Tulsa Organization Helps College Grads Facing Pandemic Challenges Launch Careers

The pandemic is making it harder for college graduates to find jobs. Recent college graduate Alex Faught knows how hard it is to find the job you want in this economy.

He graduated with a degree in Sports Management and Business from Oklahoma Christian University. Faught said during college, he worked as an Event and Entertainment Associate for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

"We planned and coordinated a lot of the events that went on like half time performances,” Faught said.

However, he said the pandemic forced him to go back to what he was doing before college, waiting tables at a restaurant.

According to the U.S. Labor Department, last fall the unemployment rate was 3.5%. However, this spring, unemployment for 20- to 24-year-olds was above 20%.

Rachel Hutchings at Workforce Tulsa, which helps people find jobs, and employers find workers, said the higher unemployment rate for graduates has led them to expand their internship program.

"We already do paid internships, but this is the first time we recruited from an actual college graduate program,” Hutchings said.

Hutchings said recruiting college graduates for their internship program is a first.

To find out more about Tulsa Workforce click here.