2008 Woodie Awards
Graduates leaving state to find jobs in urban centers
Lack of education careers forces students out of Michigan
By: Meredith Mayberry
Issue date: 11/2/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
More and more graduates from Michigan universities are finding employment outside of the state.
They are leaving because Michigan lacks the urban feel college graduates crave, said Michael Boulus, executive director of the Presidents Council of State Universities of Michigan.
"Michigan has no Chicago or Madison or Indianapolis," he said. "The young talent graduating from Michigan universities want to see what it's like to live in an urban environment and they can't find that in Michigan."
The number of CMU graduates leaving Michigan has been increasing in the last five years, according to the CMU Career Service Web site, careers.cmich.edu.
In the 2001-2002 academic year, 88 percent of graduates decided to find employment in Michigan. In the 2005-2006 academic year, only 79 percent of CMU graduates remained in the state.
"My gut feeling is that so many students come to CMU for teacher education and can't find teaching jobs in Michigan after graduating," said Marcie Otteman, associate director of admissions at CMU.
Lou Glazer, the president of Michigan Future Inc., agreed with Boulus.
"The age group of college graduates is the group most likely to be mobile," he said. "These people are young, single, without kids and have nothing holding them in one place."
Glazer said another reason graduates relocate out of state is because some of them are out-of-state students to begin with.
"Students who come to our universities from another state tend to leave more than kids who grew up in Michigan," he said.
Glazer said the top three Michigan universities - Michigan State University, University of Michigan and Wayne State University - probably have more graduates leaving the state than the other 12 Michigan universities. MSU, U-M and Wayne State have more out-of-state students to begin with, he said, who are more likely to leave.
The way college graduates approach getting jobs is another reason they leave Michigan.
"Graduates find work in two ways," Glazer said. "They either look for the best job or they look for the best location. Michigan doesn't always have the most attractive possibilities for young people."
Boulus said graduates are more likely to choose locations first and find jobs second.
"My son wanted to move to Chicago, so he did. He only started looking for jobs when he knew where he wanted to go," Boulus said.
The percentage of CMU students finding employment after graduation has been increased over the past few years.
In 2002, 82 percent of CMU graduates found work or went on to graduate school. In 2006, it was 84 percent. While some students have relocated outside of Michigan, statistics continue to show a high employment rate for CMU graduates.
"I think because our economy is so rough, students are just going where they can find jobs," Otteman said.
news@cm-life.com
They are leaving because Michigan lacks the urban feel college graduates crave, said Michael Boulus, executive director of the Presidents Council of State Universities of Michigan.
"Michigan has no Chicago or Madison or Indianapolis," he said. "The young talent graduating from Michigan universities want to see what it's like to live in an urban environment and they can't find that in Michigan."
The number of CMU graduates leaving Michigan has been increasing in the last five years, according to the CMU Career Service Web site, careers.cmich.edu.
In the 2001-2002 academic year, 88 percent of graduates decided to find employment in Michigan. In the 2005-2006 academic year, only 79 percent of CMU graduates remained in the state.
"My gut feeling is that so many students come to CMU for teacher education and can't find teaching jobs in Michigan after graduating," said Marcie Otteman, associate director of admissions at CMU.
Lou Glazer, the president of Michigan Future Inc., agreed with Boulus.
"The age group of college graduates is the group most likely to be mobile," he said. "These people are young, single, without kids and have nothing holding them in one place."
Glazer said another reason graduates relocate out of state is because some of them are out-of-state students to begin with.
"Students who come to our universities from another state tend to leave more than kids who grew up in Michigan," he said.
Glazer said the top three Michigan universities - Michigan State University, University of Michigan and Wayne State University - probably have more graduates leaving the state than the other 12 Michigan universities. MSU, U-M and Wayne State have more out-of-state students to begin with, he said, who are more likely to leave.
The way college graduates approach getting jobs is another reason they leave Michigan.
"Graduates find work in two ways," Glazer said. "They either look for the best job or they look for the best location. Michigan doesn't always have the most attractive possibilities for young people."
Boulus said graduates are more likely to choose locations first and find jobs second.
"My son wanted to move to Chicago, so he did. He only started looking for jobs when he knew where he wanted to go," Boulus said.
The percentage of CMU students finding employment after graduation has been increased over the past few years.
In 2002, 82 percent of CMU graduates found work or went on to graduate school. In 2006, it was 84 percent. While some students have relocated outside of Michigan, statistics continue to show a high employment rate for CMU graduates.
"I think because our economy is so rough, students are just going where they can find jobs," Otteman said.
news@cm-life.com
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