Alumni in action: Class of 2012 placement rate at 97 percent
Ninety-seven percent of the members of UW-Green Bay’s class of 2012 are working, pursuing further education (or both) or serving their country in the military, according to Career Services’ most recent Graduate Follow-Up Survey.
Released earlier this summer, the survey shows just more than 71 percent of respondents are currently employed, while 13-plus percent are pursuing graduate school or otherwise continuing their education — and nearly 12 percent are doing both. Just more than half a percentage of grads reported current active military service.
The Graduate Follow-Up Survey is a helpful way to compare UW-Green Bay grads’ career paths with other published sources of career data, as well as reflecting the areas alumni have studied and providing a guide for undecided students who want to consider their options, said Linda Peacock-Landrum, director of Career Services. And although the numbers don’t reflect why UW-Green Bay’s placement rate is consistently solid, those who work with students and grads say there are some likely reasons the numbers look as they do.
“Given our high percentage of first-generation college students, I think it shows the work ethic of our graduates,” Peacock-Landrum said. “They want to be successful when they complete their degree and it is likely that their reasons for attending college are connected to improved or better jobs than (those of) immediate family members. I also think that it is not an option for them to not be employed or pursuing employment.”
The majority of Graduate Follow-Up Survey respondents — nearly 88 percent of those who indicated where they work — are employed in Wisconsin, with nearly 74 percent reporting they work within a 50-mile radius of Green Bay and nearly 52 percent working in Brown County. Graduates reported employment in more than two dozen states and in six different countries (Australia, Belgium, Germany, Japan, Mexico and South Korea). More than half of grads who answered the relevant question said they’d accepted their position prior to graduation, and more than 80 percent indicated their job is related to their major/program of study.
Career Services staff members focus on supporting students’ efforts and teaching them the career development process, Peacock-Landrum said. They offer guidance and answer questions — but ultimately the students guide their own futures.
“Our staff wants students to know that they have choices and the choices they make impact their future and their lives,” Peacock-Landrum said. “No one does the work for them. We are realistic in the information we share. Our staff works to provide resources (professionals and alumni for job shadowing or informational interviews), programs and events (job fairs, workshops, networking events) to provide opportunities to students and assistance and guidance to help them polish and enhance their related skills and professionalism.”
Click here to view the most recent Graduate Follow-Up Survey. More information on UW-Green Bay Career Services is available online.
