Hot Jobs Get Cool Response from 2001 High School Grads
August 15, 2001
- Interest In Computer Careers Lags Behind Demand
- Interest In Health Sciences, Engineering Down
- No Relief in Sight for Teacher Shortage
- Career Indecision Rising Among High School Grads
IOWA CITY, Iowa—The career aspirations of recent high school graduates who took the ACT college-entrance exam are often out of line with the realities of the job market. This annual reading of the career intentions of the graduating class indicates that career interests in computers, technology and teaching seriously lag behind the expected demand for these positions, while interest in visual and performing arts careers is out of proportion with the likely availability of those jobs.
Interest In Computer Careers Grows, But Lags Behind Expected Demand
Although interest in computer careers has grown over the past several years, it does not appear to be keeping up with the expected demand. Three of the four fastest-growing occupations in the U.S., projected by the Department of Labor, are computer-related jobs that generally require a bachelor's degree. Specifically, the number of computer engineering, systems analyst and database administration jobs in the U.S. are expected to approximately double between 1998 and 2008, amounting to almost a million new jobs. Of this year's ACT-tested graduates, however, just 5 percent name computer and information sciences as their intended college major, an increase of less than two percentage points since 1997.
“The fact that interest in computer-related careers has grown is good news,” said ACT President Richard L. Ferguson. “The bad news is that it is not growing enough. Four or five years from now, many of the jobs available to these students when they graduate from college will be related to computers. There may not be enough qualified graduates to fill these jobs.”
Interest in a career in visual and performing arts, which has also grown over the past five years, exceeds interest in computers as a preferred college major and occupational choice. Department of Labor projections, however, suggest the year 2008 will see many more new jobs available in computers than in the visual and performing arts.
“In many cases,” said Ferguson, “students' career aspirations are simply not in line with the jobs that will likely be available to them when they graduate from college. These students are in need of career counseling to assure they are informed of the opportunities associated with their career choice.”
Interest In Health, Engineering Careers Down
Interest in both health science and engineering careers, two popular occupational choices in the past, has dropped in recent years. Although health sciences remains the top choice of graduating seniors taking the ACT Assessment, the percentage of these students who name it as their planned major field of study has dropped over the past few years—from 20.5 percent in 1997 to 17.8 percent in 2001.
Engineering has also lost ground as an intended major of incoming college freshmen. Interest in engineering has dropped slightly in each of the past five years, even while the need for engineers is expected to expand in the future.
Interest in Teaching Careers Drops
Similarly, while the number of teaching jobs available in the U.S. is increasing, the percentage of ACT-tested graduates who plan a career in education is declining. In 1997, 9.7 percent of graduating seniors who took the ACT named education or teaching as their preferred occupational choice; in 2001, that figure has dropped to 9.2 percent, with incremental declines each year in between.
According to the 2000-2001 Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the U.S. Department of Labor, employment in various teaching occupations is expected to increase significantly—in some cases up to 34 percent—by 2008 compared to 1998, representing more than a million new teaching positions. The overall decline in interest in education careers indicated by the ACT data suggests there is little help in sight for the projected teacher shortage.
“News about the teacher shortage clearly has not triggered more interest in education careers among graduating high school seniors,” said Ferguson. “In fact, just the opposite appears to be occurring. It is clear that something must be done to make teaching positions more attractive to young people.”
Education ranks third as the preferred major/vocational choice of this year's college-bound seniors, behind health sciences (17.9%) and business (11.6%).
Indecision Rising
Career indecision is rising slightly among college-bound high school graduates. The percentage of ACT-tested students who say they are undecided about their planned vocational choice has grown significantly over the past five years, from 9.6 percent of the total group in 1997 to 11.1 percent this year.
“More college-bound high school seniors are uncertain of what occupation they would like to pursue,” Ferguson said. “This may be one reason why we're seeing fewer and fewer students receiving their bachelor's degree in four years, and it underscores the need for more career counseling and guidance for high school students.”
2001 National and State Scores
© 2008 by ACT, Inc. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.