Florida Tech Graduates Land Jobs, Buck Nation’s Trends, Survey Shows
MELBOURNE, FLA.—2007 Space Coast Jr./Sr. High School graduate Bryan Gillenwater was snapped up by Siemens when he graduated from Florida Institute of Technology in May 2011. Being one of two who were the first to graduate with a minor in sustainability from the university was likely a big plus for the mechanical engineering alumnus.
Today, after a successful year training with Siemens Wind Service Americas, he is headed to his job as a project engineer with Global Operations Management for Offshore Service, working out of Siemens Wind Power’s headquarters in Brande, Denmark.
Gillenwater’s is one story among the results now in from the follow-up graduation survey of the classes of December 2010 and May 2011 who attended the main campus. According to respondents, 94 percent of graduates are today employed, in the military or enrolled in graduate school. Up to 89 percent of those who said they were employed are working in their major.
This is a contrast to a U.S. News & World Report story of April, 22, 2012, which said, “About 1.5 million, or 53.6 percent, of bachelor’s degree-holders under the age of 25 last year were jobless or underemployed, the highest share in at least 11 years.” The report continued: “Out of the 1.5 million who languished in the job market, about half were underemployed, an increase from the previous year.”
The Florida Tech graduation survey results also documented that 59 percent indicated that they were “exceptionally well prepared” or “more than adequately prepared” by Florida Tech for their job or for graduate school; 36 percent felt they were at least “adequately prepared.” And, 45 percent of employed respondents are earning more than $50,000 a year. Finally, 58 percent of respondents participated in a co-op, internship or other major related work experience while at Florida Tech.
The university is recognized by Bloomberg Businessweek and a recent survey by PayScale.com as the top private university in Florida for return on investment.
