Employers influence educational choices

I may spend more of my time than you do thinking about how and why students choose to study the subjects and degrees they pursue at Cameron University, but I venture that your insights are likely to be on target as well. The “why” may be due to passion (“I love this subject”), talent (“I’m good at this”), employment opportunity (“A great job awaits”), or some form of legacy (“My family has done this for generations”). The “how” a student chooses what to study is less obvious to me because there are so many influences from home, prior education, other life experiences, an increasing array of media, and work experiences.

Before I get to the topic of this opinion piece, allow me to pause for a quiz. Take a moment to think about the most popular subjects of study at Cameron for students from Southwest Oklahoma. Keep in mind that we are by and large pragmatic and hardworking as a community. In seventh place is elementary education, which makes sense because we always need more teachers. In sixth place is sports and exercise science as an umbrella for coaching, athletic training, physical and occupational therapy. The next three are psychology, allied health, and business administration; those make sense for mental and physical healthcare, as well as meeting the needs for commerce. Now check your predictions for the top two slots.

The second most commonly selected path is undecided or undeclared majors, and number one by a large margin is a group taking classes without seeking a particular degree. That’s more than 800 people exploring their options without a stated intent and open to opportunities. Area employers support these students by providing job shadowing opportunities, summer jobs, internships, and more.

Let me highlight a few examples from the business community.

The Cameron University Banking Institute offers financial professionals the opportunity to participate in the program, or to be mentors, offer internships and job shadowing, or participate in financial conferences for students including those who are already entry-level workers at banks and credit unions. The banking institute enables CU’s business department to partner with financial institutions to promote economic growth and workforce development while helping students find a college path leading to their preferred careers. Through their interactions with our students, banking professionals can showcase opportunities in the banking industry while giving Cameron students greater exposure to potential employers.

As an outgrowth of this project, Cameron has established a certificate program in banking and finance so that current bank and credit union employees, as well as CU students considering the financial industry, can gain the skills necessary to advance their career without necessarily making the full commitment for the years required for a college degree. The certificate combines five business courses – four of them online – that groom targeted skills and meet local workforce needs.

The institute and certificate program join another very successful and longstanding public-private enterprise involving CU. The BancFirst Cameron University portfolio classes provide students hands-on experiences to develop and apply effective company analysis to manage risk and return for investments in bond and stock portfolios using a $1 million line of credit. What makes this program unique is that it uses real money for students to invest, along with offering them the ability to interact with experts knowledgeable in investment and portfolio management. The use of real money provides an immediacy to the learning experience that a more theoretical discussion does not provide. This experience has helped numerous students to find their path and their career calling.

Similar examples exist for other areas of career preparation at Cameron University, thanks to an engaged and generous group of employers in many community industries. We are always looking for additional partners to assist us as we guide our students find the “why” and the “how” of what they will choose to study, followed by where they will work in our area.

Your participation in the educational process matters and it is much appreciated.

— John McArthur is president of Cameron University in Lawton.