefer a conservative environment and 25% prefer a liberal environment. Furthermore, more than 40% of the students prefer a denominational church-related college, and Catholic or Baptist schools are most favored.
That said, the larger the campus, the more likely it is that extreme liberalism or conservatism will not dominate the environment. On the other hand, minority groups can cling together at larger schools, making it harder to experience diversity, unless diversity is “institutionalized” – made a priority -- in the classroom and student housing environments.
Collaborative Versus Intense Learning Environments
Bottom line, a supportive academic and social environment is the single best indicator of student satisfaction, according to the NSSE. In fact, when NSSE results are statistically compared with US News and World Report college rankings, a “supportive campus environment” is best correlated best with colleges that retain second-year students and have the highest graduation rates. You should compare the retention and graduation rates for the colleges on your final list by looking them up on the College Board College Matchmaker, or other, college search engine.
Collaborative learning, by definition, puts the professor and the student on the same side. Learning is a result of the social experience working together to solve a problem, complete a task, or create a product. College advisor Loren Pope, author of “Colleges That Change Lives,” says that collaborative/supportive environments encourage campus living and learning between students, and with faculty, where students “explore their interests, goals, spirituality, and values in myriad ways.”
Brown University positions itself as the best of all possible colleges experiences, with a “collaborative university-college model”; one “in which faculty are as committed to teaching as they are to research, embracing a curriculum that requires students to be architects of their education.” An example of collaborative learning-in-practice are “interdisciplinary courses”, available on many campuses, which enable students to enter and leave with very different technical skills, but learn to master the skill of collaboration. These courses require the collaboration of teachers from different departments. An indication of a college’s level of commitment to collaborative learning is the number of interdisciplinary courses they offer.
On a recent tour of the College of William & Mary, a tour guide explained that learning there is completely collaborative. According to the guide, a student experiences this right in the classroom, where the “tone” of instruction is encouraging, not competitive.
The Hierarchy of Needs at Competitive Colleges: Food, Clothing, Shelter….and Studying?
If your child wants to be in a highly selective academic environment, but would thrive best in a collaborative learning environment, you should insist on specific examples of the school’s philosophy in practice. Make sure that that philosophy is not just randomly realized. It should truly impact all students.
To contrast with collaborative learning, the “Students Guide to Colleges” uses the term “intellectual fervor” to rate how much students from selected colleges talk about academics: “All the time, sometimes, or hardly ever.” An obsession with learning can be a positive or negative experience for your child. It is not an attribute of campus life that a college is likely to advertise.
A student describes an intense learning environment as “a culture of doing things the hard way…(with) competitions of how many hours you spend studying before you sleep/take a shower.” Likewise, you can get a sampling of opinions about the intensity of academic competition on campus by asking randomly selected students.
A recent graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA), recently attended summer course at Columbia’s film program, putting him in the position to compare the two learning environments. He preferred the “much less intense” atmosphere at CIA, because the “intensity” of Columbia’s students limited his day-to-day experiences with fellow students and his ability to learn through others.
Georgetown University could be expected to have an intensely competitive learning environment. In their information sessions, a parent was recently told that, while it’s highly competitive to get in to Georgetown, once in, the students “pull each other through the program” and become like a family. It would be best to confirm statements like this by asking for specific examples of institutionalized collaborative/supportive programs and philosophy from “unofficial” college representatives.
Sizing Up Your College Choices
The best time to dig deep into a college’s culture is after you’ve determined that the college meets your academic and financial and practical needs, and you’ve visited once. When you’re ready to put together your final list of eight to ten colleges that meet all of your basic criteria, you need further evaluate your child’s chances for success at them:
1. Read about the college’s mission statement and strategic plan, and look at the President’s message, on the web site. Ask to see the most recent student satisfaction survey, which should be on file in the President’s office.
2. Don’t assume that a college that is affiliated with a religious institution will express that heritage in daily campus life. The influence of that institution may or may not be dominant on campus.
3. Ask the tour guide and college representatives about the social tone, campus culture (or campus climate) and to provide examples of how they experience it.
4. Visit your final choice colleges a second time, after you’ve been accepted but before you accept the financial aid offer. On this visit:
ü Pay attention to verbiage used in event posters, student newspapers, and presentations. And ask random students on campus for their opinion about the campus climate.
ü Take advantage of overnight stay programs that are commonly offered by the Admissions Department.
ü Have your child visit or call the residence halls, explaining that he/she is a prospective student and ask the same questions that you asked of the tour guides and official representatives.
5. To fully understand how diversity and collaborative learning impacts daily campus life, take the extra effort to interview faculty members (especially those in your child’s field of study). Be sure to ask for specific examples or data, about the following questions:
How does the institution encourage activities where students from different backgrounds meet and work together? Ask for examples where the activities impacted the majority of students, not just members of club or academic program.
How often do students work in teams to complete assignments, solve problems, or apply course content?
How frequently do students engage in service learning or take part in community-based projects, to fulfill class requirements?
How many students collaborate on research with faculty members?
How many interdisciplinary courses are offered? Are they open to all students?
How many students are involved with living and learning communities? How is the faculty involved with these communities?
7. Since retention and graduation rates are correlated with student satisfaction, look them up on the College Board College Matchmaker, or other, college search engine, and compare your final choice colleges.
8. Consult student-written guides and forums about campus life, which are available for selected campuses. The most popular guides are:
“The Insider’s Guide to The Colleges,” The Yale Daily News
“Students’ Guide to Colleges”, the Penguin Group
“The Big Book of Colleges ‘07”, College Prowler
Visit online forums, where you can read comments and pose questions to experienced parents and students:
www.collegeconfidential.com
www.campusdirt.com
9. You may want to have a discussion with your child about the importance of campus diversity and culture to his or her happiness as a student. But don’t expect tremendous insight. Your child’s personality is still in a formative stage and he or she has a limited worldview.
10. Resist the urge to judge the campus morals and values, superficially. What you think is best for your child might not, in fact, be best. Listen beyond what your child says about a campus. He or she wants to please you and may be telling you what you want to hear. Look for signs of genuine enthusiasm.
First in a Series
© What’s Your Major? SM
Liberal, Conservative or Moderate…..Oh My!
The social tone, or campus culture, is one of the most important factors that can make or break your child’s happiness at a college. It’s also one of the most difficult campus qualities to understand.
Steven W. Lawry, president of Antioch College, points out that “‘campus culture’ and ‘campus climate’ can be very difficult terms to define or phenomena to describe…they are characterized largely by a complex set of values and value judgments, they are also terms that don’t easily invite agreement….”
College is the first opportunity to get new and challenging inputs that will shape your child’s self-image and passions. But a bad reaction to campus life could show itself in your child’s detachment, boredom or feeling of isolation.
It’s important that your child “own” this aspect of college selection. Your role requires a shift from being a decision-maker to a decision-facilitator.
Diversity Rules!
Colleges strive for diversity, as one of the most important influences that shape learning. Diversity can take many forms: political, religious, social, economic or even geographic. The impact of these diversities on a student’s experience at a college is palpable, once living there. But it is difficult to anticipate from a traditional college tour. And the diversity statistics reported by a specific college often stop with the number of minority or international students enrolled.
The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) defines educational enrichment, in part, as a result of the “serious conversations” students have with people who are “very different from you”, in addition to those who are of a different race or ethnicity. However, for your child to receive knowledge effectively at college, he or she must feel comfortable with the living and learning environment. An urban, northern-bred student might be miserable at a southern, rural campus. Success depends on “what” the current climate on campus actually is, how pervasive it is in the classroom and in student housing, and how your child responds. You can make your child aware of the benefits of diversity and encourage openness.
It’s Isn’t Easy Being….Liberal
Academia is all about foraging new ideas, so you might assume that most colleges offer a liberal living and learning environment. There are no published statistics about whether a college is liberal, conservative or moderate. You have to assess this intuitively, and judge whether your child will fit in.
At top liberal schools, The Princeton Review says that "a bohemian ideal is enforced” and the environment is "Utopian-liberal", giving a parent a pretty clear idea of what lifestyle is expected. "Hippies, hipsters, and geek chic" are common sights on the Bard College campus, the most liberal campus, according to U.S. News and World Report. However, students say that the reality is that "most people here are friendly, social, and pretty normal." On the other hand, "If you're uncreative or conservative you probably wouldn't fit in."
The Princeton Review provides rankings of 361 colleges, based on such touchy-feely aspects of campus life as political persuasion, marijuana and drug use, the prevalence of religion, the popularity of student government, and the students’ level of acceptance of the gay community on campus. Of Warren Wilson College, The Review says: "(It’s) mildly famous" for their "extreme liberalism…a haven for hippies and very left-wing people. (Students are) identifiable by their dread locks, Phish t-shirts, [and] political buttons, (and they) "like good organic wholesome food" and "hand-rolled cigarettes" and typically know "some botanical-ornithological basics." Students say that: “Wilson is known as a hippie college, but there is a startling diversity of other kinds of alterna-creatures here.”
So It’s Cool to Be Conservative?
Conservatism reaches the classroom, according to Young American’s Foundation top Ten Conservative College’s list. A stated mission and programs that emphasize can identify a conservative college:
· Principles of smaller government
· Strong national defense
· Free enterprise
· Traditional values
Furthermore, according to YAF, conservative studies center on Western Civilization “instead of straying toward the study of Marxism, feminism, sexuality, postmodernism, and other modern distractions…”.
Hillsdale College, the “most conservative” on The Princeton Review’s list supports: ‘limited government,’ its role as ‘a defender of free markets and conservative values,’ and its emphasis on learning from ‘original texts’, (which) is appreciated by its largely ‘conservative, white, (and) Christian’ students...”. Students agree that “‘typical students are smart and religious’ at Hillsdale; they ‘go to church every Sunday and (their) religious beliefs come out in (how they speak and act)’.”
At other top conservative colleges, the Princeton Review says:
· “Students here ‘do not accept anything other than 100 percent manners, 100 percent class, 100 percent preppy, and 100 percent conservative all the time.’".
· “…(there is) a campus environment "full of Christians that get along great with each other, but have a hard time knowing how to treat anyone that isn't exactly like them."
Two-thirds (63%) of the students surveyed in the 2004-05 Post-Secondary Planning survey from the National Research Center for College & University Relations (NRCCUR) prefer a “moderate social environment” on campus, 12% prefer a conservative environment and 25% prefer a liberal environment. Furthermore, more than 40% of the students prefer a denominational church-related college, and Catholic or Baptist schools are most favored.
That said, the larger the campus, the more likely it is that extreme liberalism or conservatism will not dominate the environment. On the other hand, minority groups can cling together at larger schools, making it harder to experience diversity, unless diversity is “institutionalized” – made a priority -- in the classroom and student housing environments.
Collaborative Versus Intense Learning Environments
Bottom line, a supportive academic and social environment is the single best indicator of student satisfaction, according to the NSSE. In fact, when NSSE results are statistically compared with US News and World Report college rankings, a “supportive campus environment” is best correlated best with colleges that retain second-year students and have the highest graduation rates. You should compare the retention and graduation rates for the colleges on your final list by looking them up on the College Board College Matchmaker, or other, college search engine.
Collaborative learning, by definition, puts the professor and the student on the same side. Learning is a result of the social experience working together to solve a problem, complete a task, or create a product. College advisor Loren Pope, author of “Colleges That Change Lives,” says that collaborative/supportive environments encourage campus living and learning between students, and with faculty, where students “explore their interests, goals, spirituality, and values in myriad ways.”
Brown University positions itself as the best of all possible colleges experiences, with a “collaborative university-college model”; one “in which faculty are as committed to teaching as they are to research, embracing a curriculum that requires students to be architects of their education.” An example of collaborative learning-in-practice are “interdisciplinary courses”, available on many campuses, which enable students to enter and leave with very different technical skills, but learn to master the skill of collaboration. These courses require the collaboration of teachers from different departments. An indication of a college’s level of commitment to collaborative learning is the number of interdisciplinary courses they offer.
On a recent tour of the College of William & Mary, a tour guide explained that learning there is completely collaborative. According to the guide, a student experiences this right in the classroom, where the “tone” of instruction is encouraging, not competitive.
The Hierarchy of Needs at Competitive Colleges: Food, Clothing, Shelter….and Studying?
If your child wants to be in a highly selective academic environment, but would thrive best in a collaborative learning environment, you should insist on specific examples of the school’s philosophy in practice. Make sure that that philosophy is not just randomly realized. It should truly impact all students.
To contrast with collaborative learning, the “Students Guide to Colleges” uses the term “intellectual fervor” to rate how much students from selected colleges talk about academics: “All the time, sometimes, or hardly ever.” An obsession with learning can be a positive or negative experience for your child. It is not an attribute of campus life that a college is likely to advertise.
A student describes an intense learning environment as “a culture of doing things the hard way…(with) competitions of how many hours you spend studying before you sleep/take a shower.” Likewise, you can get a sampling of opinions about the intensity of academic competition on campus by asking randomly selected students.
A recent graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA), recently attended summer course at Columbia’s film program, putting him in the position to compare the two learning environments. He preferred the “much less intense” atmosphere at CIA, because the “intensity” of Columbia’s students limited his day-to-day experiences with fellow students and his ability to learn through others.
Georgetown University could be expected to have an intensely competitive learning environment. In their information sessions, a parent was recently told that, while it’s highly competitive to get in to Georgetown, once in, the students “pull each other through the program” and become like a family. It would be best to confirm statements like this by asking for specific examples of institutionalized collaborative/supportive programs and philosophy from “unofficial” college representatives.
Sizing Up Your College Choices
The best time to dig deep into a college’s culture is after you’ve determined that the college meets your academic and financial and practical needs, and you’ve visited once. When you’re ready to put together your final list of eight to ten colleges that meet all of your basic criteria, you need further evaluate your child’s chances for success at them:
1. Read about the college’s mission statement and strategic plan, and look at the President’s message, on the web site. Ask to see the most recent student satisfaction survey, which should be on file in the President’s office.
2. Don’t assume that a college that is affiliated with a religious institution will express that heritage in daily campus life. The influence of that institution may or may not be dominant on campus.
3. Ask the tour guide and college representatives about the social tone, campus culture (or campus climate) and to provide examples of how they experience it.
4. Visit your final choice colleges a second time, after you’ve been accepted but before you accept the financial aid offer. On this visit:
ü Pay attention to verbiage used in event posters, student newspapers, and presentations. And ask random students on campus for their opinion about the campus climate.
ü Take advantage of overnight stay programs that are commonly offered by the Admissions Department.
ü Have your child visit or call the residence halls, explaining that he/she is a prospective student and ask the same questions that you asked of the tour guides and official representatives.
5. To fully understand how diversity and collaborative learning impacts daily campus life, take the extra effort to interview faculty members (especially those in your child’s field of study). Be sure to ask for specific examples or data, about the following questions:
How does the institution encourage activities where students from different backgrounds meet and work together? Ask for examples where the activities impacted the majority of students, not just members of club or academic program.
How often do students work in teams to complete assignments, solve problems, or apply course content?
How frequently do students engage in service learning or take part in community-based projects, to fulfill class requirements?
How many students collaborate on research with faculty members?
How many interdisciplinary courses are offered? Are they open to all students?
How many students are involved with living and learning communities? How is the faculty involved with these communities?
7. Since retention and graduation rates are correlated with student satisfaction, look them up on the College Board College Matchmaker, or other, college search engine, and compare your final choice colleges.
8. Consult student-written guides and forums about campus life, which are available for selected campuses. The most popular guides are:
“The Insider’s Guide to The Colleges,” The Yale Daily News
“Students’ Guide to Colleges”, the Penguin Group
“The Big Book of Colleges ‘07”, College Prowler
Visit online forums, where you can read comments and pose questions to experienced parents and students:
www.collegeconfidential.com
www.campusdirt.com
9. You may want to have a discussion with your child about the importance of campus diversity and culture to his or her happiness as a student. But don’t expect tremendous insight. Your child’s personality is still in a formative stage and he or she has a limited worldview.
10. Resist the urge to judge the campus morals and values, superficially. What you think is best for your child might not, in fact, be best. Listen beyond what your child says about a campus. He or she wants to please you and may be telling you what you want to hear. Look for signs of genuine enthusiasm.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Thursday, October 12, 2006
SAT and ACT Concordance
According to Nancy Rawlings from ACT, who presented at the National Association for College Admissions Counseling Conference in Pittsburgh last week, ACT and The College Board will join together to conduct a concordance study to determine how the ACT Composite Exam correlates with the new SAT Total scores.
Tables on how the ACT English and Writing Tests correlate with the new SAT writing test will be available in January 2007.
Rawlings also said that 62% of colleges are not requiring writing tests, at the current time.
Tables on how the ACT English and Writing Tests correlate with the new SAT writing test will be available in January 2007.
Rawlings also said that 62% of colleges are not requiring writing tests, at the current time.
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