Career options abound for computer graduates

by Maria G. Hoover

SBJ Contributing Writer

Area college students who graduate with computer-related degrees aren't having too hard a time finding jobs these days, according to job placement specialists and instructors from area schools.

Vickie Hicks, recruiting coordinator for Southwest Missouri State University's Career Planning and Placement Center, said SMSU offers programs in both computer information systems (CIS) and computer sciences. She said CIS graduates are sometimes the easiest students for her to work with.

"CIS graduates with relevant experience and a strong GPA often get to pick where they want to work," she said.

Hicks said the job market for computer-related careers is building in the Springfield area, compared to well-established, technology-job markets like Kansas City and St. Louis, where companies such as Sprint, Hallmark and Anheuser-Busch operate.

Dr. Jerry Chin, head of SMSU's CIS department, said although salaries for programmers and computer analysts are moving forward in some companies, when CIS graduates do stay in this area, it isn't for financial reasons.

"They stay because there's someone or something else to consider," he said.

But that doesn't mean jobs in the local market aren't available.

Joel LaReau, assistant dean with the computers and networking program at Ozarks Community Technical College, said many of the part-time students he hires to work on OTC's computer networking system are hired away by local companies even before they graduate, so he often has trouble keeping help.

LaReau added that although OTC won't begin offering a specific degree in computers and networking until the fall 1999 semester, graduates who have similar computer courses as part of the school's electronics degree have been able to find jobs in other places, as well.

"One of my former students is in Michigan now. Last I heard from him, he was making $72,000 a year, which is not bad for someone with an associate's degree, " he said.

Dr. Don Tosh, head of Evangel University's department of science and technology, said there are other factors besides money to consider.

He said one reason behind the high demand for computer-trained professionals is that few people actually enjoy computer science. He said many students choose other career fields once they discover the amount of work that goes into understanding computers and computer programming.

"Just knowing there's a lot of money there isn't enough. You have to have a knack for the logic, the mathematics of it. So, we find that people good at math are good at computer science ... but being good at math also isn't enough. We have a lot of math majors who don't like computer science," Tosh said.

Chin said he believes another reason for the high demand in the computer field has been Y2K, which he said has pushed a lot of projects back. But he added that the interest in and demand for personnel in computer fields isn't likely to decline once the year 2000 arrives.

Tosh also said he didn't anticipate demand going down, and Christina Branson, job placement specialist at OTC, agreed.

"Every part of American culture, and increasingly, worldwide culture, is affected by the leaps and bounds we're seeing in technology, and we need people who can keep up with it," she said.

LaReau said he's contacted every year by the company that does cabling for Wal-Mart stores, and Chin said employers are always plentiful at SMSU's annual computer day.

Chin said last year, there were 50 companies at the event, including Sprint, IBM and Federal Express, and he expects even more companies this year.

"I asked them (last year) how many people they were looking to hire, and the total was 2,000 people. Even though I only graduate 135 to 140 students a year, they still came, looking for SMSU students," he said.

Drury College also recognizes the job opportunities of the computer industry.

Dr. Carol Collins, chair of Drury's department of mathematics and computer science, said the school offers a minor in computer science, which students typically combine with business or mathematics.

However, she added, she's working on a proposal for a major focused on programming and software engineering, which she hopes will be in place by fall 2000.

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