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Report: Job market "sluggish" for new Michigan college graduates

Steve Carmody/Michigan Radio

Michigan college graduates are entering a sluggish job market.

Michigan State University’s annual Recruiting Trends report finds employers are not confident about the nation’s economic direction in 2013.    Many are worried about problems with Europe’s economy.   There’s also concern about the nation's deeply divided political leadership.   That's all putting a damper on employers’ hiring plans.

Phil Gardner is the director of MSU’s College Employment Research Institute.

He says demand for new college grads with engineering and accounting degrees is softening after growth in recent years.    On the positive side, employers are expected to hire more college grads with bachelor’s degrees in English, computer science and other fields.

He says one obstacle for many new college grads is proving they are ready for the ‘real world’.

“What we continue to see is employers looking for kids that just have the right skill set,” says Gardner,  “ (Employers) are not so tagged to a degree.”

MSU researchers polled more than two thousand employers for their jobs trends report.

Steve Carmody has been a reporter for Michigan Public since 2005. Steve previously worked at public radio and television stations in Florida, Oklahoma and Kentucky, and also has extensive experience in commercial broadcasting.
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