Well folks, the results are in. I conducted surveys to find out what profession Prairie View students want after graduation, and why others picked that particular job. After going through a list of desired careers, here are the top ten jobs for 2007.
10. ARMY/ROTC
Yes, pursing a military career is considered a job. At number ten, the Army ROTC is holding strong. You’d have to admire anyone who’d be willing to give their life for this country. For all of those soldiers out on the front lines, working behind the scenes, or waiting to be deployed, we all hope that you come home safe.
9. SPORTS
Baseball, golf, basketball, football, soccer; if you’ve got the talent, then why waste it? Get out there and get ready, ladies and gents, because it’s game time! Please, try to focus on perfecting your craft; save that flashy lifestyle for another day. By the way, handle your business; we don’t need another Michael Vick or Kobe Bryant.
8. SOCIAL WORK
That’s right. Social workers come in at number eight. These guys deal with families and children, abuse cases, people with mental illness, and they can be found in hospitals, substance abuse centers, nursing homes, and working for government agencies such as Child Protective Services (CPS). Yes, there were some slim pickings in this one; social workers certainly have their work cut out for them. As the saying goes, it’s a tough job but somebody’s got to do it.
7. TEACHERS
Whether it’s teaching the youngsters, or dishing out 20-page essay assignments to big kids in college, the teachers are at number seven. Sure, it may not be the coolest job in the world, but it’s still worthwhile to help a child succeed. Just ask Shelia Williams, “I would enjoy teaching children, I want children to learn how to read, write, and how important it is to get an education.” Remember, everybody, the children are our future.
6. ENTERTAINMENT
Sitting at number six, it appears there’s a strong interest in the entertainment industry. Music producer, choir director, singer, actor/actress, sound design, movie director; they’re all here. You never know who might be the next big thing, so let’s show our entertainment people some love in their dreams of success.
Sophomore Glenn Littles told me the story to his dream, “Well, I have been a fan of gospel music for years, and also a musician of it. And to make a long story short, God has led me in this direction to produce music only for the glorifying of his name. My whole family is musically inclined so they have been my main source of inspiration after the head source, the Lord God. I feel that if I do this, it can be a better way for me to minister in a career I love and still make a living.”
5. LAW
Looks like our peers studying law have come in fifth. Sure, not everybody likes lawyers, but all I can say to that is to ‘shake dem haters’ off; they’ll probably be the main ones calling you up when they’re getting sued, or want to file a lawsuit. A couple of careers that popped up in this field were U.S. marshal and detective. Imagine that, a detective. I’m sure Nancy Drew would be proud. You know Nancy Drew, the girl who solved those mysteries? Well, anyway, let’s just get to the number four spot. Oh, by the way, if I get into some.trouble.can I call on one of you guys?
4. ENTREPRENEUR
We’ve got a lot of people who want to start their own businesses. Just remember, I get five percent of everything guys.Just kidding (we all know that PVAMU beat me to that one). Want to own your own barbershop? Go for it. Thinking of going into management? Do what you do, baby. Want to invest in black business? Hey, I won’t stop you. And don’t let anyone else either. Hey, if Chris Gardner could go from being homeless to a billionaire, then surely anyone can do it.
3. ENGINEERING
We definitely have quite a few engineers roaming around on campus, don’t we? Computer engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering; they’re everywhere. I asked freshman Jamila Busby what made her want to be an engineering major and she said, “My uncle helped raise me, and he has a career in engineering, and he inspired me to go into it.” So you see folks, remember that it’s not always about the moeny Well, sometimes anyway.
2. ARCHITECTURE
They’re making those million dollar mansions, luxurious hotels, and beautiful buildings with that certain modern touch (oh yeah, you architects know you’re bad). Sophomore Edgar Torres says his reason for choosing architecture is “because I know how to draw, and I like sketching and designing buildings.” Maybe some of you could come back and ‘pimp out’ our campus, starting with the MSC of course. You know how crowded it gets in there! Help us out.
1. MEDICINE
Considering that PVAMU is known for its superb nursing program, it’s no wonder why we have so many nursing majors out there. And it’s not just nurses, we’ve got doctors, too. Pediatricians, OBGYN, psychiatrists (and a few of us around here could use one); freshman Maria Carranza told me how she felt about going into pediatrics, “because I want to relieve the pain of children, take care of them.” Wow, you want to take care of my kids?
And so, that concludes the Top Ten Jobs for 2007. To those that didn’t make the list, just remember that as long as you do well in your field, you should still consider yourself number one. Keep your eyes on the prize, and be sure to mention who you rooted for when you leave here.