The U.S. government has recently reported sobering stats about the nation's unemployment rate, which edged up to 4.5 percent last month as employers wary of economic news such as rising fuel costs added the fewest jobs in more than two years. That's a signal, according to the U.S. Labor Department, that the labor market is reflecting what some are calling a sluggish economy.

But whatever those signals indicate, the employment news for this year's University of North Dakota graduates are seeing unusually strong demand for their degrees, skills, and leadership qualities, notes Mark Thompson, director of career services at the University of North Dakota (UND).

Strong demand for UND grads

"It's been a very strong year for college graduates nationwide and an exceptional year for our graduates," says Thompson. The bottom line in today's market is that the UND brand on a diploma - especially in fields such as accounting, aviation, business, engineering, geology and geological engineering, medicine, nursing, and physical therapy - spells excellent job prospects, Thompson says. (See http://www.career.und.edu/)

Thompson sees strong prospects for college grads overall, especially in the high-demand fields noted above. Strong prospects also are noted for aviators and air traffic controllers, a trend that's likely to accelerate as more baby boom pilots and controllers hit retirement age. Thompson also says that UND accounting, business, and finance majors continue to see steady demand as recruiters such as Cargill---which have mined the UND grad pool for years---continue to come to campus looking for top talent (which, says Thompson, they are well aware they'll get at UND).

Of course, certain professions are now chronically in demand, no matter what the general job outlook, he says. Nursing tops that list, followed by allied health professions such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and clinical lab science---UND grads with diplomas in these fields often are getting great offers long before they graduate.

The positive outlook for UND grads specifically, and college grads in general, is confirmed by the most recent CollegeGrad survey, which shows that hiring by top entry-level employers is on the rise. Thompson also points out that NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) reported in its spring employment survey that the job market for this year's graduating seniors is the best in years, with surveyed employers reporting that they expect to hire 19.2% more college graduates than last year.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the health care, biosciences and technology industries will create the most new jobs this year. Customer service and sales associates are also in demand. Other career fields on the list of top jobs include education, retail, and hospitality. Registered nurses and secondary school teachers are among the jobs with the greatest potential growth over the next decade. The fastest growing occupations for projected growth between now and 2014 are concentrated in the health and technology sectors.

Regionally, the market for grads remains strong as industries and business expand, Thompson says. UND mirrors the national trend in health care, medical science, engineering, and accounting, but we also have a couple of specialties that are bringing recruiters from around the country, Thompson says.

"At our education career fair recently we saw recruiters from all over the country, including Alaska, New Mexico, Texas, and other states, looking to hire UND-educated teachers," he says.

Behind the phenomenal job outlook for UND grads - and for younger students looking ahead three to five years until their graduation - is the anticipated surge of retirements among baby boomers.

"In biology, for example, we've seen pretty steady employment opportunities in both academic and field work over the last few decades," says Richard Crawford, professor of biology at UND. "But that's about to change."

Crawford, who's retiring this month after 32 years of teaching and research, says most of the biologists now working got into the field in the 1960s through the early 1980s.

"Now we're retiring," he says. "That spells big opportunities both in the academy and in agencies such as the federal Fish and Wildlife Service."

Another re-emerging field is geology/geological engineering, a trend boosted by the push to find both more petroleum.

"Employment prospects are very good for all our bachelors and masters grads," says Dexter Perkins, who teaches in UND's department of geology and geological engineering. "Bachelors typically start at $35,000 to $50,000, masters perhaps $10,000 more. A few exceptional students make substantially more. Whether geological engineers or straight geologists, the jobs are there. Environmental consulting firms are hiring, state and fed agencies are hiring, and oil companies are hiring."

Geospatial technology specialists---that includes geographers and others with training in geographic information (GIS), global positioning systems (GPS), remote sensing, and digital image processing and cartography---are also in top demand, says Brad Rundquist, a UND geographer and widely recognized expert and trainer in GIS, GPS, and related technologies. That's because these technologies and methods can be applied to anything that can be mapped, Rundquist notes. That includes city planning, natural resource management, power line mapping, and laying out sewer and water lines, among many other areas.

"These are skills in demand across a wide range of professions, including biology, geology, and engineering," says Rundquist, who has participated in many national GIS and geospatial technology forums and conferences and has been called on by the federal government for advice. "Right now, for example, there are five GIS jobs open in Bismarck---in past years at this time there usually have been one or two."

Related to the GIS profession, there is a growing demand for skilled database builders (GIS is often used as a database creation, maintenance, and management tool).

Law school grads see better days ahead

UND law school graduates - who for several decades faced stiff competition from the major name law schools for top jobs - are notching up great offers from elite, big city firms, notes Mark Brickson, director of career services at the UND School of Law. "For example, we had a couple of recent graduates who nailed down offers topping $100,000 a year at a top Minneapolis firm working in the international market."

Good advice

These are simply examples of what promises to be an increasingly charmed career market in the next few years for top students with degrees in these and other hot fields, notes Thompson, the career services director at UND. "Basically, I tell students to get into something they really enjoy, something they're passionate about, and stay focused in school," he says. "The career opportunities are out there - stronger in some fields than others - for just about anyone who's really good at what they do. Our National Association of Colleges and Employers tells us in this year's spring job market outlook survey that there's now an even greater interest from employers in college graduates."

The U.S. government has recently reported sobering stats about the nation's unemployment rate, which edged up to 4.5 percent last month as employers wary of economic news such as rising fuel costs added the fewest jobs in more than two years. That's a signal, according to the U.S. Labor Department, that the labor market is reflecting what some are calling a sluggish economy.

But whatever those signals indicate, the employment news for this year's University of North Dakota graduates are seeing unusually strong demand for their degrees, skills, and leadership qualities, notes Mark Thompson, director of career services at the University of North Dakota (UND).

Strong demand for UND grads

"It's been a very strong year for college graduates nationwide and an exceptional year for our graduates," says Thompson. The bottom line in today's market is that the UND brand on a diploma - especially in fields such as accounting, aviation, business, engineering, geology and geological engineering, medicine, nursing, and physical therapy - spells excellent job prospects, Thompson says. (See http://www.career.und.edu/)

Thompson sees strong prospects for college grads overall, especially in the high-demand fields noted above. Strong prospects also are noted for aviators and air traffic controllers, a trend that's likely to accelerate as more baby boom pilots and controllers hit retirement age. Thompson also says that UND accounting, business, and finance majors continue to see steady demand as recruiters such as Cargill---which have mined the UND grad pool for years---continue to come to campus looking for top talent (which, says Thompson, they are well aware they'll get at UND).

Of course, certain professions are now chronically in demand, no matter what the general job outlook, he says. Nursing tops that list, followed by allied health professions such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and clinical lab science---UND grads with diplomas in these fields often are getting great offers long before they graduate.

The positive outlook for UND grads specifically, and college grads in general, is confirmed by the most recent CollegeGrad survey, which shows that hiring by top entry-level employers is on the rise. Thompson also points out that NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) reported in its spring employment survey that the job market for this year's graduating seniors is the best in years, with surveyed employers reporting that they expect to hire 19.2% more college graduates than last year.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the health care, biosciences and technology industries will create the most new jobs this year. Customer service and sales associates are also in demand. Other career fields on the list of top jobs include education, retail, and hospitality. Registered nurses and secondary school teachers are among the jobs with the greatest potential growth over the next decade. The fastest growing occupations for projected growth between now and 2014 are concentrated in the health and technology sectors.

Regionally, the market for grads remains strong as industries and business expand, Thompson says. UND mirrors the national trend in health care, medical science, engineering, and accounting, but we also have a couple of specialties that are bringing recruiters from around the country, Thompson says.

"At our education career fair recently we saw recruiters from all over the country, including Alaska, New Mexico, Texas, and other states, looking to hire UND-educated teachers," he says.

Behind the phenomenal job outlook for UND grads - and for younger students looking ahead three to five years until their graduation - is the anticipated surge of retirements among baby boomers.

"In biology, for example, we've seen pretty steady employment opportunities in both academic and field work over the last few decades," says Richard Crawford, professor of biology at UND. "But that's about to change."

Crawford, who's retiring this month after 32 years of teaching and research, says most of the biologists now working got into the field in the 1960s through the early 1980s.

"Now we're retiring," he says. "That spells big opportunities both in the academy and in agencies such as the federal Fish and Wildlife Service."

Another re-emerging field is geology/geological engineering, a trend boosted by the push to find both more petroleum.

"Employment prospects are very good for all our bachelors and masters grads," says Dexter Perkins, who teaches in UND's department of geology and geological engineering. "Bachelors typically start at $35,000 to $50,000, masters perhaps $10,000 more. A few exceptional students make substantially more. Whether geological engineers or straight geologists, the jobs are there. Environmental consulting firms are hiring, state and fed agencies are hiring, and oil companies are hiring."

Geospatial technology specialists---that includes geographers and others with training in geographic information (GIS), global positioning systems (GPS), remote sensing, and digital image processing and cartography---are also in top demand, says Brad Rundquist, a UND geographer and widely recognized expert and trainer in GIS, GPS, and related technologies. That's because these technologies and methods can be applied to anything that can be mapped, Rundquist notes. That includes city planning, natural resource management, power line mapping, and laying out sewer and water lines, among many other areas.

"These are skills in demand across a wide range of professions, including biology, geology, and engineering," says Rundquist, who has participated in many national GIS and geospatial technology forums and conferences and has been called on by the federal government for advice. "Right now, for example, there are five GIS jobs open in Bismarck---in past years at this time there usually have been one or two."

Related to the GIS profession, there is a growing demand for skilled database builders (GIS is often used as a database creation, maintenance, and management tool).

Law school grads see better days ahead

UND law school graduates - who for several decades faced stiff competition from the major name law schools for top jobs - are notching up great offers from elite, big city firms, notes Mark Brickson, director of career services at the UND School of Law. "For example, we had a couple of recent graduates who nailed down offers topping $100,000 a year at a top Minneapolis firm working in the international market."

Good advice

These are simply examples of what promises to be an increasingly charmed career market in the next few years for top students with degrees in these and other hot fields, notes Thompson, the career services director at UND. "Basically, I tell students to get into something they really enjoy, something they're passionate about, and stay focused in school," he says. "The career opportunities are out there - stronger in some fields than others - for just about anyone who's really good at what they do. Our National Association of Colleges and Employers tells us in this year's spring job market outlook survey that there's now an even greater interest from employers in college graduates."