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Wednesday, June 3, 2015 The Kings Mountain Herald | www.kmherald.com Page 11B Good career paths for recent grads It has been a stressful couple of years for college students. An unstable econ- omy has led many students to second-guess their invest- ments in higher education, and fear regarding employ- ment prospects after grad- uation are common among today's students. Graduates who majored in fields of study that are more recession-proof than others could have decided advantages over students who went with other majors. Knowing which careers are still going strong and which have stalled can help col- lege students with goals of finding a career with growth potential. * Financial analysts and managers: Many forecasts indicate jobs in finance will continue to remain strong with high growth. Despite financial ups and downs, people still need to be edu- cated on how and where to spend their money. Students with degrees in finance and marketing may have advan- tages over others. * Engineers: Engineers apply the principles of sci- ence and mathematics to de- velop economical solutions to technical problems. Their work is the link between sci- entific discoveries and the commercial applications that meet societal and consumer needs. Many different fields require engineers, from me- chanical and civil industries to electrical and chemical industries. Engineering re- mains a strong course of study with many different subsets for specialization. * Networking/systems administration: With the world revolving around computers, jobs in the sys- tems administration field remain viable. Keep in mind that there is also a wide array of competition in these ca- reers, but the ability to make high salaries is what drives many to pursue careers in networking and computer systems administration. * Accounting: Similar to other financial careers, ac- counting jobs remain stable despite the uncertain econ- omy. Where there is money to be spent, individuals and businesses will require the services of accountants to keep all of their accounts in check. Entry-level accoun- tants can receive in-house promotions and become fi- nance executives. * Nursing/medical ca- reers: Jobs in healthcare con- tinue to be strong as well. An aging population keeps nurses, doctors, aides and medical-supply companies in business. There are many different nursing specializa- tions, making nursing an at- tractive career choice. * Software design and development: Keeping to- day's digital world running requires a staff of people constantly updating and cre- ating new software. From games to business applica- tions to all of those enter- taining apps downloaded each day, software designers pave the way for computer innovation. * Salespeople: Sales is one of the oldest and lon- gest-running types of oc- cupations available. Every industry needs quality sales professionals to meet with the public and drive inter- est in products and services. There are sales positions in just about every industry. * Educators: The Mil- lenial generation is just as large as the Baby Boom generation, and children will continue to fill up class- rooms across the world. It is estimated three million more teachers are needed by 2015 to fill openings in the United States alone. Also, initiatives to require Pre-K classes could increase the number of education jobs even further. * Computer information security: The need to protect personal information from those who want to exploit it continues to grow. Com- puter information security will continue to increase with the expansion of tech- nological applications. Clever ways to circumvent rising college costs College tuition and fees are perpetually on the rise, so it's no great surprise that today's students are graduat- ing with more college debt than ever before. Though some students might feel helpless with regard to avoiding student loan debt, there are some clever ways for youngsters to pay for college and stay out of debt. * Work with a service organization. Many uni- versities are affiliated with nonprofit organizations, and students who work for affiliated organizations may be eligible for scholarships provided by the organiza- tion and/or the university. Wages for workers who take advantage of such programs tend to be very low, but those students who serve full stints could earn scholarships worth several thousand dollars. Students can explore such opportuni- ties by speaking with their universities to determine if the schools are affiliated with any service organiza- tions. If not, students with a desire to give back can find charities that reward their workers with college schol- arships. * Sign up for studies. College students often lament their lack of spend- ing money. That's espe- cially true today, when many students put their earnings from summer jobs or internships toward their tuition. But opportunities for relatively easy money abound on college cam- puses, where researchers need subjects for studies. Signing up to be a subject for a study can be an easy and lucrative way to earn money that can be used to pay tuition or every- day expenses that often go overlooked when planning a budget. University job boards or department bul- letin boards often advertise needs for study participants, so college kids strapped for cash should monitor such boards in an effort to earn some extra income. * Start a business. Though college kids might not have the time to start building the next Fortune 500 company, starting a small business can be a great way for students to earn money and set their own schedules. A tutoring business that caters to local high school students or even fellow college kids can be a great way for college stu- dents to make practical use of their education. Just a few hours of tutoring each week can be enough to help college students mitigate the costs of campus life, and if the business grows big enough, students might even be able to put a dent in their tuition fees. * Live at home. While living at home is an option available only to those stu- dents who attend in-state universities within spitting distance of Mom and Dad, it's an increasingly reason- able decision for students worried about accruing ex- cessive student loan debt. While room-and-board fees vary widely, U.S. News reported that the average charges for on-campus living during the 2013-14 school year were $9,689. Over the course of four years, students will spend nearly $40,000 just to live on campus, and many stu- dents will pay those costs via student loans. Students whose primary goal is to avoid substantial postgradu- ate debt may find that living at home, while not neces- sarily ideal, is the most ef- fective way to do just that. Pomp and circumstance When asked to list re- nowned classical composers, Mozart or Beethoven may come to mind. Many people may not think to mention Edward Elgar. But there's an excellent chance thousands of people are very familiar with the most famous work by Elgar. "Pomp and Circumstance" is undoubtedly Elgar's biggest claim to fame. It has become the standard to which many soon-to-be graduates proceed into their graduation cere- monies, both in high school and college. As such, it has become one of the most rec- ognized concert marches. The song -- the trio sec- tion of the first march in a series written by Elgar -- was not written with the intention of being a graduation pro- cessional. Elgar built up his reputation as a composer of works for great choral festi- vals throughout England. In 1901, Elgar began compos- ing five marches that would be named "Pomp and Cir- cumstance Marches." He is perhaps best known for the first of the marches, which went on to be simply named, "Pomp and Circumstance," or "The Graduation March." Since 1905, it has been use at virtually all high school and university graduations in America. The first time "Pomp and Circumstance" was played in a graduation setting was when Elgar received an honorary Doctorate from Yale Uni- versity in 1905. At the end of the ceremony, the march was performed as recessional music. It was so well received that it was soon expected to be played during graduation ceremonies at many other prominent schools. Today it is rare to hear "The Gradua- tion March" played outside of commencement ceremonies. Many graduates have fond memories of hearing "Pomp and Circumstance" at their school commencement, even remembering the exact moment they received their degrees. For those attending a graduation ceremony in the near future, expect to hear this powerful march. Tips to land a good internship Many college students recognize the value of in- ternships. Internships can help college students start building their resumes be- fore they even earn their de- grees, and those experiences can give them an edge in a competitive postgraduate job market. Landing internships gives students some first- hand experience within a given profession, and that exposure can help them decide if a projected career path is right for them or if it's good to go back to the drawing board. The follow- ing are a few tips to help college students land an in- ternship and make the most of the opportunity. * Don't hesitate. Though many internships are tai- lored to students with a year or two of college under their belt, that doesn't mean freshman can't begin to explore potential opportu- nities. Even if you don't in- tend to get an internship in the coming school year or during summer break, you can begin to explore poten- tial opportunities that might interest you when the time to start seeking internships does arrive. Looking early may yield valuable infor- mation, such as courses that would improve your chances of landing an in- ternship, that your fellow students who hesitate or procrastinate won't have. * Speak with the career placement specialists at your school. Career place- ment departments at col- leges and universities are an increasingly valuable resource for today's college students, many of whom will graduate and face an uncertain and crowded job market. But career place- ment departments are not just a resource for grads. Such departments can be valuable tools for current students interested in land- ing internships. If you don't know where to begin your internship search or simply want to see if any oppor- tunities have opened up, speak with representatives at the career placement de- partment at your school. Look the part on such visits, dressing nicely and bringing a resume. Doing so might just separate you from your fellow students, and that can only help as you begin your search for an internship. * Ask around among friends and family mem- bers. Sometimes you need a little help to land a good internship, so don't be afraid to ask your friends and fam- ily members if they're aware of any opportunities. Adult relatives might be aware of internship opportunities at their companies before the general public, and there's no shame in seeking help as you try to take the first step toward a rewarding career. In addition to friends and family members, inquire about your college or uni- versity's alumni network. Many alumni look to hire students from their uni- versities for internships or even entry-level positions, so make the most of this po- tentially valuable resource. ( CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2015 J&B AUTOMOTIVE N.C. STATE INSPECTIONS See us for all your Automotive needs! 1516 N. Cansler St. Kings Mountain Jamie Carrigan 704-739-5116 (Pray For Your Children, ) Schools And Teachers moms « PrCIYer NTERNAT is In Prayer Meets For One Hour Weekly To Pray For Your Child, Their School And Teachers To Find Out How To Join Or Start A Group Log On To: \: WWW.MOMSINPRAYER.ORG ONAL J
The Kings Mountain Herald (Kings Mountain, N.C.)
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