Section B·Page 6
The University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, February 7, 2001
Students discover unusual job opportunities
Ry Amanda Wolfe
Kansan correspondent
Graduating with a specific degree doesn't keep students from finding fascinating and unique careers. For some students, finding their passion and applying that to their future has created some unusual opportunities.
Greg Paulson, a part-time student pursuing a degree in painting, has worked at Free State Brewery for seven years.
His interest in brewing beer started when he experimented with a home brewing kit, which he said produced some "really bad beer."
He eventually became involved with Free State and worked his way up from a kitchen "dish dog" to a beer brewer, one of four Free State brewers that can be seen working on the tanks behind the window.
"It itooks like we are having a good time through the window, but on the other side, it's tough work," Paulson said.
In the brewery, workers are sometimes faced with unfavorable conditions. During the summer the heat can become unbearable, and in the winter, the temperature inside the
Brad Scott carries a keg down from the upper storage area. He is an assistant brewer at Free State Brewery. Photo by J. E. Wilson/KANSAN
brewery can drop as low as 50 degrees.
Because of the combination of manual labor and the science that goes into making beer, the job tends to vary from day to day. Paulson could be cleaning kegs, receiving raw materials for the beer or measuring the cell counts in the beer during any day at work.
"I definitely got lucky," Paulson said. "This is one of my first jobs that I really like."
Steve Maggio graduated from the University in December, but isn't necessarily using his business degree in his current career. Instead of taking a job after graduation, he chose to take an internship at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.
Internships can help students prepare for the future as well as secure a job. Maggio said that he had always had an interest in security and that the internship provided him the opportunity to explore.
"The motto for our job is 'protecting the magic,' " Maggio said. "With 55,000 workers and 155,000 visitors to the park each day, it's a whole little city."
Maggio, who started his internship in January, is just getting acquainted with his duties. A typical day involves scouting the crowds, being the eyes and ears of the park.
The internship has its own unusual perks, which allow Maggio an inside look at the park. There is a communication center that is mission control with cameras pointed on the whole park, and radio systems that allow security to stay in touch with each other.
"It's neat to be able to go inside Space Mountain in the middle of the night while maintenance is working on it and all the lights are on." Maggio said.
Maggio also said that the internship provided an opportunity for advancement within Disney as a whole, which may give him the chance to use his business skills.
"I'm prepared to take the next step toward a management position," he said.
Steve Bradt, head brewmaster, inspects beer that has reached the conditioning stage of the brewing process. Steve is the head brewmaster at the Free State Brewery. A job as a brewmaster is one of many unusual options that students have when looking for a job that takes an individual outside an office Photo by J. E. Wilson/KANSAN
— Edited by Brandy Straw
Some careers don't require specific majors, degrees
Bv Eve Lamborn
Kansan correspondent
Ideally, Liz Montag, Omaha, Neb., sophomore, wants to work in publishing, but she knows that she will have a tough time breaking into that field.
She considers it unlikely that she will use her degree at all when she graduates from the University of Kansas, especially if she decides not to go to graduate school.
"I'm an English major planning to work in a flower shop," Montag said. "I don't see there being many jobs in English."
Students often struggle to
find jobs in which they can use their degrees directly.
However, many career options do not require a specific degree area. With a little creative digging, college graduates can find themselves working in positions that they might never have previously considered.
Gail Rooney, director of the University Career and Employment Services, said many students find themselves using their degrees eventually or in indirect ways.
In some cases, she said,
college graduates use skills
they have gained from a
college education that do not
relate to the degree they earned.
"Students with a Liberal Arts and Sciences Degree are gaining skills to use in a variety of situations, such as communication, team work, research skills, problem solving, analytical skills and information gathering," she said.
Even if a specific major does not translate directly into a specific job or career, Rooney said that liberal arts students will have learned skills to use in a wide array
These skills make having a Liberal Arts and Sciences degree a plus for job applicants.
of jobs
Students might not find the perfect job right out of college, but they can find positions that will eventually allow them to advance to the job they want.
This might enable graduates to work their way up from entry level jobs into positions where they would be applying their specific degree more directly.
Heather Bunker, a 1997 KU graduate with a psychology degree, works for the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce. Although she said that she officially did not use her psychology degree in her job, she
applies the skills she learned from psychology when she works with others, such as the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
Bunker tried to get a job in her field, but she said that she was unhappy with what she was doing and wanted a change. An employment agency set her up with the job at the Chamber of Commerce, but she was reluctant and had to be persuaded to even take it.
Now, however, Bunker said she was happy with her job.
look for jobs because of the low unemployment rate.
Rooney said that students should start as early as the fall of their junior year looking for internships and start the fall of their senior year looking for jobs.
Bunker said that now is a good time for students to
She suggested that students emphasize the skills they have acquired through study in their specific degree areas, as well as internship experience.
The University Career and Employment Services, located in the Burge Union, has resources to help students with resumes and job searches.
Edited by Jason McKee
International nontraditional students seek jobs at fair
By Michelle Ward writer@kanson.com Kanson staff writer
Meshal Alshammari turned his attention from homework and quizzes to future employment this week by attending the engineering job fair.
"This is an opportunity to look at jobs," Alshammari said. "I am hopefully graduating in May, and it is essential to find a job."
He had the opportunity to attend the engineering fair for minorities a day before the University of Kansas career fair, which is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at Allen Fieldhouse.
International students must take into account their visa status when thinking about career opportunities.
Alshammari, a Kuwait City, Kuwait,
senior, is just one of a group of international and nontraditional students seeking employment at this spring's career fair.
Raml Darwish, an Amman, Jordan,
junior, said international students can stay
for a year after they graduate for practical
training. Darwish said that many don't
know about this exemption and don't take
advantage of it.
Although he plans to stay for this additional year, it would be difficult for him to stay in the United States for an unspecified amount of time.
"You have to have a special skill to stay here for a long time," Darwish said. "Any international student — with an F-1 status
— can stay for a year. I don't think a lot of students realize that and don't take advantage of career fairs."
If classes permit, he will go to the career fair today, which will have more than 160 employers attending. This will give students both national and local opportunities, said Gail Rooney, director of University career and employment services.
"We encourage nontraditional, multicultural, international and students of all majors to come to the fair," Rooney said. "It gives them an opportunity to talk to a variety of employers. For international and nontraditional students, it is a great way for them to begin networking. It is a way for them to recognize the skills, abilities and knowledge they can bring to a position."
Kate McNaught, human resource representative for Security Benefit Group of Companies, said her company has a permanent table at the KU career fair.
"I think it is important that international and nontraditional students attend the fair," she said. "They play an important role at the fair."
Brenda Van Hyning, Lenexa senior, is one of those students. Graduating with a degree in sociology this May, she will rejoin the working force. The nontraditional student will attend the career fair to see what opportunities employees can offer her, she said.
While she found out about the career fair during a visit to Strong Hall, she said there needs to be more advertising to reach non traditional students.
"The career fair is not well publicized," she said. "You have to know specifically where to go to find out about it. I don't see enough publicity for nontrads to find out about it."
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