impact of the economy on our students
Elaine Pontillo, Ph.D., Vice President of Academic Affairs
As all of us experience the uncertainty of the current economic conditions, our students and graduates are facing the challenges of entering or progressing in their chosen career fields. We at Tech work closely with our students, recent graduates and now with alums seeking career advice and guidance. The support is comprised of services provided by the Career Planning and Development Center (CPDC) along with advising by faculty and staff. We are all committed to the university mission of preparing individuals for careers and professions and, therefore, approach these services vigorously. The CPDC, under the leadership of Cindy Verduce, provides a broad base of services and materials including interest inventories and self-assessments to assist individuals in selecting academic programs/ career paths, preparation of letters of inquiry and application, resume/ portfolio development, interviewing techniques, professional dress, professional networking, and internship and job search and placement. The center works collaboratively with faculty and staff to promote the services and integrate them into academic program initiatives. This is especially notable within the internship area. With the economic stress, we are experiencing a trend for organizations to use the internship model for two purposes: (1) to contribute to student learning by providing real world experiences and (2) to scrutinize potential permanent hires. Consequently, more internships are becoming available in a variety of fields of study. Internships are unique experiences in that they must provide meaningful experiences related to the student’s major field of study while the intern performs valuable work for the organization. Historically, most internships were available to students in engineering and computer fields. Today, internships are available in many different fields. At Tech, we are seeSummer 2009
ing opportunities for students majoring in criminal sciences, human services, psychology, therapeutic recreation, sports management, accounting, information technology, etc. Many internships are available on campus as well and can be found in departments such as information technology, admissions, student life, institutional advancement, and the career center. Internships afford a win-win situation for the organizations and the students. Internships provide organizations flexibility in their staffing as they face the uncertain economic conditions of today. Interns are hired to address specific needs of the organization without entering into long-term commitments. On the other hand, students gain greater knowledge of their field and experience to prepare them for future permanent employment in the field. Internships take on a variety of forms from full-time to part-time employment and may occur during a semester, an academic year, a summer, or whatever meets employer and student needs. In most cases they are paid but some fields, particularly those that are service oriented or involve non-profit organizations, may be unpaid. In the 2009 Experiential Education Survey, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) found that employers are responding to economic conditions by reducing the number of internships offered while increasing the wages paid. This strategy is intended to attract highly talented students to their organizations. The CPDC maintains a listing of available internships and is linked to a Web site with a statewide registry. This service supports our students as well as organizations providing internships. If you are in need of career assistance or are in a position to offer an internship, please feel free to contact me or CPDC director Cindy Verduce, or visit the website at www.indianatech.edu/cpdc. 13