The Chronicle of Higher Education, a publication focused on the world of post-secondary education and educators, recently (November 1, 2009) ran an article [Scientists and Engineers Are Plentiful; the Problem Lies With Their Jobs] focusing on the migration of science and technology graduates to other career fields.
Read the article at: http://chronicle.com/article/ScientistsEngineers-Ar/48948/
WARNING!!! To access this article, you will need to do so from the UCF network. Why? UCF pays for a subscription that only gets authenticated via the network. If you attempt to access the article from somewhere other than UCF, you'll be asked to subscribe (which wouldn't be a bad thing but is not necessary for the sake of this assignment).
In the comments section, provide answers to the following questions in consideration of your own collegiate experience and your expectations for attaining a career in your chosen field of endeavor.
1) Do you feel your IDS degree will make you competitive with graduates working outside of their degree fields? Why/why not?
2) Would you consider someone working outside of their degree field to be interdisciplinary? Why/why not?
3) Do you feel your IDS degree will be a help or hindrance when competing for jobs with individuals applying outside of their degree fields? Why/why not?
Deadline to comment is Thursday, 12/10/2009, 11:59am
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I definitely feel like I would have a competitive edge over a graduate working or applying for a position outside of their degree field. However I would be a quite a disadvantage if I were competing with someone working within their field. Because of their specialized education they would have a greater array of skills at their disposal to address any challenges that may arise that pertain to the specific position. I also feel potential employers may place a higher value on someone with a specialized education. I would certainly consider someone working outside of their degree field to be interdisciplinary as they are employing skill sets acquired from different disciplines to perform the functions required by their job.
ReplyDeleteDec/6/09
ReplyDelete1) Do you feel your IDS degree will make you competitive with graduates working outside of their degree fields? Why/why not?
I think that my IDs will degree will make me competitive with others because its more then just one major. I have a major in Life/Biomedical Science and minors in Health science and Physical science. I feel like an employer will see this as knowing more about how things work in our world. Instead of putting all of my eggs into one basket I have split them up and been knowledgeable about all different fields. So, yes I do this that my IDS degree will make me more competitive with other graduates working outside of their field.
2) Would you consider someone working outside of their degree field to be interdisciplinary? Why/why not?
Yes, but there is a difference between some one who is educated with a specific field and some one just “winging: it. If you are working outside of your degree field you really have no idea what you are doing. “"It's not surprising that smart students follow the money," Ms. Traiman said. "This isn't just for companies hiring scientists and engineers.
There is a very competitive marketplace for talent."” I consider disciplinarity to mean well versed in a discipline. If you are working outside of your degree, you are not well versed in that discipline.
3) Do you feel your IDS degree will be a help or hindrance when competing for jobs with individuals applying outside of their degree fields? Why/why not?
I feel like my IDS degree will help me when competing for jobs in any field. The reason is because not only do we have a major like everyone else, but 2 minors as well. This means IDS students are well versed in more then just one. I was majoring in Micro/Molecular Biology before IDS. I still took most of the classers in order to graduate with that degree but also more for health science and physical science. So I feel like I am better off then if I just majored in micro/molecular biology.
-Mike Grasso
1) Do you feel your IDS degree will make you competitive with graduates working outside of their degree fields? Why/why not?
ReplyDeleteI think that at this point in the game with the economy the way that it is and the job market the way that it is your degree can only get you so far as it is. I think that most of the time a bachelors degree only gets you a very entry level position and in that case it truly doesn’t matter what your degree is in but where your interests lie and where you can make yourself the most marketable for the employer in terms of yourself and not your degree.
2) Would you consider someone working outside of their degree field to be interdisciplinary? Why/why not?
Not necessarily if what they are doing is not utilizing the things that they have learned in their degree and if what they are doing isn’t interdisciplinary.
3) Do you feel your IDS degree will be a help or hindrance when competing for jobs with individuals applying outside of their degree fields? Why/why not?
I feel like this question was answered in number 1.
1)Absolutely. I feel that having a diverse degree showing that my diversity was not just in random classes throughout school, but I actually had focus. Graduates working outside of their career fields will have to work harder to show their diversity and abilities to work outside of one linear field. Since Interdisciplinary Studies in itself shows that I am able to do multiple types of work at the same time, it will show my future employers that I will be much more valuable than a candidate with a single field of study.
ReplyDelete2)I would only consider someone who is working outside of their degree field to be interdisciplinary if they were using what they had learned in their main field of study to enhance their career. If they are simply doing something different than they thought, and not utilizing their focus’s skills and applying them, it would not be considered interdisciplinary to me. It would be considered going in a different direction.
3)I feel my IDS degree will be a big help when competing for jobs. As I stated above, it will show my future employer that I am comfortable and good at crossing jobs and working in different areas at the same time. I feel that is much more rare than someone working in a single field and never branching out.
First off, the entire article and the two reports mentioned therein are slanted in their respective perspectives ignoring the relation of people and the type of work they would prefer including a quote like this: "'I wanted to deal with people and be more involved in working with clients than anything else,' said Mr. Mayberry." They talk of 1977 college graduates in "STEM" occupations never telling us if the degree they achieved reflected what they wanted in a career, or just the academic skills after any degree changes, if any occurred during their collegiate careers.
ReplyDelete1) Do you feel your IDS degree will make you competitive with graduates working outside of their degree fields? Why/why not?
Since I changed degrees to IDS, my degree would mark firmly to interviewers that my ability as an employee is an untapped well of potential on the common ground between myself and their company. IDS programs from Associate's and Bachelor's programs should be recognized for its strength in diversified representation of the individual's skills.
2) Would you consider someone working outside of their degree field to be interdisciplinary? Why/why not?
I would consider them as having a clear potential of being an interdisciplinary persona. It takes an amount of focus to achieve a goal, but the dilemma is whether the goal chosen was the best one and not just a proper one.
3) Do you feel your IDS degree will be a help or hindrance when competing for jobs with individuals applying outside of their degree fields? Why/why not?
As the article alludes, competing for jobs does not always mean that there are jobs available or the jobs are being provided in a fair means. If college degrees are used as a filter, the competing field will be thinned out very quickly. If the position being filled is described with an integration of skills matching my majors, it is a clear help in succeeding to be accepted for the position. Otherwise, it is clearly neither nor.
1) Do you feel your IDS degree will make you competitive with graduates working outside of their degree fields? Why/why not? Sure, I believe that having the IDS degree makes me competitive with other graduates working outside of their degree fields mainly because most positions just want you to have a bachelor’s degree in something to show that you are teachable and that you will learn what is necessary for the position.
ReplyDelete2) Would you consider someone working outside of their degree field to be interdisciplinary? Why/why not? I guess it would be fairly easy to make compelling arguments for both yes and no responses to the question, but I believe that all people are interdisciplinary in some regards. Everyone takes what they have learned in any discipline and uses that towards their goals, because what they have learned has shaped them in such a way to think in that way or behave in such a manner, and I transfer this thinking to someone working out of their degree field. They have the potential to use whatever knowledge and skills they have learned in a totally different field.
3) Do you feel your IDS degree will be a help or hindrance when competing for jobs with individuals applying outside of their degree fields? Why/why not? I think it will be neither a help nor a hindrance since I believe that most employers just want you to have a bachelor’s degree. Apparently, the only time it matters is when you are trying to get a job in their field and they have a traditional degree and we just have the IDS degree, which I feel leans more towards a hindrance. I think the employers that I am applying to desire someone with more than just a cursory view of the major who has taken the traditional path to get such a degree.
I feel that my IDS degree will be a definite benefit when competing with other candidates that are working outside of their degree. All too often people put all of their eggs in one basket. Students will focus on a single field of study, exit college and find that their selected field is flooded. I this situation these candidates are now lack the skills needed to operate outside of their element.
ReplyDeleteI don't think someone working outside of their field would be considered interdisciplinary. This is due to the fact that they are not trained to work in different environments such as interdisciplinary students.
I would hope that the IDS degree would help in such a situation . Between the two the person with the interdisciplinary studies degree is more likely to adapt to the type of work that is required of them.
I don’t believe that because an individual posses an IDS degree that it alone will make he or she competitive. I believe that there is potential for that person to be looked upon as a better fit for a position because their degree “says” that they are able to work with a variety of disciplines. All of this depends on circumstance, the type of job will play a role just as the areas of specialization the student holds will also. At least for myself I believe that having earned an IDS degree will make me competitive among others working outside of their degree fields.
ReplyDeleteI might declare someone working outside of their degree field to be interdisciplinary, at least to some degree. If the person seems to be proficient and productive to the level of someone who has received education in that endeavor, then I would consider them to be more interdisciplinary than someone who isn’t as inclined. On the other hand, just because someone is working outside of their degree field successfully doesn’t mean that they as an individual are interdisciplinary, nor does possessing an IDS degree make that individual interdisciplinary in my opinion.
For me, possessing an IDS should prove to be beneficial when competing for Jobs with individuals outside of their or my degree fields. I would think that the ability to make connections between seemly unrelated tracts would help me stand out among some of my peers. I think that I could explain to potential employers why my chosen degree makes me a sound choice for investment through employment.
1) Do you feel your IDS degree will make you competitive with graduates working outside of their degree fields? Why/why not?
ReplyDeleteI hope my IDS degree will make me more competitive, job-ready and relevant—that was the whole point to this degree (other than to develop all my skills that I enjoy, and make them marketable). After evaluating all my courses I discovered I could market myself with 4 Minors giving me flexibility and more value in a company/organization.
2) Would you consider someone working outside of their degree field to be interdisciplinary? Why/why not?
I would consider someone working outside their degree field as Interdisciplinary—in fact, I’ve done that for many years and now I am getting the piece of paper (Degree) to match many of these skills with credibility and salary to match.
3) Do you feel your IDS degree will be a help or hindrance when competing for jobs with individuals applying outside of their degree fields? Why/why not?
I am prepared to market myself in several different areas (due to the economy) with the proviso that I am multitalented (and not just a one-note) could prove my Interdisciplinary myself given that opportunity. I only hope that Human Resources is attuned to the concept of Interdisciplinarity enough to be impressed with its potential. I wonder, though, if the Electronic Resumes have incorporated our Interdisciplinary ‘buzzwords’ into their electronic prompts—Time will tell…
Lisa Beni
I suppose that being an IDS student would make me more competitive with those seeking jobs outside their degree fields but I do not really care much. If I have to enter the professional world I want to be working in the tech sector and that's what I have studied. Getting a degree in engineering and physics and then going for a job in something else seems like a useless waste. There is likely someone else better qualified for that position. I feel that I should be doing what I have spent the last 4+ years of my life studying.
ReplyDeleteSomeone working outside their degree field may be interdisciplinary. It depends entirely on what they end up doing and if that job requires knowledge from different fields of study. If someone got a degree in electrical engineering and ended up working in marketing selling books then they are likely not using any of their electrical engineering knowledge but they may utilize many other skills.
In an extension of the first question I feel that my IDS degree may help me get a job in another field but that is not my intention. If I wanted to teach I would have gotten a degree in education but I don't.
1) I don't know if that applies to me. I see my degree as a way to get to my next level of education. I can see the problems with IDS degrees that don't have areas supportive of each other. However, I'm finding Bachelor degrees in general aren't enough in today's market. As competitive as it is, you need Master's levels and above.
ReplyDelete2) Not necessarily. It depends on what their field of study is in and what field they are going into. If they have an english degree and find a job as office manager, one isn't connected with another. However a good friend has her chemical engineering degree and an MBA and now works in accounting for a corporate gas company in Houston. That's interdisciplanarity. Her engineering knowlegde helps her translate the engineering data into finance information for the C.F.O.
3) Yes. I chose this on purpose. I can explain why I have multiple areas of study. It shows that I am flexible and a critical thinker. I didn't start one goal and jump to another field. It appears, and is, calculated. I have that going for me. I am able to explain the connectedness.
1)Yes, I think that having an IDS degree will definitely give me a huge advantage over people outside of there degree field. Having an IDS degree allows me to consider working with different careers due to all of the areas of study that I took at UCF. This degree will show employers that you as a graduate really tried your best in college because of the variety of classes that you took and passed.
ReplyDelete2)I do not think it matters if they are interdisciplinary or not. As long as they have the degree and education that they need for that job then everything should work out great. Of course it is an advantage to be interdisciplinary but its not something that you must have for the career or field that you want to pursue.,
3)I think my IDS degree will be helpful in looking for a job. The advantage is that you have so many different choices of career paths that you can take and that you have studied. Your employers will look at that and see all of the experience that you have gone threw to get to this point.
1)Yes, it will almost give me an edge. If two candidates are applying for a management job and one is IDS I feel like the interviewer has to give the job to a person who is multi faceted.
ReplyDelete2)No, they still have no been educated and obtained the information from two various subject areas but after they have worked in this given field you could say they have a level of interdisciplinarity.
3)I think it will help because I will be a more rounded candidate.
1. I feel that as an interdisciplinary student, I’ve been exposed to a wide span of academic areas. As opposed to a student who has worked strictly within one degree area, I have been forced to explore the different modes of thinking and learning that both artistic and scientific courses offer. While I may not be able to specialize in one area, there are many fields in which the major skills of IDS (communicating, understanding, and examining relationships) are critical. Consider the local area, there are many service industry jobs which do not pertain to specific majors, but instead focus on better understanding and communicating with people.
ReplyDelete2. I feel that it depends on the person, because part of being interdisciplinary is being able to use skills from one area within a different area, not just being able to study or work in multiple areas. Using scientific knowledge within the culinary field, for example, would be an interdisciplinary act.
3. I think it will help because it will show my capability at learning a variety of things, as opposed to only being proficient within a single area. If these other individuals are simply seeking careers outside of their own degree field, they may not possess the openness needed to work in a different field.
I think with my IDS Degree when it competes with someone outside their field it will hold up because it makes me more rounded and gives the edge that I know more skills.
ReplyDeleteI would say that someone working outside of the field of study is not being IDS. Because if someone has a degree in Mathematics and is working in retail then it does not really mean much considering that none of them are related to each other and one does not need a Math degree to work retail.
I think it would be helpful. Because it gives me more skills and a wide rang of knowledge compared to someone with only limited skills and knowledge
1) Do you feel your IDS degree will make you competitive with graduates working outside of their degree fields? Why/why not?
ReplyDelete- I think someone working in their respective field gaining experience has an advantage over anyone fresh out of an institution with with a degree but no discernible work related experience.
2) Would you consider someone working outside of their degree field to be interdisciplinary? Why/why not?
- Sure, they are applying knowledge of a different field into another field, is that not what it is all about...
3) Do you feel your IDS degree will be a help or hindrance when competing for jobs with individuals applying outside of their degree fields? Why/why not?
- Help, of course, at least I would hope so, what else would it be good for then?
It really is up to us an individuals to be more competitive against graduates working outside their degree fields. I truly believe that it sometimes does not really matter what your degree is in, as long as you have one. What does a degree prove? To me it proves that you had the focus and determination to handle multiple projects, tests, tasks, while dealing with the challenges of adult life. It is a commonly known fact that people generally end up working in a field seperate from the field in which they earned their degree.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the reasons I became an IDS student. Why should I limit myself to just one area of study and be focused only on that? I wanted to take my love for training and developing with my love of service. Having this IDS degree will show that I have a unique take on leadership in the Hospitality field.
It is up to me to communicate and showcase this effectively. If potential employees do not understand IDS then this degree could hinder me, therefore I must create tools similiar to the e-Portfolio that would communicate this effectively.
I do believe that working outside of your study is more mutli-disciplinary than actually being interdisciplinary. The difference is interdisciplinary refers to bringing together different areas and blending them to create something new. Whereas, multidisciplinary simply refers to different areas existing together but not blending together. Unless someone takes the perspective and knowledge from one area and blend it with their new field of work to create a new perpective and experience they are just being multidisciplinary in my opinion.
After reading the article above article: I feel that my Interdisciplinary Studies Degree will give me a competitive advantage over graduates working outside of their fields because IDS majors like me specialize in “thinking outside the box”. Companies are looking for well-rounded individuals that have knowledge related to the specific field, but can also adapt well to change. After all, the Chronicle’s article says that more than half of the graduates surveyed are not in a “related field” after a number of years.
ReplyDeleteYes. I would consider someone working outside of their degree field to be interdisciplinary in that they not only have knowledge in various areas, but probably have the ability to learn new things quickly.
Because IDS majors have studied various fields, they are probably more likely to have something in common with any career field. So, Yes: I feel my degree in Interdisciplinary Studies will assist me in competing for jobs with individuals applying outside of their degree field.
Someone with a chemical engineering degree is more likely at a disadvantage compared to a former IDS student when applying for a job in Human Recourses. I’m sure the chemical engineer would have a very difficult time being an entrepreneur compared to the former IDS student as well.
1) Do you feel your IDS degree will make you competitive with graduates working outside of their degree fields? Why/why not?
ReplyDeleteYes I do! My IDS Degree has allowed me to study many different things in many other areas. It would make me just as competitive.
2) Would you consider someone working outside of their degree field to be interdisciplinary? Why/why not?
I most definitely would consider them to be interdisciplinary becuase they are working in various disciplines.
3) Do you feel your IDS degree will be a help or hindrance when competing for jobs with individuals applying outside of their degree fields? Why/why not?
The only hindrance I see would be people not understanding the degree or if they are only hiring a specific person based on education. For me it will be a great assest because I have been able to learn many differnt things. In my line of work experience is more important then education and I think that really stands true for the rest of the world.
Do you feel your IDS degree will make you competitive with graduates working outside of their degree fields?
ReplyDeleteI believe that having a degree in interdisciplinary studies will give me an advantage on the competition. Since my education teaches me how to focus on more than just one career interest it would more often make me better the suited candidate compared to a competitor with a background in just one area.
Would you consider someone working outside of their degree field to be interdisciplinary?
Yes because they possess the skills needed in order to be successful in an area outside their degree. At some point along the way in their education, they have acquired the knowledge that is required to adapt to work in a field that was not a part of their study.
Do you feel your IDS degree will be a help or hindrance when competing for jobs with individuals applying outside of their degree fields?
I am positive a degree in interdisciplinary studies will only help me at whatever job market I decide to pursue. I have a better rounded foundation for the majority of the jobs available today and believe my education looks stronger to a company than a candidate applying who has just one focus throughout their education.
1) Do you feel your IDS degree will make you competitive with graduates working outside of their degree fields? Why/why not?
ReplyDeleteYes, graduates working outside of their degree fields generally only have expertise in a specific area barely touching other areas. With my IDS degree I have a wide variety of knowledge encompassing several areas of expertise. I also feel that because of this major I have a better idea of how to encompass other areas in my life into and field I go into.
2) Would you consider someone working outside of their degree field to be interdisciplinary? Why/why not?
I would say so. Someone with one degree going into a field they hadn't studied for specifically will have insight on things outside of the field they end up in.
3) Do you feel your IDS degree will be a help or hindrance when competing for jobs with individuals applying outside of their degree fields? Why/why not?
I see my IDS degree as being both a help and a hindrance when competing for jobs. I see it helping in the sense that I will be more well-rounded than those with other degrees. I see it being a hindrance in the sense that many others don't have a great understanding of the degree and trying to explain it my be troublesome. After overcoming my fear of explaining things to people I will be just fine.
Yes. Just the fact that we have had to learn how to succeed in three different colleges to fulfill our degree will show our diversity and our ability to adjust to our surroundings. Students who have been focusing on one specific way of doing things will have a difficult time when working outside of that field or focus. It will be much more difficult for them to cope with a different environment.
ReplyDeleteYes, to a certain degree. If you studied one thing and are working in another you are working interdisciplinary. You will always use the knowledge learned from your degree automatically within your work even if it doesn’t directly apply. But I do feel strongly that just because you are working outside of your degree that you are not interdisciplinary until you study the other area and learn how to utilize the information simultaneously.
I think for my purposes my degree will help me. Our degree will show our ability to adapt and excel in unlike environments, unlike someone with only one area and no diversity.
1) Do you feel your IDS degree will make you competitive with graduates working outside of their degree fields? Why/why not?
ReplyDeleteYes, I feel that my IDS degree will make me competitive with graduates working outside of their degree fields. The interdisciplinary nature of my degree demonstrates my education in multiple field and the ability to synthesize disciplines together. I think that employers would find this, and my diversity of skills and ability to pick up new ones, valuable. (Though I would obviously lose the edge against somebody working in their degree field.)
2) Would you consider someone working outside of their degree field to be interdisciplinary? Why/why not?
Not necessarily; it's possible, but somebody working outside of their degree field could just as easily be just multidisciplinary.
3) Do you feel your IDS degree will be a help or hindrance when competing for jobs with individuals applying outside of their degree fields? Why/why not?
Yes, for the same reasons I feel I would be competitive with somebody working outside their field.
1) Do you feel your IDS degree will make you competitive with graduates working outside of their degree fields? Why/why not?
ReplyDeleteI think that being knowledgeable in more than one subject matter is an advantage because it gives you more options. However, a person that has a degree in a more difficult major obviously has the motivation and work ethic that most employers are looking for. I think ultimately it comes down to how well you sell yourself.
2) Would you consider someone working outside of their degree field to be interdisciplinary? Why/why not?
Yes, I think that learning a skill outside of their degree is related to interdisciplinary. More than likely, they will use the skills they acquired in college to their advantage in one way or another.
3) Do you feel your IDS degree will be a help or hindrance when competing for jobs with individuals applying outside of their degree fields? Why/why not?
Like I mentioned in the first question, I think the IDS degree comes down to how you can use it to market yourself. As with the other candidates applying outside their degree. A candidate applying with an engineering degree could use the difficulty of certain courses to help reflect their problem solving skills and dedication. It really is what you make of it I believe.
1) Do you feel your IDS degree will make you competitive with graduates working outside of their degree fields? Why/why not?
ReplyDeleteI feel competition is more of a risk than ever, especially because of the economy these days...However, i believe that having an IDS degree will benefit me than those who didn't have the opportunity to study not only there main focus, but other correlated degrees that make someone a well rounded candidate in the working world. I feel confident with my degree, and i also know interviews are a huge part of the hiring process as well. That being said, i feel that the IDS program help guided me to successfully do the interview process as well.
2) Would you consider someone working outside of their degree field to be interdisciplinary? Why/why not?
Yes, I would consider someone an interdisciplinary associate if they work outside of there degree field. Interdisciplinary is about having a main focus and two other concentrations that correlate with the main focus. All three work hand in hand with each other. So if someone is working successfully in another concentraion other than what they were trained to do, than that goes to show that not only are they good at what they do... but also does well in other working areas that tie in with the previous concentration.
3) Do you feel your IDS degree will be a help or hindrance when competing for jobs with individuals applying outside of their degree fields? Why/why not?
I fell that my IDS degree will be a help when competing for jobs with individuals applying outside of thei degree field because i know i can present myself well and in an inspiring manner! Presentation, motivation, and appearance is a huge factor in landing a job! I know if i want something bad enough i will show my energy and enthusiasm through the hiring process! A lot of people think it's just the degree that's significant, but the seal the deal part is impressing the hiring manager through the interview!
1) Do you feel your IDS degree will make you competitive with graduates working outside of their degree fields? Why/why not? I think it will allow me an edge of competitiveness yes. Having an IDS degree allows for someone to be knowledgeable in many different areas instead of really really specialized in one certain area.
ReplyDelete2) Would you consider someone working outside of their degree field to be interdisciplinary? Why/why not? No, they are not taking what they know about different things and incorporating them together in order to perform a task.
3) Do you feel your IDS degree will be a help or hindrance when competing for jobs with individuals applying outside of their degree fields? Why/why not? So far for me it has been a help, a lot of the jobs I have interviewed for have been very interested in my educational background when they heard about the IDS degree. They liked that it allowed for a more diverse education.