Job placement high for Montana Tech grads – 97 percent find jobs or other success

Montana Tech graduates have again reported nearly 100 percent job placement in their first year out of school.

By Barbara LaBoe of The Montana Standard

Tech’s annual graduate placement survey found that 97 percent of Tech students and 98 percent of the College of Technology students who graduated in 2002 are either employed, in the military, seeking additional schooling or have decided not to seek work.

Additionally, the school received 100 percent response rates to the survey, meaning the numbers are accurate and not projections as others schools sometime use, said Stacy Aguirre, director of Tech’s Career Services.

Tech has traditionally had placement rates in the 90 percentile, but school leaders said they are particularly pleased with the latest results since nationwide schools and employers have reported lower placement rates for recent graduates.

"I think it shows the quality of the graduates coming out of of this institution that, even when placement nationwide is down, our graduates have still been able to find good positions," said Chancellor Frank Gilmore. "And I’m extremely pleased that starting salaries went up also, which is another positive."

"It’s very good to see we’re bucking the national trend," added Aguirre.

Aguirre credited the quality of Tech students, recruitment of employers to visit the campus and the broad-based training as reasons for the continued high placement. Mining engineers may not find work in mining with gold prices down, she said, but they’re still in high demand for aggregate industrial materials and heavy construction jobs.

Starting salaries for Tech graduates ranged from an average of $35,142 for arts and sciences students to an average of $48,091 for engineering students.

Programs with 100 percent placement included: business, biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, environmental engineering, geological engineering, geophysical engineering, liberal studies, metallurgical engineering, mining engineering, occupational safety and health, petroleum engineering and registered nursing.

Under the general engineering umbrella, general, civil, control systems and welding engineering options also all had 100 percent placement.

At the College of Technology, all but two certificate programs reported 100 percent placement. In networking technology, 92 percent of students reported placement and in information processing the rate was 67 percent.

The placement results are used to help students plan careers tracks and also are used by prospective employees to determine average starting salaries. Aguirre also uses the information to lure other potential employers to the Tech campus to interview students.

The school also has started an internship survey to better record the numerous internships Tech students receive while still in college. And survey forms for 2003 graduates have been sent for next year’s results.

For Gilmore, though, the best news is that Tech students are thriving after college.

"The students evidently are still working hard and doing well, the faculty is still teaching them well and career services is doing an excellent job," he said. "But most of all it shows the quality of the individuals that are graduating from here."

Reporter Barbara LaBoe may be reached via email at [email protected].

http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2003/12/09/newsbutte/hjjgihjajcebgb.txt