Gen Z | December 3rd, 2024

FAMU Students Share Fears and Successes in Preparing for Life After College

By: Jamyah Lawhorn

With graduation approaching, many college students find themselves questioning whether they are ready for life after college. Many don’t feel prepared to enter the work world, a recent survey found and students here at Florida A&M University agree.

FAMU Students Reflect on Readiness: For Kendall Williams, a broadcast journalism major graduating in December, her time at FAMU was very important in jump-starting her career in the field of journalism.

“My time at FAMU has given me the best foundation in broadcast journalism through hands-on learning, such as producing stories for The FAMUAN and working for TV20,” she said.

Williams thanked her professors for the work experience and contacts that had made her feel prepared for graduation. Williams, like many students across the country, is concerned about finding a job.

“One concern is the high level of competition, especially in big cities where I want to work. I know that many jobs want candidates with experience and a strong portfolio,” she said.

Even with these worries, she believes her education has prepared her to face challenges directly. Chad Preston is a recent 2024 graduate of FAMU. He said professional development courses and networking really came in handy while transitioning from college to work.

“The resources that made me feel most prepared were the professional development courses offered,” Preston said. “They gave me the confidence to put my best foot forward and a guide on how to show my work to potential employers.”

.Preston gave much credit to networking for helping him be successful.

“The connections I made while at FAMU helped me achieve much more than I could have done by myself. FAMU’s focus on networking teaches a lot about how the professional world works.”

A National Concern:

The feelings of Williams and Preston speak to a larger issue for the country’s college students. A survey conducted by ECMC Group and Gallup put it this way: “Fewer than half of the students feel ready for life after graduation.”

They said obstacles are not knowing about money, not having career plans, and lacking practical skills.

The survey found many students said they would like more support in the form of internships, mentorship programs, and financial literacy workshops from their college in order to be better prepared for careers. Williams agreed those kinds of connections are important, referencing how faculty and internships helped her to understand the industry.

FAMU is addressing these issues with services such as resume checks, mock interviews, and job postings. Still, students like Williams and Preston speak to personal initiative. They spoke of how using networking opportunities to your advantage and having a great portfolio show how serious a person is in taking charge of their career. Many colleges throughout the country are trying to prepare their students for a job. FAMU’s practical learning and connectivity show a good model for other colleges. However, moving from college into a job is still a big challenge for many students.

For Williams, being confident and ready is very important.

“I’ve had some of the best teachers who understand the industry very well,” she said.“I feel ready to face the real world.”

There are still struggles, but with assistance from schools and individual hard work, individuals can relate college to their careers, as alums like Williams and Preston demonstrate. NBC Connecticut’s report on readiness after graduation just goes to show that the whole country needs more and better career-prep programs for students.