VOA慢速英语--新大学毕业生就业市场比一年前好

One year ago, college graduates in the U.S. were worried about their futures¹.

After four years of study, they were ready to find jobs. But the economy was weak because of restrictions² on businesses and travel meant to limit the spread of the new coronavirus.

Few employers were offering jobs. Some students found that promises of work were cancelled. Many 2020 graduates stayed at home for the last year, wondering when they would begin their careers.

Now, however, college students are about to graduate into an economy that is coming back to life. Alycia St. Germain is one example. She is graduating soon from the University of Minnesota. Last year, she lost a part-time job at a bookstore when many businesses closed because of the pandemic.

This year, she already has plans for a new job when she graduates. After studying child psychology³, she will be working at a new child-care center in St. Paul, one of the large cities in Minnesota.

"This is probably the most positive thing that could happen," she said.

Things seem to have worked out for St. Germain. But for other students it will not be so easy to find a job. Lots of 2020 graduates are looking for jobs, too.

Many businesses are now looking for workers. Restaurants are offering extra money and other perks⁴. Chipotle is a restaurant that serves Mexican food. It has over 2,500 restaurants in the U.S. It recently announced that it will help pay for college for those who stay in their jobs for 120 days. Dominos, a pizza delivery company, is offering people who live near Washington, D.C. a $500 bonus to start working with the company.

Recession difficulties

Some economists⁶ say the United States is coming out of the pandemic recession so quickly that many businesses are having trouble finding qualified⁷ workers.

In March, U.S. employers added over 700,000 jobs. In April, the number was 266,000. That result was lower than economists expected. But jobs are still being offered faster than before the pandemic. Many jobs are in businesses that are looking for college graduates.

Brad Hershbein is an economist⁵ for the Upjohn Institute in Michigan. He said this recession will not be as bad as others for new college graduates. Jobs that college graduates can do from home are becoming available. He said it may be harder for people without college degrees.

Elise Gould is an economist at the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. While there are a lot of jobs, she said, it may still be hard for some college graduates to find just the right job.

"Because there is a large pool of unemployed⁸ workers, companies can pick exactly who they want and skip over people with less experience."

During a recession, some college graduates take lower-paying jobs. The jobs do not always require a degree. The problem with young people taking these jobs is that they will likely make less money for the first 10 years of their career.

Good opportunities exist

But experts say there are many good jobs out there for people just starting. Sheila Jordan is the chief digital technology officer for Honeywell, a large American manufacturer. Jordan said she hopes to employ current students and those about to graduate as trainees¹⁰. They are called interns¹². She then hopes to hire them again as employees once they graduate or finish training. She said she is looking for students who have experience with computer software, data analysis and computer security.

"That's a feeder group for us," she said about the students.

Some students feel good about the future. Dominique Davis is about to finish school at Tennessee State University. She was an intern¹¹, or a trainee⁹, for the carmaker Toyota. She worked at the company's American headquarters in Texas in 2019. She continued her internship¹³ last summer from her parents' home in Illinois.

Although she was working in another state, she made an effort to meet people at Toyota by making a lot of video calls. She even talked with the vice¹⁴ president of her department almost every day.

"I think I networked even more this term than being in the building," she said. "It forces you to reach out. It's less awkward..."

Meeting new people to expand your career is called networking.

Davis is planning to go to graduate school next year. But she said she knows schoolmates who are looking for a job and are going into a difficult time.

"I have heard of multiple students who are having trouble getting interviews or internships," Davis said.

Some still struggling

There have been fewer job choices for students who are looking for careers in other countries or in organizations like museums. Foreign travel and public spaces have mostly been closed for more than a year.

Lucius Giannini graduated last year and wanted to work for the Peace Corps¹⁵ or teach English outside of the U.S. Most foreign travel was impossible during the pandemic. His schoolmate, Natalie Naranjo-Morett will graduate next month from the University of California in San Diego. She studied history. She said it has been hard to find jobs at museums or other places where she can put to use what she learned in school.

A study by the American Alliance of Museums said about one-third of museums are worried about their future. Some think they may close for good by the autumn.

Naranjo-Morett said there are not many openings for people with a degree like hers.

"It's so difficult at this point, I kind of would go for anything," she said.

Words in This Story

career –n. a job or profession that someone has for a long time

psychology –n. the science or study of the mind and behavior

pick --v. to choose or select from a group

analysis –n. the careful study of something to learn about its parts, what they do and how they relate to each other

perks –n. something extra that someone receives in addition to regular pay for doing a job — usually plural¹⁶

bonus – n. an extra amount of money that is given to an employee

skip –v. to pass over or leave out (something)

pool –n. a supply of things or people that are available for use

feeder–n. a system that moves one thing to another

awkward–adj. not socially graceful or confident

1 futures   

n.期货，期货交易

参考例句：

• He continued his operations in cotton futures.他继续进行棉花期货交易。
• Cotton futures are selling at high prices.棉花期货交易的卖价是很高的。

2 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

3 psychology   

n.心理，心理学，心理状态

参考例句：

• She has a background in child psychology.她受过儿童心理学的教育。
• He studied philosophy and psychology at Cambridge.他在剑桥大学学习哲学和心理学。

4 perks   

额外津贴，附带福利，外快( perk的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Perks offered by the firm include a car and free health insurance. 公司给予的额外待遇包括一辆汽车和免费健康保险。
• Are there any perks that go with your job? 你的工作有什么津贴吗？

5 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

6 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。

8 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

9 trainee   

n.受训练者

参考例句：

• The trainee checked out all right on his first flight.受训者第一次飞行完全合格。
• Few of the trainee footballers make it to the top.足球受训人员中没有几个能达到顶级水平。

10 trainees   

新兵( trainee的名词复数 )； 练习生； 接受训练的人； 训练中的动物

参考例句：

• We've taken on our full complement of new trainees. 我们招收的新学员已经满额了。
• The trainees were put through an assault course. 受训人员接受了突击训练课程。

11 intern   

v.拘禁，软禁；n.实习生

参考例句：

• I worked as an intern in that firm last summer.去年夏天我在那家商行实习。
• The intern bandaged the cut as the nurse looked on.这位实习生在护士的照看下给病人包扎伤口。

12 interns   

n.住院实习医生( intern的名词复数 )v.拘留，关押( intern的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Our interns also greet our guests when they arrive in our studios. 我们的实习生也会在嘉宾抵达演播室的时候向他们致以问候。 来自超越目标英语 第4册
• The interns work alongside experienced civil engineers and receive training in the different work sectors. 实习生陪同有经验的国内工程师工作，接受不同工作部门的相关培训。 来自超越目标英语 第4册

13 internship   

n.实习医师，实习医师期

参考例句：

• an internship at a television station 在电视台的实习期
• a summer internship with a small stipend 薪水微薄的暑期实习

14 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

15 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

16 plural   

n.复数；复数形式；adj.复数的

参考例句：

• Most plural nouns in English end in's '.英语的复数名词多以s结尾。
• Here you should use plural pronoun.这里你应该用复数代词。