[July 18, 2011] Jobs are in short supply for grads Tweet Jul 17, 2011 (The Decatur Daily - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- College graduates are returning to the classroom to hone technical skills in a job market that has little to offer to those with impractical degrees and sparse work experience. Local colleges and universities say students who already have mastered one course of study are enrolling in new fields or seeking master's degrees. At the same time, older students who lost jobs during the recession are retooling their skill sets and acquiring degrees. "The common thread is both of those groups are looking for the fastest way to make money," said Samantha Nelson, coordinator of enrollment services at Calhoun Community College. In June, roughly 1.8 million individuals between the ages of 25 and 29 were unemployed, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The other 15.3 million people in that age range had jobs, the data shows. Nelson said in her experience, every time the economy takes a downturn, more people come back to school to be ready when the job market picks up again. "Technical, highly skilled jobs are the ones that are being created in this economy," said Ahmad Ijaz, economist with the University of Alabama's Center for Business and Economic Research. "Unfortunately, though, people with a liberal arts degree are put at a disadvantage. Jobs in that field just aren't hiring right now." At Athens State University, which is known for it's output of school teachers, some education majors are changing their minds midstream in the face of recent state layoffs, said Necedah Henderson, the university's director of admissions. "You've got some that are determined to become a teacher, one way or another," Henderson said. "Then you've got the education students who have decided to pursue business and technical degrees with the idea that it will lead to a job." Although the job outlook for college graduates isn't encouraging, educated workers consistently see higher employment rates than those who haven't earned a university degree. In June, the unemployment rate for those with a bachelor's degree was 4.4 percent. The rate for workers with less than a bachelor's degree nearly doubled that at 8.4 percent, while the rate for high school graduates inched up to 10 percent. In the early and mid-2000s, the unemployment rate for college graduates hovered around 2.5 percent. For employees that attained just a high school degree, the number bounced around 4.5 percent then. "Employers are extremely picky right now, and they can be," Ijaz said. "There's also anecdotal evidence that indicates older workers, who would usually retire, are holding onto their jobs. That means less openings for new workers." Scotty Haynes of Decatur graduated from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in December with a bachelor's degree in technical communications. He estimates he has applied for 50 jobs since graduation with no luck. "The main problem I've found is the employers who are hiring right now are looking for experience on top of everything else," Haynes said. Haynes, 33, had to wait until he finished his six years of service in the U.S. Marine Corps before enrolling in college. The Veterans Administration paid for his studies at UAH. The Brewer High School graduate went right into the military after school in 1996 and worked as an aviation ground support technician, based in San Diego. He said he planned on finding work as a technical writer with his degree, but after seven months of job-hunting, Haynes wants to get back in school and earn a master's degree. "I'm looking at business management with a concentration in information systems," he said. "I feel like management is such a broad field, I can get a job anywhere and work my way up." Information systems, professional business services and health care are three sectors of Alabama's economy that are actually growing, Ijaz said. And even in manufacturing, jobs requiring technical skills are available. "People who can work on these robots that now do the manufacturing humans used to are highly sought-after now," he said. Nelson said robotics is an emerging field that has too few workers who have the right training, while health care offers stable employment. "Careers like welding and machine tool can't find enough workers," she said. Office management, scientific and technical services, along with computer design and architectural companies, are growing jobs, Ijaz said. "The one benefit that we may see out of this recession is a more technically skilled and trained generation than we've ever had before," he said. Employment and education Data consistently shows that those who acquire college degrees are less likely to be out of work. Below are June unemployment rates for each group: Degree rate % Bachelor's 4.4 Less than bachelor's 8.4 High school 10 U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS Alabama's hot jobs In spite of the overall poor job market, there are some sectors that are growing in Alabama. Below are a few positions for each degree of worker skills. Job Mean annual salary Avg. annual openings Basic skills: Require short- or moderate-term on-the-job training Bill and accounts collectors $28,160.00 250 Dental assistants $28,590.00 140 Home health aids $18,690.00 485 Pharmacy technicians $24,570.00 430 Moderate skills: Require long-term training and post-secondary vocational training Registered nurses $57,860.00 1525 Aircraft mechanics and service technicians $49,270.00 170 Dental hygienists $42,970.00 150 Welding and soldering $30,230.00 155 High skills: Require an associates degree or higher Computer software engineers $85,560.00 190 Computer systems analysts $71,560.00 380 Management analysts $82,910.00 265 Construction managers $75,140.00 260 ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS To see more of The Decatur Daily, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.decaturdaily.com Copyright (c) 2011, The Decatur Daily, Ala. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. 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