FHSU University Relations
When Fort Hays State University's Department of Applied Technology Chair heard that his department had reached the 100 percent graduate job placement milestone, he couldn’t have been more pleased.
“Applied Technology has hovered around the 98 percent job placement rate for many years,” said Kim Stewart, FHSU applied technology department chair.
“To be able to say we achieved the 100 percent mark is really satisfying because our faculty and company partners have worked hard at creating successful pathways to employment for all our applied technology graduates.”
In January, FHSU’s Career Services sent Stewart its findings for Summer 2023, Fall 2023, and Spring 2024. Based on data collected through the First Destination Survey (FDS), the report showed that 100 percent of students completing the survey indicated they had obtained a job or were seeking a higher education.
Stewart attributes the high employment rate to the robust internship program offered by his department. Nine of the 120 credits in the program of study are internship credits, equating to approximately two summers of internship experience.
Successful career fairs also factor in the success of the applied technology program. Early each fall, applied technology hosts a career fair inviting construction, manufacturing, and engineering/drafting companies to attend.
In the fall of 2024, 68 companies met with more than 200 students (120 from FHSU and more than 80 from FHSU’s strategic affiliation partners, Fort Hays Tech NC and Fort Hays Tech NW). The companies sought summer interns, summer employment opportunities, and full-time employees.
One of FHSU’s strategic affiliation objectives is to move proactively to alleviate the housing shortage in Western Kansas. Among the steps FHSU is taking with its partners, Fort Hays Tech NC and Fort Hays Tech NW, the institutions are working to create opportunities for students to become highly qualified construction workers and managers.
“We are doing this by creating ‘up to date’ content at all three schools,” Stewart said.
The affiliation also creates educational pathways for students. One example is the new AAS degree from Fort Hays Tech NC in building/construction site management.
Students take one year at FHNC in construction technology and a second year at FHSU with some construction management, then transfer the credits back to FHNC to earn an AAS. This degree helps the graduates to be highly qualified in residential construction.