A graduate employment study of the Computer Network Specialist program at Chippewa Valley Technical College

Abstract

The Computer Network Specialist (CNS) program at Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) was launched in August 1999. CVTC is one of sixteen technical colleges in the Wisconsin Technical College System offering an associate degree-level computer networking program. CVTC’s CNS program had experienced high enrollments during its first two years of existence. Consequently, a large number of trained networking professionals became available for employment within a relatively short time. The main purposes of this study were to identify the degree of success that graduates of the CNS program at CVTC have had in securing program-related employment and to identify the types of duties graduates perform to fulfill their obligations in program-related jobs. To enable the creation of an employment opportunities profile for future CNS graduates, this research also discovered employer names, job titles, salary information, and the degree to which CNS graduates have had to relocate to gain program-related employment. In addition, the research identified professional certifications that CNS graduates either currently hold or intend to obtain. Furthermore, this research determined what additional training needs CNS program graduates have, and if they would return to CVTC to receive that training. The CNS department faculty agreed that a survey of CNS program graduates was an appropriate method of gathering the desired information. At the conclusion of a review of existing literature, a survey instrument was developed and pilot tested with the CNS faculty and the CNS advisory committee. A final survey instrument was developed utilizing the input from the pilot group. The survey was mailed during March 2002 to all 97 persons who had graduated from the CNS program between December 1999 and December 2001. Slightly over half of responding graduates reported employment in jobs related to the CNS program at CVTC. Over 40% of respondents were earning salaries in the range of $30,000 to $40,000. They worked in many different industries; however, educational institutions employed the highest percentage of them. Most respondents were employed within the CVTC district and all reported employment within the upper mid-west region of the nation. The largest percentage of respondents worked under the job title of Computer Support Specialist, however, several other job titles were also identified. The study revealed the duties that graduates were performing in program-related jobs. Respondents were performing duties in the areas of network operating systems/server components, network hardware configuration, network media, network security and protection, client workstations, peripheral devices, help desk and troubleshooting, documentation, and computer usage. Duties related to client workstations and help desk and troubleshooting were performed at higher rates than those duties associated with the other classifications. Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) was the certification held most often, however, over 60% of respondents held no professional computer or networking related certifications. Sixty percent of respondents indicated an interest in testing for at least one professional certification in the near future. The results of this research will help the CNS department maintain alignment with CVTC’s mission statement by ensuring that the CNS program is serving the workforce needs of the information technology (IT) field. The information gathered will support the CNS department’s continued efforts to maintain relevant curriculum offerings utilizing the latest networking technologies and aid the department’s efforts to accurately assess student learning. The data gathered from program graduates will help support department requests for instructional hardware and software to facilitate industry-relevant training. Finally, the information gathered during this research will be used by CVTC counselors and faculty to better advise future CNS program students regarding employment options.