One in six of the 230 “hot jobs” for future graduates will be available to those with associate degrees or higher, according to a recent study by The New Democratic Leadership Council published Sept. 2. The report defines a hot job as a job paying more than the 2006 median wage of $32,000 and having above the 2006 median growth of 10 percent. Jobs which require associate degrees will grow at nearly double the national average, increasing 18.7 percent. The report estimates the average growth to be 10 percent. Another way to look at the future job market is to consider the number of high-paying jobs available to those with an associate degree versus a bachelor’s degree, said assistant professor of economics Kaj Gittings in an e-mail. Because fewer of those jobs are available for associate degree holders, any increase would result in a larger percent growth than the same increase for bachelor’s degree holders. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states associate degree holders historically earn $5,600 more than high school graduates, while bachelor’s degree holders earn $21,000 more and master’s degree holders earn $33,800 more. The cost of each program varies, as well. A Louisiana resident student taking 12 hours at Baton Rouge Community College this semester pays $969 for tuition; the same student at LSU pays $2,607.70 for tuition. The University’s main campus offers only bachelor’s degrees, while LSU-Eunice and LSU-Alexandria, both within the LSU system, offer associate programs, said Kathryn Carroll, director of research, planning and communication of LSU Continuing Education.Continuing Education does offer a number of credit and non-credit certification courses, but they are not comparable to an associate degree, she said. While an associate degree requires 60 hours, most of the certification courses require around 15. “People use the certificates to document additional education in a specific area that might be relevant to a promotion or to changing positions,” Carroll said. The certification courses are helpful in addition to a degree, she said. They are not supplemental. When considering which educational route to take, students must be realistic about their career goals, said Sara Crow, assistant director of communications at Career Services. “The key for each individual is to really know about the field they’re planning to enter and what it’ll take to be successful in that field,” Crow said. An employer looks for a specific set of knowledge and skills. Those may differ in some fields, she said. But attending college provides additional benefits beyond getting an education, including learning discipline and fiscal responsibility, she said. Rachel Bennett, electrical engineering freshman, said she would look into an associate’s program if it were available in her field. Many people may choose four-year programs instead of two-year programs because they carry more prestige, Bennett said.   The next several years will require more effort on the applicant’s side when it comes to getting a desired job. Simply sending out a résumé may not be enough, Gittings said. “As far the job market here, for the time being, things still look tough,” he said.—————Contact Olga Kourilova at [email protected]