University Communications

As the number of college graduates increases, the availability of job opportunities for those without experience is declining, leaving many students questioning the value of higher education.
For years, students have been told that attending college is essential to securing a well-paying job. However, recent trends suggest that obtaining a degree no longer guarantees employment. Instead, many employers prioritize experience over education, making it increasingly difficult for new graduates to enter the workforce.
Finding opportunities to gain experience has proven challenging, especially for students who lack connections within their desired fields. This often leads to frustration, as many college graduates feel unprepared to compete in the job market.
“Four years of my life will be gone just like that for an expensive piece of paper which is supposed to show your merit in the world,” said Afique Rafhid, an international student at the University of Southern Mississippi. “They say you won’t get any good jobs if you don’t go to college. So now I’m in college, and when I graduate, I’m not sure if I’m going to get a job. Despite doing everything we were told to do, most of us are probably going to be jobless when we graduate.”
Rafhid expressed concern about the growing expectation for graduates to have years of experience, even when applying for entry-level positions.
“How am I supposed to have experience when I just graduated and this is my first job?” Rafhid said. “So does that mean I won’t be able to work in my dream company but rather be forced to work in an unknown company just to build my experience?”
The rising cost of tuition adds to the uncertainty, as many students wonder if the investment in higher education will ultimately pay off. While college is marketed as a means to gain the knowledge and experience necessary for success in a chosen career, some students feel that they are not receiving the tools they need to thrive in the workforce.
Suha Barakat, another student at USM, noted the increasing difficulty in securing employment after graduation.
“It is essentially becoming more difficult for graduating students to enter the workforce,” Barakat said. “It seems like jobs that should not require a college degree demand applicants to have one, while jobs that should require a college degree demand years of experience or an even higher-level degree to simply enter the field.”
As the job market continues to evolve, many students are left questioning whether attending college is truly worth the financial and personal sacrifices required.