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Page 8, Portland Observer, December 2, 1987
Humanities Graduates Have Edge in Job Market
Humanities graduates enjoyed a 29 percent increase in job offers Iasi
year while computer science graduates faced a 28 percent decrease, accord
ing to the College Placement Council's 1986 87 Salary Survey .
The University of Oregon, along with 164 other institutions around the
country, compiled the survey results for the College Placement Council, Inc.
(CPC), according to Larry Smith, director of the university's Career Planning
and Placement Office.
The survey includes offers extended to a statistical sampling of students
graduating between Sept. 1, 1986, and Aug. 31, 1987. Approximately 175
UO students participated in this survey.
The CPC, whose headquarters are in Bethlehem, PA, is the national
association of career planning, placement and recruitment officers. Its mem
bership includes virtually all major colleges and universities and many of the
Fortune 1000 corporations.
"The results of this survey stress that students must do early exploration
of work opportunities in the future to insure employment success," says
Smith.
.
The economy is shifting from a manufacturing to a service base, he
explained. A service economy is conducive to business activities not invol
ved in the production of goods. For example, medical services, merchan
dising and financial services are products of a service economy.
According to the survey, merchandising and service industry positions
accounted for 53 percent of the jobs offered to humanities graduates. Their
starting salaries averaged $20,256, a 5 percent increase from the previous
year.
.
"The imagery of the humanities major which emphasizes an open and
educated m ind," draws employers to humanities graduates, according to
Smith. "The employers are looking for graduates with communication skills,
an understanding of different points of view and an ability to anayze infor
mation to package it successfully for the consumer.
In contrast to the growing service economy, the salary survey reported
a "tight job market" in the technical fields. For instance, computer science
graduates not only faced fewer job offers but also encountered a slight drop
in starting salary from the previous year Those graduates' starting salaries,
however, remain well above that offered humanities graduates. The 1987
average starting salary for computer science graduates, $26,364, was $5,200
a year higher than that offered their humanities classmates.
Such a decline in job prospects during this "computer age" may seem
strange, and for many computer science graduates, even terrifying. Smith,
however, views it as simply part of an industrial cyclical pattern.
As technical innovation increases, the demand for employees grows.
Then, as technology moves ahead of the users and their needs, hiring dimi-
niches. Smith points out that "the company that can minimize this industrial
fluctuation is the ideal employer."
The survey revealed that those who graduated with a business degree
found less dramatic gains than the humanities graduates. Of the business
disciplines, marketing and distribution showed the only gain in both the aver
age salary — a 5.7 percent increase to $20,364 — and the number of job
offers — an increase of 1 percent.
The rise in marketing and distribution positions is again a reflection of
the service economy that is developing in this nation. Smith said. The trend
of employers looking for marketing personnel is evident by the kind of posi
tions being offered by corporate recruiters on campus. "Right now more and
more companies are looking for sales representative positions," says Smith.
The survey brough out some interesting points about women and men
in the working world. Of graduates in technical disciplines, women had
higher salary offers than men. However, men received more than twice as
many offers. Smith attributed this fact to a shortage of women graduates in
the technical fields.
Of the graduates in humanities, women received more job offers than
men, but had lower average starting salaries.
Through the e ffo rts of Rufus A. Conner, Irvin g to n C o m m u n ity S chool
C oordinator, 65 fam ilies w ere able to sit dow n to a Thanksgiving feast
Thursday. Conner and a team o f volunteers assembled boxes o f food
and d istrib ute d them in tim e fo r the holiday. The program has been in
place fo r 6 years, tha n ks to donations o f food. IL-B, Back Row]I Con
ner, Jackie P ortw oo d , Deborah W illiam s, Dean Schell; (L-R, M id d e
Row) Janice Dolan, Ester Johnson, Josie Luba, Cathy Sim pson,
Hazel Polk; (L-r, Front Row) Colin Lubia, Joseph Johnson.
Photo by Richard J. B row n
PORTLAND OBSERVER
The Eyes and Ears of the Community”
288-0033
Regardless of gender, Smith views job offers and starting salaries as
elements based on qualification. Higher salaries come with experience in the
field. Whether you are hired or not depends on leadership qualities, aca
demic record and accomplishment patterns, he added.
Statistical Analyses Pinpoint
Success for Minority Students
Statistical analyses released Oct. 13, 1987, show that the performance
of Portland School District minority students is steadily improving in such
areas as achievement, graduation, attendance, and suspension.
The document, titled "A Statistical Portrait of the Multicultural
Multiethnic Student Population in Portland Public Schools," compares data
for the 1986-87 school year with statistics dating as far back as nine years
The 101-page report, developed by the school district s Researc anu
Evaluation and Management Information Depts., was prepared for the Port
land Board of Education for use as a planning resource during future staff
and school board workshops and community contacts.
Supt. Matthew Prophet said he launched the annual report in 1984-85 to
help in the development of policy directions and management decisions.
"The report is designed to improve the overall quality of education for
every student, with emphasis on minority students,' Prophet said.
Still in draft form, the document is being reviewed by Pfophet and mem
bers of his staff.
Here are the report's major conclusions:
• While the average levels of minority-student achievement in elemen
tary basic skills are lower than the average levels of nonminority-student
achievement, the differences have generally become small over the last six
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Vea^
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Omar Shabazz (C) w atches blood pressure check during free Health
Screenings held at the Urban League o f Portland. The screenings
were done in cooperation w ith the A m erican Red Cross and the Ore
gon Health Sciences U niversity Long-Term Health S tudy Depart-
m ent
Photo by Richard J . B row n
Loaves & Fishes
Seeks Volunteers
The percentages of minority students eligible to receive standard high
school diplomas by passing rigorous basic skills competency tests are
steadily increasing.
• For the past three years, the dropout rate for Black students were
equal to or lower than the school district's average rates for all students.
• Suspension rates for all minority students have dropped dramatically
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since 1978-79.
Prophet said average high school senior grades for minority students
are solidly in the C range, while many students of all ethnic origins are attain
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ing A's and B's.
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KOAP-TV Channel 10 will carry a
winter term Portland Community
College telecourse to help students
prepare for the General Education
Development test.
Instructor Joan Gravenites said
Channel 10 will air the classes from
1:30 to 2 p.m. Monday through Fri
day for 11 weeks, starting the week
of January 4.
PORTLAND OBSERVER
Student should attend and com
plete registration at one of two
orientation
sessions
scheduled
Tuesday, January 5, from 6:30 to
8:30 p.m. and Saturday, January 9,
from 10 a.m. to 12 noon in the
library of the PCC Southeast Cen
ter, 2850 S.E. 82nd Ave.
Further information is available
from Gravenites at 777-6900.
The GED telecourse also will be
aired on T.C.I. and Rogers Cable
Channel 32 and Willamette Cable
Channel 29 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Mondays and 7 to 7:30 p.m. Tues
days through Thursdays.
The course will provide lessons in
reading, science, social studies, wri
ting and mathematics prepared by
Kentucky Educational Television.
"The Eyes and Ears of the Community
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IF IC A T IO N : A n
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Illu s tra te d A n s w e r to D ru g s is
Loaves & Fishes/Meals-On-Wheels is starting weekend and holiday
deliveries in Multnomah County beginning December 5th. Volunteer drivers
are urgently needed, twenty-three for each Saturday, Sunday and Holiday.
It's a perfect opportunity for a family project or for people who can't
volunteer on regular work days. A 1-1 Vi to 2 hour commitment once a
month is desired. Volunteers can also arrange to share routes.
Please call Loaves & Fishes' volunteer coordinator at 777-2424.
Channel 10 to Carry Telecourse on G.E.D, Preparation
your ability
tiothink more clearly!
HRS:
M on-S at 9 6
Sun 11-5
Sale & Restyling
the holiday season
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Monday Thru Saturday
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Toys & G ifts fo r Small & Big Kids
5429 NE 42nd
Holiday Hours:
Dec 1st thru 29th
Mon-Fri Sat Sun
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