Rising unemployment rates are threatening students’ job prospects.
The most recent unemployment numbers released by U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics found that joblessness reached 4.3% in August. For graduating students the pressure to enter the job market upon graduation is growing.
“The job market is much different from what my parents experienced, and now it is hard to get a job,” said Grey Ruiz, a senior English Writing major graduating this winter. “I worry I won’t have a stable job after graduation.”
He said artificial intelligence is compounding the problem by replacing human workers for some jobs.
“The jobs I am remotely considered for are AI training jobs,” Ruiz said. “I want to be able to use my brain and my own critical thinking skills in my work.”
Jakerria Reed, a senior Criminal Justice major, agreed that AI has complicated the search. She has applied to multiple internships and has only received responses from a few.
“Employers seem to always look for people who have prior experience, even in entry-level positions,” said Reed. “If I am not given the chance to get experience, I am fearful of getting a consistent job.”
Many students have turned to the Career Center for on-campus help.
Rita Cortez, a freshman Human Resources major with experience as an employer, works at the Career Center. She said there is no substitute for a job history.
“From my personal experience of hiring people … employers look specifically for people with a lot of work experience,” said Cortez. “This knocks out the extra steps of having to train a newcomer.”
The Career Center, which helps students look for internships and with resumes, has seen the struggles students face as they venture into the workforce.
Joelynn Stephen, director of Career Services, said rising unemployment, a tightening economy and the emergence of AI are impediments to job-seeking students.
“Given the economy and everything that is going on, employers are stepping back before making any hiring decisions,” said Stephen. “AI is having a slight impact on this. Students need more specialized knowledge to show employers they can do what AI can do.”
Though the Career Center hosts career fairs to expose students to new opportunities, student anxiety regarding employment is surging.
“We can visit these fairs, but we won’t walk out with a certainty of a job,” said Ruiz. “The job market now doesn’t provide the resources our generation needs to thrive …Being in the job market is generally not for our generation.”
Reed is more hopeful.
“I don’t think it’ll be easy, but I do think it’s possible to find where you belong,” she said. “It will take some time, persistence, connections and enhanced skills, but that is what we are all attending college for.”
