JACKSON, Tenn. — March 15, 2018 — 51社区 graduates have a 95 percent placement rate within six months of graduation, according to a 2017 Undergraduate First-Destination Survey conducted by Union鈥檚 Vocatio Center for Life Calling and Career.
The survey includes graduates who have been employed, accepted to graduate school or both. It was conducted from April to December of last year in accordance with standards created by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
Though national placement rates for 2017 will not be published until August, Union鈥檚 rate is 12 points ahead of the 2016 national average of 83 percent. It is also ahead of Union鈥檚 placement rate of 92 percent for 2016.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a good trend,鈥� said Alex Huguenard, the director for the Vocatio Center. 鈥淚t tells us that our students are finding employment faster.鈥�
Union also had 27 percent of graduates accepted to graduate school, a 10 percent increase over last year. Huguenard said the data shows him that more students are pursuing graduate degrees and that Union students are well-prepared to enter these programs.
鈥淚t鈥檚 helpful in knowing that what we鈥檙e doing is effective,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ur students are wanted.鈥�
In addition to graduates in graduate school, 61 percent were employed, 4.5 percent were both employed and accepted to graduate school, 2 percent were serving in volunteer work and 0.5 percent were in military service.
Samantha Mescher, a 2017 Union graduate, is working as a trainer at Moore Orthopedics and Sports Medicine in Morehead City, North Carolina. She said the Vocatio Center helped her get the specific job she wanted.
鈥淭he Vocatio Center helped me to realize how important a great resume is and to really sell myself,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was taught what I need to know from the professors at Union, and the Vocatio Center helped me to perfect my resume.鈥�
The Vocatio Center had a 50.9 percent response rate on the survey and a knowledge rate of 78.6 percent on all graduate placements.