High school graduates who took the Baccalaureate exam this summer are preparing for college admission. But the choice of a form of higher education is based on certain criteria well established before. Concretely, today’s young people want to have a real chance at employment, a well-paid job, but also the possibility to have an active social life during their studies.
Young people are looking for colleges that will prepare them for well-paying jobs. Photo source: archive
According to a study published on iZidata and carried out by the Bucharest International School of Management, young people who are preparing for college admission choose their specialization in such a way that, once they have left school, they can find their easy a job. More than 60% of respondents said that having a job after college is a must. Moreover, 58% dream of a well-paid job. It is probably also the reason why this year high school graduates are heading to faculties with specializations in business administration and business, marketing, digital marketing, economics, finance, accounting, cybernetics, computer science. There are few who choose the Faculty of Letters or Sociology.
The law of capital disciplines us all best
And it is natural for it to happen like this, believes Academician Mircea Dumitru, former rector of the University of Bucharest. He told “Adevărul” that there are faculties, especially those close to the vocational sector, which offer students the chance to quickly find a well-paid job. You can therefore kill two birds with one stone. “They have a profile close to the vocational one and give students some work skills that they can apply very well in a job. For example, those who study in the field of IT, informatics, law… It is natural, therefore, that the graduates have the claim to a not decent, but even good salary”.
On the other hand, a faculty at a general university does not necessarily offer you a job. Instead, it can give you certain skills, a general training, that you need in the future. “We do not know, for example, what jobs we will have in 15-20 years. A generalist college, however, prepares you for many of those that might arise. It gives you basic knowledge, which will help you to be flexible in the labor market”. The bottom line? Regardless of the college attended, a graduate who attended school has every right to a good and very good salary. “It’s good that they demand high salaries. We are talking about a responsible generation, which knows what it wants, what it wants, very well trained young people, many of them. And employers should take this into account,” added Prof. Mircea Dumitru.
A well-paid job is very important at the beginning of your career. It is motivating, the young person feels that he is appreciated, he has the desire to evolve. “And a good college gives him visibility on the job market and bargaining power. It’s true, when you negotiate you won’t get the maximum you want, but you won’t get small amounts either. And the employer, if he really needs someone, has learned to attract his workforce and keep it. Obviously, if you are looking for competent and well-trained people, you also have to offer something in exchange. The law of capital disciplines us all the best”.
In choosing the faculty, other aspects are also taken into account. During the student period, young people consider that the most important thing is related to everyday life, to connections with people. Socializing, making friends and spending time with them is essential for 57% of respondents. “This generation has a clear advantage over previous generations. Socialization, interaction between people, the ways in which communication is now done help young people to find a job faster, to become known on the labor market, to assert themselves. They have the ability to understand social interaction and dynamics. And that is very important for many of today’s jobs. Young people adapted very easily to another communication style, another cultural style. And let’s not forget a very important aspect: we have come out of the pandemic, and young people feel a vital need for communication. I feel the need to make up for it now.”
Next, there are aspects related to the way the classes are conducted and what, concretely, the young people learn at the university. The applicability of practical notions is very important for over 40% of them. And 38% want to accumulate relevant and current knowledge that will help them in their career. “For today’s jobs, practical, technical, concrete information helps them. For the job of tomorrow, of the future, a general training would help them, which would ensure them a certain flexibility. The jobs of today will no longer be, for the most part, the jobs of tomorrow, and these young people must be prepared now for what the future holds for them”, believes Prof. Mircea Dumitru.
Students want teachers who know not only theory, but also trade
Future students also have demands from teachers. They want them to be active in the areas taught. “It’s perfectly natural to want that. And there are many active teachers who know what they are talking about. And universities try to align these desires. There is now real competition to attract students. And yes, students choose their faculties based on employability criteria. And a quick employment in the labor field is also due to the teachers that the student had and who are active in the respective field, in the respective profession”.
The possibility of gaining practical experience by participating in internships during college is a basic criterion for three quarters of high school students when choosing a college. This is followed by subjects and curriculum of interest (55%) and student community (40%). “Today’s young people know what they want, they are very well oriented and have a very high level of social intelligence.” This generation should not be underestimated at all”, concluded academician Mircea Dumitru.
What fields are young people looking for when they choose their college?
Among the top fields that the students participating in the study want to follow at college are:
- Business administration/ Business (47%);
- Marketing/ Digital Marketing (39%);
- Economics/ Finance/ Accounting (25%);
- Cybernetics, statistics, informatics (23%);
Regarding the expectations that young people have from their future career, the first place is a well-paid job, balance between professional and personal life (51%), to be able to make their contribution in this career (49% ), the stability of the field (49%), the personal fulfillment that the respective field can bring (49%). Young people also expect their future career to be in a popular field (10%).
