By Brett Swain |
Staff writer
The Augusta University Class of 2020 had a very unique experience this last academic semester. Halfway through the semester, all classes were moved online. A lot of events and ceremonies were canceled or postponed. Also, some internships were unfortunately terminated. Networking for career opportunities have been very slim since the COVID-19 pandemic came to Georgia in March.
Jeremiah Griffin, who graduated in May with a degree in communication, said the labor market is rather bleak right now.
“Networking has been hard during COVID-19,” Griffin said. “There aren’t as many options out there, and not a lot of opportunities to get a name out.”
Ally Williams, who also graduated last month, was not able to finish her internship with an Augusta television station.
“The contacts I made through my internship keep putting my name in at the station for potential job openings,” Williams said. “Luckily, I established some connections before everything shut down, so hopefully, it might help when positions start opening up.”
Staying home has made recent graduates’ connections be put on pause.
Rebecca Patterson, an ecology graduate, has decided to extend her education.
“Since I’m going to graduate school, I cannot necessarily comment on networking for job opportunities, but I can for graduate school,” she said. “My undergraduate advisor, Dr. Jessica Reichmuth, helped me search for graduate programs that would be best fit for me as well as ways to receive funding. She has played a huge role in helping shape my future past undergraduate experience.”
Alyssa Acosta, a recent graduate with a degree in education, said teaching jobs are still relatively plentiful.
“I was an elementary education major, so I think that they had amazing networking opportunities.,” Acosta said. “All of the classes that we took in the actual education program were not on Summerville campus, but at an actual elementary school. We had classes in both Richmond and Columbia county schools and [as] well as completed our student teaching internship semester at a school in one of those counties and others. During this semester, Augusta University compiled a list of counties that were currently hiring all over Georgia. This job fair was specific for education majors and we were able to take time and talk to all of these representatives from these counties. I was able to make many connections through Augusta University and was very impressed with their networking opportunities.”
Job prospects are much better in the medical professions. Kailey Jaruzel, a nursing graduate, said she has found a job in her field.
“I did an externship called the Pediatric Elective Program with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta last summer,” she said. “Augusta University offers the PEP program to nursing students after their first year and you have to go through an online video interview and a telephone interview. I got accepted and then did my externship with them last year during the summer. While I was there, I got to know a lot of the nurses on the unit. I took the externship as a constant interview and thought that they are judging me to see if they want to offer me a job to work for them in the future. After going through the externship with CHOA, they offered me a position to stay with them as a nurse when I graduate, and I happily accepted their offer. I signed my contract officially last year with them in December and will be starting in August if I pass my NCLEX. I haven’t really had to network with other companies since CHOA was my first choice where I wanted to work.”
Abby Grandin, also a nursing graduate, found a job, too.
“I was able to get a job at the hospital where I did my clinicals and externship, at Augusta University Medical Center,” Grandin said.
On the other hand, Keegan Bennet, a criminal justice graduate, said it is a struggle to find a job now.
“The networking opportunities at AU particularly in the job department is what I would consider lukewarm at best. Much of AU’s focus is on its health science programs leaving social sciences, liberal arts, and anything not health related often to fend for themselves. With the only other alternative for students being Handshake, a clunky and often buggy website, the opportunities are lacking and often leave students feeling lost, and dreadfully unaware of what is out there.”
All of these graduates faced something that they never thought would happen during the spring semester—the closing of campus for two weeks and a re-start with all classes online. Some have a harder time than others looking for jobs at time when the unemployment rate is at 13.3 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Department.
Contact Brett Swain at BSWAIN@augusta.edu.
The Bell Ringer 