The Student News Site of Simmons University

The Simmons Voice

The Student News Site of Simmons University

The Simmons Voice

The Student News Site of Simmons University

The Simmons Voice

Annual career survey shows success for grads

By Haley Costen
Staff Writer

According to this year’s annual employment survey conducted by the Career Education Center (CEC), 94 percent of last year’s surveyed graduating class was employed either full or part time, in grad school, or both.

Douglas Eisenhart, associate director of employee relations at the CEC, said the center reaches out to students from the previous class in April and May around a year after graduation, to see what they are doing now.

According to the survey, which can be found on the CEC’s website, 63 percent of the 366 grads responded. The largest majors of the alums who responded were nursing, biology, management, communications, psychology, and physical therapy/exercise science.

The survey states that 90 percent of the jobs were related or somewhat related to the alums’ majors.

The top employers were local hospitals and medical centers in the area such as Boston Children’s Hospital and the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, along with the Commonwealth of Mass., and Simmons College. Other employers included Google, WGBH, MIT, and the United States Navy.

The survey showed that the average salary of the alums was around $45,000; however the range was between $12,000 and $95,000.

Twenty-two percent of alums are in grad school full time, and five percent of that number are also employed full time, according to the survey. The top graduate schools listed were Simmons College, Bentley University, and Boston University; however, schools like Columbia University, Emerson College, and Pennsylvania State University were also listed.

“I joined in ’08 and things trended downward those first couple years, but have now improved,” Eisenhart said. “I think Simmons students are incredibly well-prepared because the college has theory and practice. A combination of programs like the Scott/Ross Center along with academics makes for very attractive alums.”

Eisenhart said that along with websites like Convenient Access to Student Hires (CA$H) and Careerlink, the CEC has 60 career guides in the library, three career coaches, and drop-in hours for students to get help or ask questions.

The center also has a five step career development plan for undergraduates called STEPS: Steps To Explore, Prepare, Succeed. For graduates, the CEC has a five step career development model made to develop career competencies.
Eisenhart also said there are many resources for alums.

“I think roughly a quarter of our appointments are with alums,” Eisenhart said. “A young alum might come in and need help with a job search, or an older alum might want to do research about getting into a new field.”

Eisenhart also mentioned that another resource for alums is the Career Health Program, a course offered by Director of the Career Education Center, Andrea Wolf. The course is aimed at women considering a career change or re-entering the job market.

“We’re online and in person and we hope people will take advantage of that,” Eisenhart said.

Leave a Comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

All The Simmons Voice Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *