Infographic Says Career Specific Training Gives Job Seekers Advantage

 As many recent grads continue to search for jobs in today’s employment market, more and more college students are beginning to ask, “Is a degree even worth it?”

Chicago-based Computer Systems Institute has created an infographic, “Hire Education: 4 Reasons Your Career Specific Training Makes you the Best Hire,” that offers some data on why opting for vocational career training just may be the better route for landing a job post-graduation.

Reason #1: More skills than the average graduate

• 9 in 10 employees say colleges aren’t fully preparing grads for the workforce

• 7 in 10 employers would hire someone without a bachelor’s degree as long as the candidate was a good fit or had great credentials

• 91 percent of managers say I.T. certifications are a good way to judge a candidate’s value

Reason #2: Require less on-the job training

• Because grads from vocational schools already have job-specific training, they’ll cost the company less money

• 51 percent of jobs today have specific technical requirements

• 60 percent of companies expect even more technical requirements 3-5 years from now

Reason #3: Have career-specific experience

• 63 percent of employers say recent graduates  need to “research the industry more thoroughly “ to improve their candidacy

• Most employers value experience over academics

• In the science/technology field, 50 percent of employers value experience while just 19 percent value academics

Reason #4: Equipped to advance

• 67 percent of I.T. professionals say that job-specific training has helped them get a raise/promotion

• 27 percent of people with licenses or certifications earn more than those with bachelor’s degrees

• Men who have computer/information technology certificates can earn 72 percent more than those with associate degrees