Just because you have a college degree doesn't mean you are going to get a job. A recent study by the Department of Labor and Northeastern University, shows half of college graduates in the United States are either jobless or underemployed.
It’s a rude awakening for the college class of 2012, as a weak labor market leaves many without hope.
Cori Wright is just one quarter away from graduating with a Bachelor's degree from Cal State Bakersfield, plus she has a lot of student loans. She says she hasn't found a job in her field, so she plans to pick up a second major. "I think the market is dwindling down to a very narrow kind of market who can get a job, so it's discouraging to a lot of the majors in the Cal State system."One tremendous resource for students at CSUB is the Center for Community Engagement and Career Education.
They say it's not enough for students just to obtain an academic degree, today's graduates also need applied skills and experience for the job market.
Jane L. Evarian is Director of The Center for Community Engagement and Career Education. "We already know that it is not enough to earn an academic degree in today's labor market. You got to include some applied experiences, either through internships or service learning or sorts of applied applications."
According to the study, more than half of graduates under 25, with Bachelor's degrees, are underemployed. That's America's highest level in eleven years. By region, the mountain west has the highest number of jobless graduates in that category. Rural southeastern states are second. The west, which includes California, Oregon, and Washington, is third.
Some of the fields, that are in highest demand include business, engineering, and computer science.
