Desperate to Hire

I’ve been on the road in recent weeks, including visits to Washington, D.C. and Boston. I enjoy trips like these as they are a great way to stay connected with alumni and friends of the college. They also help me understand what’s going on around the country and in various industries and how that affects our students and faculty.

In Washington, I had dinner with some Arts and Sciences grads and friends of the university. Many of them work in the defense industry and wanted to hear about programs at UNL to get more graduates with math and science skills.

I knew about the need, but I was surprised to hear how desperate the need has become. They were very clear about how the defense industry offers a good career path for students these days because unlike some other professions, jobs are going wanting as there are not enough qualified people to fill them. The defense industry offers jobs in many fields including information technology and cyber-security.

We have to get the word out about this and it has to start in high schools. Often times, by the time students comes to UNL, they don’t think of math or science as a major. They think of business or medical school as a profession. It is in everyone’s best interest to broaden their horizons. Graduate school is a great option for science and math graduates but students need to know that with a degree in physics or chemistry or mathematics, for example, they could get a very well-paying job with a bachelor’s degree.

Never underestimate the power of a liberal arts degree.