Published: June 01, 2008 08:35 pm      

What’s next for grads?

PRINCETON — All across the region, high school or college graduates wearing caps and gowns are picking up their diplomas and either heading back to class or off to a career.

At Princeton Senior High School, at least 65 percent of the school’s 192 graduates are heading for some form of post-secondary education such as technical training or college, said counselor Brett Bowyer.

The future was much the same for graduates leaving Bluefield High School. Several students were heading for the Mercer County Technical Education Center, and a few more were heading south for specialized training.

“We have one, possibly two, students attending the NASCAR Training School in North Carolina,” said counselor Millie Odell. Some other students have already taken jobs in local retail businesses, but most of the graduates are going to four year colleges in West Virginia.”

At Concord University in Athens, graduates were either heading for new institutions of higher learning or accepting jobs as far away as New York City. In many cases, out-of-state students were going home to start their new careers, said Tammy Monk, director of career services. Others were getting the additional degrees they need for their chosen professions.

“I know at least four who are going to West Virginia University Law School,” Monk said. Several were planning to attend the pharmacy school in Grundy, Va., and others were heading for jobs in accounting firms.

While occasionally there are concerns that graduates of West Virginia’s colleges and universities don’t pursue careers in the state, in many cases the students came to West Virginia to attend college, then returned home after earning their degrees, Monk said. For instance, one graduate was going home to accept a teaching job in Cumberland County, North Carolina. Another student did an internship with a local company called Fastenal, then accepted a job at one of the company’s locations in North Carolina. Students who graduated in the recreation and tourism management field are going to destinations such as Hawaii.

“Some are going to New York City to look for work. One was accepted for an accounting job in Chicago,” Monk said. “Some are going to teacher job fairs and some are going to look at home.”