WNY could lose many college graduates

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Western New York could lose many of it's college graduates to other states if they can't find the job they're looking for here.

The encouraging sign at Tuesday night's Job Fair at the University at Buffalo was the 120 local companies offering jobs.

But there weren't enough for the 1500 local college graduates who came looking for one.

Dave Smith is graduating with his Master's Degree and wanted to work on Wall Street.

Smith said, "You know truthfully, I wish I would've done a different degree. I'm in finance, and there's nothing right now."

"I'm even looking into internships now, not even to get paid, just to get the experience because, it's really not there."

With $20,000 dollars in college loans to repay now, he came to the CareerFEST Job Fair hoping to get on the path to Wall Street.

Smith said, "They basically said 'you gotta look on line.' There's hundreds of thousands of people applying on line. You're just one of the many."

Khala Johnson got her first job on line, fresh out of college, but when the economy soured she was laid off and now the college class of '07 graduate is searching with the rest.

Johnson said, "I mean, there is some pressure because there aren't a lot of jobs available, and there are so many highly qualified people who could take those positions."

So employers who do have jobs to offer, have a big pool to choose from.

Don McMahon (McMahon & Mann Consultants) said, "Oh absolutely. We have people with Masters Degrees and Doctoral degrees looking for jobs."

There were long lines in front of the compnaies offering computer or high-tech manufacturing jobs.

Brad London needs a few web designers.

London (J. Fitzgerald Group) said, "People coming out of school know exactly the kind of things we're getting into."

McMahon said, "In our business, it's a people business and you can't sit around and wait for the people to come to you, you gotta go out and get 'em, and this is a great opportunity to do that."