Employment statistics, data on career opportunities, wage rates, and related projections, opinions, and information provide only general employment trends. Neither such information nor the Institution’s career services assistance is to be considered (expressly or implied) as a guarantee of employment or the likelihood of employment or an indication of the level of employment graduates can expect. As with anyone else who enters a new career field without prior experience, graduates can generally expect entry-level positions. Obtaining training in a career field helps an individual qualify to enter that field; how far the individual advances is the individual’s responsibility.
Prior to starting classes, students are to review information regarding their career field, employment opportunities, wage rates, and related information available from the U.S. Department of Labor (www.dol.gov), the local job service/workforce (www.wvworkforce.com) office, area employment agencies, state agencies and other appropriate sources. It is each student’s responsibility to thoroughly review the career field he/she has chosen and make an independent decision as to whether the opportunities in that field meets the student’s goals and needs prior to starting classes. Local job market data/information is the most appropriate, and will give the best career potential for any geographic area. Another very good source is local employers in the student’s chosen field. Students should talk to local employers for the best and most up-to-date information about their chosen career field prior to the first week of classes. National job market data/information provides nationwide averages, which are typically higher than rural and economically depressed areas, including the local campus area, so local job market sources will normally provide the most relevant information.
This institution maintains data on the success its past graduates have had on finding employment. It is important to understand that the determination as to whether or not a graduate obtained appropriate employment (i.e. “in field” or “related fields”, etc.) often requires considerable professional judgement, and may be subject to good faith professional disagreement. In the spirit of complete transparency, upon request this institution will provide for review the job descriptions and/or other documentation used to substantiate this graduate’s employment status (“in field” or a “related field”, etc.) for graduates who have obtained employment that the institution deems appropriate for the graduate’s program. In this manner prospective students and current students can make their own judgement of whether the types of jobs the programs’ graduates receive will meet the prospective student/current student’s expectations and needs.
Also, it should be noted that the percentage of graduates in any program who are placed in jobs appropriate to their program major changes as graduates obtain in field employment, leave that employment for other opportunities, switch jobs to a position that may be out of field, etc. Therefore, the statistics provided by the institution are simply a snapshot at one point in time, and as noted above those statistics are based, in part, on professional judgements made by the institutions personnel.