Annual Career Fair Can Lead to Jobs for Criminal Justice Grads
CONTACT: JONATHAN MCCOMBS, 646-1379
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4/8/2009
(By Lisa Garrett)
PENDLETON --- Tri-County Technical College’s Criminal Justice (CRJ) program has an 82 percent job placement rate, and Program Coordinator Jonathan McCombs attributes much of that statistic to the annual career fair held just before graduation.
“One of the goals of this year’s Career Fair, set for April 20, is for our CRJ seniors to talk to law enforcement agencies about potential jobs and hiring practices. Another goal of the fair is to help first- and second-year students understand the requirements of getting a job in criminal justice (law enforcement) and to see what kind of application procedures these agencies have,” said McCombs.
“The job market for our graduates is good and isn’t limited to law enforcement work,” he added.
`The Fifth Annual CRJ Career Fair will be held in the Student Center from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., and the local, state and federal agencies will be represented. Among those will be SC Department of Corrections, SC Highway Patrol, SCPPPS, Fort Mill Police Department, Irmo Police Department, Spartanburg Public Safety Department, Anderson City Police Department, Anderson University, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, Charlotte- Mecklenburg, Police Department, Clemson City Police Department, Clemson University Police Department, Clemson University, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Easley Police Department, Pickens County Sheriff’s Office and the Pickens Police Department. The event is open to the community.
There will be Tri-County admissions representatives, as well as CRJ faculty, on hand to talk to folks about the Criminal Justice program and the opportunities that a degree holds for graduates. “Research shows that police officers with college degrees are more able to police a diverse society,” said McCombs.
The number of agencies requiring an associate degree has grown over the last decade, said McCombs. “Most studies show that college-educated police officers are more comfortable with diversity and are better able to cope with real-world scenarios. They’re also more adept at problem solving, have good communication skills and have a good ability to convey information to a wide variety of audiences.” The associate degree also gives new police officers a leg up in terms of passing the classes at the Criminal Justice Academy, he added.
Tri-County grads also are prepared for entry-level jobs in security, protective services, corrections and court administration. The degree doesn’t mean they will all work in the government sector. They also can work in the private sector as private investigators, security officers, loss prevention and other related professions.
“Tri-County offers the entire criminal justice curriculum online, which can be a lifesaver for many officers who work 12-hour shifts and battle time constraints and schedule conflicts that can often hinder completing their degree through the traditional classroom route,” said McCombs.
For more information, contact Jonathan McCombs at 646-1379 or jmccombs@tctc.edu.
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