Yes, Class of 2014: Today’s College Education Will Prepare You for Jobs of the Future

Hoboken, NJ – The Class of 2014 will soon be arriving on college campuses throughout America, bringing with them the hopes and dreams of classes that preceded them.

However, in the aftermath of the Great Recession, parents who are sending their children to college may be wondering “Is a college education in 2010 adequately preparing my child for the type of jobs that will be available in the future?”

The answer is ‘yes’ – especially in career fields relating to science, technology, education and mathematics (STEM), according to Beth McGrath, Director of the Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education at Stevens Institute of Technology.

McGrath explains that the world has become technology and science-based. The Internet, cell phones, the environment, medicine and even entertainment are all experiencing rapid innovation – providing college graduates with many opportunities in those fields.

In addition, McGrath says, skills such as creativity, problem-solving, teamwork, effective communication and collaboration will always be in demand by employers.

Technology and research universities such as Stevens fared well in a recent study of more than 500 colleges and universities. The study, dubbed “Colleges Worth Your Investment,” was conducted for Bloomberg BusinessWeek.

Stevens – a selective university with a total enrollment of more than 2,200 undergraduate and 3,700 graduate students – was ranked in the top 5 percent of schools in the nation for annualized net return on investment (ROI), according to the study.

This ranking was intended to help students and parents evaluate the “payback” value of a student’s undergraduate degree. In the ranking, ROI was determined by comparing the cost of attending a school with how much its graduates earn. The report notes that Stevens’ 30-year ROI is $1.1 million and the 30-year net return for graduates is $1.4 million, with more than 10 percent annual ROI.

Furthermore, Stevens is welcoming its largest incoming class this fall, selected from its largest ever applicant pool. After receiving 3600 applications, the Class of 2014 will be comprised of 615 students, almost half of which are coming from out-of-state.

For incoming college students – not just at Stevens, but any student looking to build a career in a STEM-related field – McGrath offers five pieces of advice:

• Get Involved – in and out of the Classroom. Pursue opportunities to get involved in STEM programs through curricular and extracurricular courses and activities, such as elective courses, after-school robotics clubs, and science and engineering fairs. These experiences give students an opportunity to know the range of disciplines and careers available with a technical background.

• Seek Mentors. Start building a network of engineers, scientists and others. This can even be done informally, through vehicles such as school-based opportunities, parents, scouting, sports, churches and more. Ask STEM professionals about their jobs. Find out what they do. Encourage teachers to bring in experts and graduates of the school who are working on interesting problems and projects. You will learn a lot and make valuable connections at the same time.

• Practice 21st Century skills. Use school assignments and projects as a way to practice the types of skills businesses say they need: creativity, problem-solving, teamwork, effective communication and collaboration.

• Engage in Service Learning. Find opportunities to tackle real problems in your community. Use these opportunities to interact with different kinds of people—government officials, disenfranchised community members, the media and more. Understand how all these constituencies operate in making policy and effecting societal change.

• Explore different disciplines. Don’t feel you need to excel at everything. Finding your passion is sometimes a process of elimination.

“Yes, the world is changing faster than it ever has,” McGrath says. “Still, the future is bright for those in STEM-related professions who are willing to build a variety of skills and have the perseverance to keep up with all of the changes.”

About Stevens Institute of Technology

Founded in 1870 and celebrating 140 Years of Innovation, Stevens Institute of Technology, The Innovation University TM , lives at the intersection of industry, academics and research.  The University's students, faculty and partners leverage their collective real-world experience and culture of innovation, research and entrepreneurship to confront global challenges in engineering, science, systems and technology management.

Based in Hoboken, N.J. and with a location in Washington, D.C., Stevens offers baccalaureate, master’s, certificates and doctoral degrees in engineering, the sciences and management, in addition to baccalaureate degrees in business and liberal arts.  Stevens has been recognized by both the US Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security as a National Center of Excellence in the areas of systems engineering and port security research. The University has a total enrollment of more than 2,200 undergraduate and 3,700 graduate students with almost 450 faculty. Stevens’ graduate programs have attracted international participation from China, India, Southeast Asia, Europe and Latin America as well as strategic partnerships with industry leaders, governments and other universities around the world.  Additional information may be obtained at www.stevens.edu and www.stevens.edu/news.