By Katie Gager, Student Reporter

Looking for a job may seem overwhelming and sometimes frightening to a graduating senior. Because of the increased lack of jobs within the last five months, many students are turning toward graduate school as an alternative.

Whether students begin the job search or choose to attend graduate school, ACU has several opportunities and programs that will aid students in their future decisions.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate has risen to 8.5 percent from 8.1 percent in March 2009, with an estimated 5.1 million jobs lost since the recession began in December 2007.

“Many students don’t pay attention to economic news,” said Daniel Orozco, Career Center associate director. “When graduation sneaks up on them, so does the economic downturn.”

Because of this, students are surprised when they begin looking for a job and think no jobs are available. In order to better facilitate the job search and have success in looking for jobs, Orozco encourages students to expand their horizons by doing two things: looking in new locations and targeting smaller companies.

“If you look in locations other than where you originally planned to live and seek out the small companies that support the larger well-known companies, you will find more opportunities to gain experience and then move up,” he said.

The ACU Career Center provides an invaluable resource for students when it comes to searching for a future job, Orozco said. Students have the opportunity to meet with career counselors and receive guidance in the areas of job search process and resume and portfolio building, as well as networking and interviewing practice.

“We seek to make them successful life-long job seekers,” he said. “I encourage every student to take full advantage of every resource available here on campus while they are students.”

For many students, entering the world of careers is not an option; some seek to gain a further understanding in their field of study. The ACU Graduate Program is ready and available to help students prepare for their futures in graduate studies.Despite the economic downturn, the Graduate Program has seen no drop in the enrollment numbers for its on-campus program and an increase in the newly created online program.

The online program has just completed its first year and now has more than 300 students enrolled.

Director of Graduate Admissions William Horn said he believes the Graduate Program is on the front edge of a new trend.

“I don’t believe that our graduates in May fully understand the job market they are going to enter upon graduation,” Horn said. “And I think we are going to start seeing more movement towards graduate school this summer than ever before.”

For many degrees in graduate studies, it can take as little as 18 months to graduate with a master’s degree. A master’s degree in accounting and social work, as well as the Global IT Leadership program, can take only 12 months to 15 months to complete.

“I think what’s going to happen at ACU is that more people are going to understand the value of making this investment sooner
than later,” Horn said. “Going out into the work force and coming back, now more than ever, is going to be a lot more difficult.”

Whether students are interested in graduate school or beginning the job search, both can find help in the ACU Career Center and the Graduate Program. The Career Center can be found in the Hunter Welcome Center and is available for career guidance.