Job prospects good for PU Class of 2011

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - With the national unemployment rate at 9 percent, NewsChannel 18 set out to find if Purdue's Class of 2011 is fazed.

According to Purdue's Center for Career Opportunities, Boilermakers are in high demand for employers, and a large majority of this year's graduates can expect to have jobs within six to eight months, if they don't have offers already.

"When I first got into it, it was said it was going to be 100 percent placement, because technology's an emerging field, so I'm pretty much going to be replacing all the shop teachers," said Purdue soon-to-be senior Ryan Arlis.

Arlis said the choice to major in technology education wasn't based on the job prospects -- but that didn't hurt.

"It made me more confident in my choice, because I changed my major twice," he said.

"I feel like the work I put in will be worth it in the end," said Purdue engineering student Kevin Seibert. He said he's confident in the availability of engineering jobs when he graduates in December.

"Because we have the IR, which is the Industrial Round table, and a lot of other career fairs, so I'm not really concerned about finding a job," Seibert said.

"At Purdue, career fairs reign supreme, they're still the key, most important thing for both recruiters and students," said Associate Director for Employer Programming Susan Hytchka.

She said that could be partly indicative of a changing job market, where face time with potential employers is key, even if it's not face-to-face per say.

"There's a thing called LinkedIn, like a professional, all-grown-up Facebook, and more students are using that," she said.

Hytchka said 85 percent of last year's graduates were employed or in graduate studies within six to eight months. And Purdue's Dean of Admissions says that information makes keeps potential applicants intrigued.

"What we're seeing is the credentials of students applying to Purdue from Indiana has been rising in recent years," said Dean Pam Horne.

Dean Horne said Purdue has also seen increasing interest from international students