<p>idand, </p>
<p>What a contrast to my D’s experience. She is a June 2008 grad. Tow of her best friends have struggled mightily to find jobs, first in Chicago, then in DC, where they both now live with parents. One just had an unpaid internship turn into a full time job (at miserable pay, but that’s the norm for DC!). The other is still an unpaid “intern” aka volunteer for experience. </p>
<p>Several of her other former classmates are also struggling. Some went to grad school (plan from the beninning, not recession prompted) at places like Yale/forestry, but by and large it has been a bad year.</p>
<p>D herself is in her 2nd and final year of grad school at Oxford, and faces the doubly difficult task of finding employment in this economy while being overseas. </p>
<p>I do believe employment predictions in today’s environment are much like financial markets. We’ve long heard that past performance is no predictor of future performance for stock funds. That holds for the job market, too. It is true that this year’s entering class may find a changed, hopefully for the better, job market in 4 years. It is also true that we may enter an economic period like the 1970s where things drag for years, and where these kids graduate to face a poor job market clogged with job seeking grads from prior years. </p>
<p>The saving grace may be baby boomer retirements, but only if we can afford to do so. Many, unfortunately, will not, especially as companies find they can eliminate their contribution to retirement plans (at least for those below the officer level…), cut medical insurance benefits and such. </p>
<p>What does this mean for the potential humanities major? Many things, but most importantly, that it is the task of the student to develop marketable skills. It is not the role of the university to teach them. The U will give you skills. You translate those skills into new skills and abilities that are attractive to employers. </p>
<p>The strength of a UofC education is the strong foundation it gives you. It is a foundation that can take one in many directions. But it works best for self directed individuals who will take the initiative to go the next steps.</p>