Professional Preface logo This story appears in The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society's student newsletter Professional Preface, vol. 3, no. 6, p. 4.

Employment News

Starting Salaries Increase for Class of 1996
According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the class of 1996 will have an easier time entering and competing in the job market than did graduates from the previous five years. In addition to increased hiring and on-campus recruitment activity, entry-level salaries have risen for recent graduates. Computer-related fields continued to be highly sought, with engineering graduates (particularly electrical, computer, and mechanical) also in demand. The average starting salaries for graduates with a B.S. in metallurgical engineering increased by 5.2%, from $35,618 in 1994-95 to $37,466 in 1995-96.

The Early Bird Gets the Job
Career counseling and staffing professionals claim that the "early birds," the students who begin to plan for their entry-level careers during their first years in college, graduate with the competitive edge that makes them attractive to employers, according to NACE. While students need not make final decisions on a major or a career during their freshman year, an early, focused effort by students to explore careers is an important step in knowing what kind of job they want when they graduate. This knowledge enables students to articulate their goals in a job interview after graduation.

Math is Power Campaign Promotes Science
The National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME) has developed a Math Is Power campaign in creative partnership with the Advertising Council, Tracy-Locke, Dallas, and actor/comedian Sinbad, with financial support from the IBM Corporation, the Annenberg/CPB Math and Science Project, the National Science Foundation, and the United States Department of Energy. This national public service advertising campaign sends a clear and direct message: Take math and science or get left behind. In its first year of operation, more than 500 calls per week from every state in the United States have been received on the toll-free telephone line (800) 97-NACME. Materials are available free of charge to students, parents, teachers, precollege program administrators, university personnel, government officials, and industry leaders explaining how to help students make smart choices about math and science courses in high school.

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