PRESS RELEASE: Regrets, They Have a Few--College Grads Re-think Majors, Career Choices; High-Tech Workers Most Likely to Switch Careers SURVEY INFO: CONTACT: Dan Walsch George Mason University 703-993-8785 Hope Heyman 212-943-5858 Mark Devaney 973-467-5858 Spector & Associates

Lifetime Learning Survey: SURVEY RESULTS Listed below are the survey questions. You can see the question results by clicking on the question number. SQ1 Which of the following best describes the level of education you last completed? High school or less Some college College graduate Post graduate SQ2 How long ago was it that you recieved your Bachelor's degree from college? Less than 10 years ago More than 10 years ago SQ3. Which of the following best describes your age? 30-34 years of age 35-44 years of age 45-54 years of age 55+ SQ4. Which of the follwoing best describes the industry you are currently working in? Manufacturing Retail Medical Insurance Legal Information Technology Telecommunications Education Government Other (Specify) Am not currently working Q1. Since college, how many jobs have you had? Q1a. Since college, how many careers have you had? Q1b. How many job changes do you expect in the future? Q1c. Do you expect to continue in your pesent career, or anticipate taking up a new career? I expect to continue in my present career either with my current employer or another. I expect I'll be ding something quite different, either with my current employer or another. Q2. Thinking about your college experiences, if you had to do it over again, would you major in something different this time around? Q2a. What subject would you major in this time? Business Education Computer Science Engineering Medical Other (Specify) Don't know Q2b. Why would you choose that major? For my own enjoyment To advance my career Current demand Higher salary Other (Specify) Q3. Is there a course or subject that you wish you would have taken or given more emphasis to? Q3a. What course or subject would that be? Computer Science Business Mathematics Accounting/finance Other (Specify) Don't know Q3b. Why do you regret not taking this course or more courses on the subject? I have become interested in it personally since graduating It would help me in my job Both, I am interested in it and it would help in my job I did not see how importat it would be Other (Specify) Don't know Q4. Do you have an advanced degree? Q5. Have you taken any college or post-graduate courses since graduating that were not part of a degree program? Q5a. Were the courses taken for professional or personal development? Professional Personal Both Q5b. When you take courses for professional reasons do you look for (read list)? Courses that increase the in-depth knowledge of your field. Courses that add new skills or dimensions to your knowlege. Both Other (Specify) Q5c. Which of the following best describes how you took the course? In a conventional university setting, attending lectures, using the schools library etc. Mostly used technologies such as teleconferencing and on-line resources rather than in-person attendance at lectures, accessing research materials on-line, using e-mails etc. Q5d. How do you acquire new knowledge now? Individual research, using libraries, the Internet, and other resources. Company training classes Mentoring, or one-on-one training from colleges College or university courses Other (Specify) Q5e. How do you feel you learn most effectively? Alone, using technology, libraries, and other resources As part of a diverse group As part of a group of company colleagues Hands on experience Other (Specify) Q6. It has been said that lifetime learning will be an essential part of everyone's career. Do you see that happening today? Q6a. I am going to read you four statements regarding the role universities will play in the lifetime learning process as careers advance, for each statements please indicate whether you strongly agree, agree, neither agree nor disagree, disagree, or strongly disagree. Most learning will take place either formally or informally on the jobs, with little university-level or graduate level instruction. Closely aligned with local industries, universities will support the continuing education of employees with courses, both on and off-campus, supplementing in-house training. Most people will not take courses to maintain or build proficiency in their current jobs, but rather to get new or different jobs, either with their current employer of another. Most university work is really too "Ivory Tower" for real-world applications, except, perhaps, for a handful of highly specialize scientific and technical fields. Q7. In a lifetime learning environment, from the following, please rate in order of importance what you would expect from your employer. Learning opportunities Mentorship Reimbursed formal education Career advancement opportunities Q7a. In a lifetime learning environment, from the following, please rate in order of importance, what you think your employer expects of you. Basic communication skills Proficiency on computers Understanding of business culture Being a leader Being a follower Being self-motivated Having a good attitude Q7b. Do you believe you will have to take college-level refresher courses in the next three to five years in order for your career to advance? Q8. What field of learning do you think your employer and/or career is most likely to require? Computer related studies Comm./Language arts Accounting and finance Foreign language Mathematics Law & Politics Science None Other (Specify) Q9. Which of the following statements best describes why this field is or may be required by your employer as it relates to your career? It is directly related to my career and I am expected to know more about these specific issues as it relates to my work. It may impact the way I do my work in the future, and I am expected to evaluate the technology to do my job well. It will not impact the way I do my work, but is a subject that they would like for me to know more about. Q10. If you were to take a required or refresher course, which of the following methods would you prefer to learn in? In a conventional college setting, living on or near the campus, attending lectures, using the libraries and online facilities. Live off campus with minimal requirements for attending lectures, making use of online facilities, video and audio tapes, with the occasional personal or telephone conference with the professor. A combination of the two options. Q11. Have you ever thought about living near a college or university, taking courses and participating in campus life after you retire? Q12. How would you rate each of the following institutions for their use of information technology like the Internet, email, the online provision of products and services, and communications with customers. Please rate each choice as either excellent, good, barely getting by, or poor. Financial institutions--banks, credit car, brokerage firms etc. Retail operations--stores, dealerships Manufacturers Elementary and secondary schools Colleges and universities Government administration, legislatures and regulatory agencies--state legislature, Congress, FCC, Dept. of Motor Vehicles, IRS etc. Law and law enforcement--attorneys, courts, the police Q13. Which of the following statements best describes how comfortable you are with the technology you use at work or home? On the whole, I am comfortable with the technology as it arrives on the job and in my home. I'm getting by for now, but am a little concerned about what's next. I'm uneasy about the pace of change, and worried that it will pass me by. Q14. As technology advances, one problem it poses is making the right choices to meet personal and corporate needs. Do you feel confident in your ability to make those choices? Yes, I keep up with new developments pretty well. Sometimes--I depend on people I trust to advise me. No, and as the systems become more complex, I get less sure. Q15. How should your continuing education be financed--personally or by your employer? By my employer Through my own resources Through combined employer/personal resources Q16. If your employer paid for all or a substantial part of your continuing education, would you be more likely to stay with the company? Q17. Does your employer have a relationship with a local college or university that allows it to tap the academic resources for assistance in research and/or the continuing education of its employees?