The uncommon and specialized majors offered at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry give graduating students an edge in the job market as environmental industries grow.

The fields of environmental engineering and environmental science are set to see an employment growth rate of more than 21 percent between 2006 and 2016, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Of all the students in ESF’s 2008 graduating class, 76 percent were employed within nine months of graduation and 20 percent were enrolled in graduate school, according to ESF’s Class of 2008 placement data.

Of the 76 percent of graduates that are employed, 62 percent work for an industry business, 18 percent work for nonprofit organizations and 20 percent work for the government, according to the survey conducted by the Office of Career and Counseling Services.

The majors that see the highest job placement rates are construction management and wood products engineering, both with a 95 percent employment rate six months after graduation, according to a survey conducted by the Office of Career and Counseling Services.

The average full-time salary for a 2008 graduate is $40,847, according to ESF’s Class of 2008 placement data.

ESF held a career fair Feb. 24 to connect students with internships and employment at a variety of organizations. Representatives from companies at the event said ESF graduates will not have a hard time finding jobs because of the strong academic focus at ESF and the ever-increasing demand for environmental professionals.

Representatives from several companies said they continue to recruit students from ESF because they have been happy with those recruited in the past.

One representative, James Kostenblatt, regional recruiter for the Peace Corps, said ESF students would be better prepared by having a background in foreign language.

Triumvirate Environmental, a firm that specializes in hazardous waste management, seeks out people with a strong background in science for entry-level environmental health and safety positions, said AnnMarie Blunda, a human resources generalist.

‘We’ve had a long history of hiring ESF grads for this position and a long history of success,’ Blunda said.

Michele Brinkman, a representative from the Cascades Tissue Group, which produces environmentally responsible paper products, said her company is interested in hiring ESF graduates because of the school’s specialized majors.

‘ESF has a program specifically in paper science, and that’s pretty unique,’ Brinkman said.

Because ESF offers such a specialized majors, students come out of the program ready to create new and better methods of production, Brinkman said.

While many graduates choose to work for large businesses or the government, others choose to work with smaller organizations.

A popular choice outside of environmental job employment for ESF students after graduation is to join the Peace Corps, with 135 students joining since its start, said Kostenblatt, the Peace Corps recruiter. ESF students possess the professional, academic and communication experience the Peace Corps looks for, Kostenblatt said.

‘This school seems like it’s designed for the Peace Corps,’ Kostenblatt said.

Amanda Furcall, an intern at the Sweetbriar Nature Center, a nonprofit corporation on Long Island, said ESF graduates are valuable because of their passion and dedication.

‘They definitely have more hands-on experience and are more down to earth,’ Furcall said. ‘They want to spread their knowledge, and they care about nature and getting involved in the community.’

jlsiart@syr.edu

Published on March 3, 2010 at 12:00 pm