New Englanders Confer to Improve Colleges' Contacts With Industries

In an effort to improve the contacts between the New England colleges and the New England industries, twenty-seven men met recently at a conference in Boston. Representatives of fifteen colleges included Donald B. Moyer '27 of the University Alumni Placement Office, who expects that 38 per cent of the Class of 1937 will take jobs after graduating, while 50 per cent go into Graduate studies.

Conclusion reached was six-pointed: (1) There is much opportunity in New England industry and business for graduates of New England; (2) A program to promote the increased use of New England college-trained men by New England industry and business is highly desirable as an aid to the economic growth and progress of New England;

(3) This program should include research into the further possibilities for the use of college men in New England and make the findings known to all concerned; (4) College men can do more to orient the boys to the tasks ahead of them;

(5) Larger companies should not take on more boys than they can advance at a reasonable rate, and they should avoid "overpainting" the future to the men; and (6) A current major problem is to place the liberal arts graduates out over the next ten years-- more openings should develop for men with a background in the social sciences, economics, governmental affairs, and unman engineering.

Outside Appeals

Pointing out that opportunities offered college graduate by firms outside of New England are the more appealing, some of the delegates showed figures which proved that almost half of the New England graduates sought outside employment. Reasons stated for this trend, beside such as desiring to get away or just wanderlust, were that starting salaries were higher outside and that many small New England businesses were usually a family or father-to-son affair.

Other reasons were give, such as that the training courses are better organized outside New England, that the instruction given is more specific, and that the rate of advancement of the individual is faster and better controlled. One official claimed that traditional New England conservatism is discouraging to the younger generation.

Comparing large concerns and small ones, it was stated that the large companies have well-developed absorption plans, while the small ones are not yet sold on the possible usefulness and value of the college trained man to them. The fact was also brought out that the large firms use aggressive tactics to obtain "the cream of the crop," leaving the small ones to choose from the remainder.

Summer Try-Outs

In connection with the findings of the conference was the suggestion recently launched by the Alumni Placement Service that manufacturers should give summer "try-outs" to men who plan to return for more study in the fall. The Service says that "such tryout experiences give a young man a does of realism and help him better make his final selection of a job" as well as giving the company time for "observation of a beginner's work before he is put on the permanent payroll