The Tower Fall 2020 - 9

Learn more about the
Electrical Technology
program at Thaddeus
Stevens College
of Technology by
visiting our website
stevenscollege.edu.

Graduating during a
Pandemic
In the midst of the pandemic, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology's
Career Services Center counseled more of the college's students than it had
in the past 10 years.
The two-year college is well known for its high rate of placing graduates,
with 75% having full-time jobs after graduation last year and the remainder
finding a job within two months. However, this year proved difficult for even
Thaddeus Stevens. Among the school's class of 2020, only 30% had solidified
plans prior to graduation. Since then it has grown to about 60%.

President Rivera also credits the
Electrical Technology faculty and
staff, including Jon Kramer, Fred
Bube, Andrew Jacobs, and Brian
Kochan, along with Rene Alshouse
and Patricia Meley who work closely
with program faculty as advisors to
the Electrical Technology students.
Overall, U.S. jobs in STEM fields are
projected to grow at almost double
the rate of non-STEM occupations.
More than half of all STEM jobs
across the United States require no
more than an associate's degree and
pay wages that average more than
$50,000 annually.
The community colleges honored
with the Excellence and Equity in
Community College STEM Award
are playing a unique role in working
to meet this demand. The selection
committee identified exemplary
programs that deliver exceptional
training for jobs that require
strong STEM technical skills, some
classroom hands-on training, and a
postsecondary credential below the
four-year degree. Importantly, these
programs are successful in reaching
and supporting populations that are
under-represented in STEM fields,
such as students of color, low-income
students, and females.
" Community college STEM programs
are a strong pathway to job security
and financial success for many
students-whether that means
heading right into a great-paying
job or getting a more advanced
degree, " said David Etzwiler, CEO
of the Siemens Foundation. " This
award recognizes the colleges that
provide an excellent STEM education
and develop talent from every
community. " 

The pandemic also had an effect on how many students received hands-on
paid internships, which fell from more than 80% in 2019 to under 40% this
year.
Thaddeus Stevens' low placement came after many employers, particularly in
the construction industry, rescinded offers to students due to the pandemic.
Students in the middle of the interview process were put on hold.
Soon after realizing how its students would be impacted by the pandemic,
the school's Career Services Center leveraged its partnerships with hundreds
of companies in the region, according to Laurie Grove, director of career
services at Thaddeus Stevens.
Thaddeus Stevens uses several methods to place students in careers after
graduation, including College Central Network, an online job posting board
that allows employers to post listings specifically for students of the college,
and an annual job fair that attracts more than 670 employers.
The school also has Industry Advisory Committees made up of industry
representatives for each program, which Grove said has an active interest
in recruiting students right after graduation. Grove said the career center
relied on the committees, as well as past employers of graduates and other
employer partners to find fitting careers for students that lost opportunities
due to the pandemic.
" While many companies temporarily shut down, others continued to work
and thrive, " she said. " Those that could hire students, offered full-time and
part-time opportunities; those that could not hire, offered other ways in
which to help. "
Employers still unsure about where their
futures lied, offered Thaddeus Stevens's students hands-on learning labs,
laptops and other resources, virtual mock interviews as well as virtual tours
of their facilities.
" One employer even strapped a GoPro to his head and gave an entire class a
guided virtual tour toward the end of the spring semester, " Grove added.
Because of the school's focus on hands-on fields such as plumbing, masonry,
carpentry and construction, the school has always encouraged students to
engage in face-toface communication with employers, go on job shadows
and participate in on-campus mock interviews, Grove said.
In the final months of Thaddeus Stevens' spring semester, the school pivoted
on its career preparation programs to ensure that its students were aware
of the swift changes in businesses happening daily. In lieu of the in-person
communication the school normally focused on, students received training
and workshops via video conferencing, video interviews and one-way and
two-way video and phone interviews. They are also learning how to use apps
like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and GoTo Meetings. 

Fall 2020  9
https://www.stevenscollege.edu/academics/associate-degrees/electrical-technology/electrical-technology-faculty/ https://www.stevenscollege.edu/
The Tower Fall 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Tower Fall 2020
