“HCC: Delivering What Employers Want You to Learn”
Dr. Ervin V. Griffin, Sr.
President, Halifax Community College

In a recent column, I talked about the importance of earning a college degree. I tied that topic to expected earnings over a person's 40-year career. Today, I want to tackle another issue that Bill Corlin discusses in his book “10 Things Employers Want You To Learn In College.”

There's good and bad news here. First—the good news. Over their work life, Corlin says that college graduates earn an average of $2.1 million compared with $1.2 million for high school graduates. Also, a person who earns a professional degree such as an M.D., J.D., or M.B.A., can expect to make $4.4 million during his or her career.

Now—the bad news. Sixty-three percent of students who begin a four-year college do not finish in four years; 42 percent do not finish in six years. Some 68 percent of graduating seniors in 2000 borrowed an average of almost $20,000. Also, 60 percent of college graduates plan to live with their parents after graduation.

As Corlin says, “College is not a day on the beach that inevitably leads to a beautiful life. It's a risky business.” And, he adds a little later in the text, “The key to a successful career is what you can do. Knowing how to do what needs to be done is the key to success in your job and life.”

As I have emphasized before, earning a degree is good and very much needed in today's economy. However, I believe it's important to recognize that employers are looking at other things besides your grade point average in evaluating you as a job candidate.

According to statistics published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers in 2002, a student's GPA was ranked near the end of the list—it actually ranked 17 on a list of 20 qualities. Here is the list in rank order: communication skills (verbal and written), honesty/integrity, teamwork skills (works well with others), interpersonal skills (relates well to others), strong work ethic, motivation/initiative, flexibility/adaptability, analytical skills, computer skills, organizational skills, detail oriented, leadership skills, self-confidence, friendly/outgoing personality, well mannered/polite, tactfulness, GPA (3.0 or better), creativity, sense of humor, and entrepreneurial skills/risk-taker.

Although GPA is ranked towards the end of the list, I suggest that you make the most of your studies and earn a respectable GPA while you are in school. GPA indicates the skills it took you to acquire it, shows your work ethic and that you can follow directions. However, employers have to consider more than just your GPA when making a judgment about your job potential.

Corlin goes on to describe ten basic categories of skills that he calls the Know-How Groups. These represent a broad consensus regarding the skills necessary to succeed in today's workplace. They include:

• Establishing a Work Ethic
• Developing Physical Skills
• Communicating Verbally
• Communicating in Writing
• Working Directly with People
• Influencing People
• Gathering Information
• Using Quantitative Tools
• Asking and Answering the Right Questions
• Solving Problems

The emphasis on skills probably seems like common sense, but not all college courses focus on this type of skill development. At HCC, students not only learn basic writing and speaking skills, they also develop problem solving, analytical thinking and time management abilities. These skills are critical to be successful in finding a job right after college and excelling in your job for years to come. True potential will be evaluated based on your use of technology and how well you work with different groups of people.

From the President's Perspective, I know that HCC trains students for today's workforce and we continue to look for opportunities and partnerships to expand program offerings. I encourage prospective students to visit campus, call us at (252) 536-HCC1, or check us out online at www.halifaxcc.edu to learn more about our courses and how they can propel you into job success. Also, feel free to send me an email message at president@halifaxcc.edu with your thoughts or ideas about HCC.