West Virginia University is among the top schools for producing graduates best prepared to enter the workforce, according to employers polled in a Wall Street Journal survey. Employers ranked WVU 23rd for engineering.

Overall, WVU was listed in the report’s “Next 20,” an unranked addition to its Top 25 list. The study received surveys from 479 of the nation’s largest public and private companies, nonprofits and government agencies.

“This survey highlights the outstanding faculty and staff at West Virginia University in general and at West Virginia University’s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources in particular and the tremendous educational opportunities available to our students,” WVU President James P. Clements said. “The ranking reflects that our engineering students work hard, their educational experience is of the highest quality and they are competitive on a national basis.”

WVU’s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources offers 11 undergraduate majors and seven dual majors in engineering specialties, computer science, and biometric systems. Undergraduate enrollment has grown by more than six percent annually, nearly doubling the size of the College in the past seven years. It also offers master’s degree and PhD degree programs in 11 engineering specialties, plus graduate programs in Industrial Hygiene and Safety Management as well as an off-campus graduate program in software engineering.

“WVU engineering graduates are well prepared to meet the challenges of today’s workplace,” said Gene Cilento, Glen H. Hiner dean of WVU’s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, in addressing the section of the report dealing with engineering.

“All of our efforts – from an intensive freshman year program to internships, cooperative education experiences, corporate presentations, career fairs and more – are aimed at helping students gain the skills, experience and connections they need to achieve professional success,” said Cilento. “We also provide companies a one-stop shop for access to our students.”

Traditionally, Ivy league schools were perceived as having the best job candidates but the survey found U.S. companies favor graduates of large, state universities over Ivy League and other elite liberal-arts schools when hiring to fill entry-level jobs.

State institutions, the companies said, tend to produce employees who are the best prepared and most able to succeed and advance.

Link to full report:
http://online.wsj.com/public/page/rankings-career-college-majors.html

Link to WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources:
http://www.cemr.wvu.edu

—WVU—

9/14/10

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CONTACT:
Nicole Riggleman
Interim Program Coordinator of College Relations
College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
(304)293-4257
Nicole.riggleman@mail.wvu.edu