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Positive outlook for 2006 graduates

Arco Arena brims with students as they become graduates

This year’s college graduates have a lot more to celebrate at commencement than the cessation of term papers and tests. A recently released survey indicates that the class of 2006 has the best job market in the past four years—a fact that should make the 3,500 graduates’ smiles even broader than usual at Sacramento State’s commencement ceremonies on Dec. 21-23.

A National Association of Colleges and Employers survey found that employers plan to hire 17.4 percent more college graduates this school year than a year ago. The survey also said that employers across the country are continuing to increase starting salaries for new college graduates.

Starting salary offers rose in almost all curriculum areas, with business disciplines and information sciences seeing the biggest jumps. Economics/finance graduates raised their average starting offer 6.2 percent, and accounting graduates’ offers grew by 4.6 percent. The average offer to information sciences and systems graduates went up 7.5 percent.

“One of the most exciting changes we’ve seen is the increase in demand for accounting majors,” says Eva Gabbe, manager of the Career Center’s Recruitment Program. “Accounting graduates are doing exceptionally well in the job market. Graduates who choose jobs in sales are always in high demand—sales is the bread and butter of any company. And certainly construction management and engineering graduates are heavily recruited.”

Gabbe also indicated that more than 100 companies—including KPMG, Intel, PG&E, Target and Granite Construction—come to campus during the year to collect resumes and schedule interviews.

“Corporations are looking for strengths such as oral and written communication skills, problem-solving abilities, leadership skills and good attitudes,” says Gabbe. “Students often wonder how they can get these skills during their college years, and we encourage them to become officers in clubs and organizations, get internships and find co-op experiences and relevant part-time jobs.

When they attain these skills and use them in a professional setting, they certainly become the true executives of tomorrow.”

And the large number of employee retirements has an effect on newcomers to the job market. “The demand for college graduates is going to explode over the next several years with the growing number of retirements of Baby Boomers,” says Beth Merritt Miller, Director of the Career Center. “This is a change for the better for college grads.”

Another change for Sacramento State graduates this year is the return of a winter commencement ceremony to the campus. This year’s College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics commencement will be held in the University Union
Ballroom. The remainder of commencement ceremonies will take place at Arco Arena on Dec. 22 and 23.

The schedule for Sacramento State’s winter commencement ceremonies is:

Thursday, Dec. 21 – University Union Ballroom, Sacramento State

5:30 p.m.
College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Doors open and candidates assemble at 5 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 22 – Arco Arena

Noon
College of Education
Doors open and candidates assemble at 11:30 a.m.

2:30 p.m.
College of Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies
Doors open and candidates assemble at 2 p.m.

5:00 p.m.
College of Engineering and Computer Science
Doors open and candidates assemble at 4:30 p.m.

7:30 p.m.
College of Arts and Letters
Doors open and candidates assemble at 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 23 – Arco Arena

8 a.m.
College of Health and Human Services
Doors open and candidates assemble at 7:30 a.m.

11 a.m.
College of Business Administration
Doors open and candidates assemble at 10:30 a.m.

For more information on commencement, call 278-4723 or visit www.csus.edu/commence. For more information on Sacramento State’s Career Center, call 278-6231.