A recent analysis suggests many upper-level college students may not be ready for the workplace.

The study, which was conducted by the Center for Professional Excellence at York College of Pennsylvania, was distributed to more than 330 two- and four-year higher-education institutions across the country. Of the polled professors, 38.3 percent said nearly 50 percent of their upper-level students did not exhibit workplace professionalism because of actions such reading social media while in the classroom. Likewise, the study shows 22.2 percent said college students felt entitled to future careers even though they were underqualified for the workplace.

Royce Burnett, associate professor of accountancy, said he has noticed a change in how students work since he began teaching in 1981, but not in their professionalism. Burnett attributes the change to students’ increased access to technology.

“Professionalism is about doing the work, and I think that students are far more focused in doing their work now than ever before,” he said.

According the study, 75.6 percent of college professors agreed technology was a major problem for student focus, and the problem is not getting better. Digital forms of communication such as cellphone use and text messaging were said to distract students from the classroom, but Burnett said the university has adapted to the times and students use technology to focus more on improving schoolwork.

“When I started working here, technology for us was using a new hand calculator, and all it did was add, subtract and multiply, and that was new technology,” he said. “I think that today, students are far brighter than that. They are exposed to technology since they are born, and it is a great tool for students to bring to the classroom.”

Technology developments have increased rapidly, and SIU alumnus Paul Sullins said many technological aspects of college have drastically changed since he graduated in 2001.

“Technology has totally changed the way I work; I can multitask working on my tablet while at the same time researching a topic on my smartphone,” he said.

Sullins said technology has created major changes at the university, especially since computers were becoming mainstream as he was entering college.

“All the kids at SIU now have grown up with computers on campus, and I was just introduced to it in high school,” he said. “Enrolling in SIU, I learned more about technology than I ever did before coming here, but I think if I grew up with it, I would not be distracted at all. I would have just learned to live with it.”

Beyond using technology correctly, outward appearance is also a critical factor in professionalism, said Keri Burns, career services director. Maintaining a professional dress code would help potential employers take applicants more seriously as potential hires, she said.

“How you are dressed is very important, even if you’re applying for a campus position,” she said. “Do not go into an interview in sandals and cargo shorts; you want to leave a positive impression based on how you dress. If there is someone else out there who is better dressed and just as determined to get the job, they tend to have the upper hand.”