“Maybe because your degree in “climate change studies” or “peace studies” or “green technology”...”
My own boomerangs each have engineering degrees. One civil, and one mechanical.
There are job openings however, they can’t get past the door. Too many very experienced engineers and all the openings are stressing five to seven years experience.
They should have saved their money and bought lawn equipment because that POS rather THOSE PsOS in our Congress and White House have created a situation were no one wants to hire.
Twenty+ years ago, my brother got a civil engineering degree. During school he worked long, hot summers as a grunt on a road-paving crew, plus did some construction and house-painting. People were begging him to come work for them when he graduated, I think in part because he was willing to work those “grunt” jobs. (Of course, graduating at the tail end of Reagan’s economy helped.) He’s making six figures now as a construction project manager. He’s one of the hardest-working people I have ever seen.
I don’t know where you or your sons reside, but I did a nationwide search at Indeed and blow are three of each. There are page upon page of both:
Associate Bridge Engineer - New York City (Entry-level)
http://parsons.taleo.net/careersection/2/jobdetail.ftl?lang=en&job=86260&src=JB-10042
Civil/Geotechnical Engineer -Entry Level
https://tetratech.tms.hrdepartment.com/jobs/10465/Civil-Geotechnical-Engineer-Entry-Level-Lexington-KY
Entry-Level Site/Civil Engineer
https://careers-dewberry.icims.com/jobs/1257/job?&sn=Indeed&?mode=apply&iis=Indeed&iisn=Indeed
Entry Level Engineer Mechanical
http://jobs.halliburton.com/us/texas/engineering_science_technology/jobid1434365-entry-level-engineer-mechanical
Entry Level-Mechanical Engineer
http://www.jobstairs.de/stellenangebot/continental/158171.html
Mechanical Engineer I - Entry Level Engineer
https://irecruitment.jacobs.com/uniquesig1d7d798a59922d8d52d1f35f3df52f55853e5b588751b260ee8642c75413f6a6/uniquesig0/OA_HTML/OA.jsp?OAFunc=IRC_VIS_VAC_DISPLAY&p_svid=34651&p_spid=35868
I graduated with a chemical engineering degree back in 1998, in what was hailed by the media as the best economy in human history (due to Clinton). It took me three months to find any sort of job, and I didn’t a real engineering position until two years after graduation. I distinctly remember reading a newspaper article at the time about an illegal alien with a felony record getting a tree-trimming job paying $24K... while I was happy to finally get a tech position paying $9.50/hour.