Recent employment rates have Bowling Green State University students worried about finding future employment while their friends and family members remain jobless, searching for work.
The U.S unemployment rate for February was 8.3 percent, while the unemployment rate in the state of Ohio was 7.6 percent, according to a story on NBC.
Students on the campus of Bowling Green State University said that they worry about finding a job after graduation.
“I am worried,” said Evan Pratt, an architect major from Leesburg, Ohio. “There are not many job openings in my major.”
Anne Boyer, a sophomore journalism major from Akron, Ohio, said that she worries that her qualifications won’t make the cut with some employers.
“Having a bachelor’s degree is becoming more and more common,” she said. “Many places want you to get a master’s degree to set you apart from the crowd.”
Some students have family members that have been negatively affected. Katie Logsdon, a freshman education major from Findlay, Ohio, said that her father recently lost his job at Ford after only working there for a few months.
“It scares me,” Logsdon said. “I don’t know what will happen if he doesn’t get a job.”
University students were not hesitant to point their fingers to what they thought was responsible for the nation’s employment issue.
“The president is responsible,” said Kayla Marttala, a sophomore accounting major from Munroe Falls, Ohio. “He taxes the rich, which shrinks the economy.”
Some students think that too many jobs are being outsourced. Leah Bogdue, a sophomore apparel merchandising and product development major from Westerville, Ohio, believes that there are two things causing low employment rates.
“Because of the outsourcing of jobs and the illegal people working here, people can’t find jobs,” she said.
Natosha Lilliard, a sophomore pre-med major from Columbus, Ohio, thinks that illegal immigrants are taking job opportunities away from U.S. citizens.
“We need to create more jobs and send illegals back to where they came from,” she said.
The number of illegal immigrants living in the U.S. as of 2010 was 11.6 million, dropping eight percent from 2007 according to a story on MSNBC.
But some students think that we can’t point fingers at anyone.
“I don’t think anyone is really responsible for what has happened to the economy,” Boyer said.
Many students said that they know recent college graduates who can’t find work in their field of study.
“Many music majors are having trouble,” said Nicolette Carrick, a sophomore vocal music education major from Medina, Ohio. “They work at random places, not using their degree because they can’t find a job they want.”
Elijah Waeterling, a sophomore communications major from Findlay, Ohio, said that a close family friend of his has been searching for a job for almost six years, with little luck.
“She graduated in 2006 and still works part time as a substitute teacher and a sports coach,” he said.
BGSU students think that the road to solving this issue will be a long one, with many obstacles to overcome along the way.
“It’s going to take time,” Logsdon said. “People expect the economic issues to be solved right away.”