Tucson, Arizona (KGUN) — Graduates receive their diplomas with high hopes of turning years of education into a solid career. Employment growth remains solid, but falls well short of the very optimistic projections at the beginning of the school year.

Tara Elam has just graduated from a nursing program. Pima Community College. she says: “I had interviews with her five different hospitals locally, and all five of her hospitals actually offered me a job.”

She is starting a career as a registered nurse working in the hospital’s ICU. Healthcare is one of her most popular career areas and she feels Pima her community and her college have given her a huge boost to success.

“They give you the opportunity and tell you what you need to do when you start the program. It’s that they’ve set aside time and are already in volunteering mode, so I think that was a big deal, but they also have leadership opportunities throughout the program for anyone who is willing to contribute. Offers.”

Prospects for recruiting new graduates remain strong. Employers this spring said they plan to hire 3.9% more graduates this spring than last year, according to the National Association of College Employers.

That’s a solid increase, but it falls short of the 14.7% predicted when the association surveyed jumping employers last fall.

Arizona states that construction is the most popular job sector statewide. Healthcare comes second. Professional services come third.

In Southern Arizona, Pima County is No. 1 in Manufacturing, Cochise is No. 1 in Construction, and Santa Cruz County is No. 1 in Healthcare.

Tara Elam says nursing is a career change for her. She is accepting applications for retirement financial services jobs while she awaits her nursing certification.

“We recently hired people in our office and received over 50 resumes for one position. So it’s definitely a market to watch.”