Graduates say it's hard to find a U.P. job.

HANCOCK -- It's graduation season and on Sunday 108 students received their diplomas at Finlandia University in Hancock.

At 42-years-old, Todd Staricha of Keweenaw County is not your average graduate.  But after spending several years working, he got injured and decided to go back to school.

"I was too young to be on disability,” said Todd.  “(My) health gave me a second chance; I want to use it, take advantage of it, and get back in the workforce again."

And Todd is staying put in the U.P. and will wait until he can find an accounting position.

But it's not an easy road for Finlandia graduates or any other graduates looking for jobs.   Even the highly sought after nursing student can have trouble finding a nursing job here in the U.P.

"Not in this area I'm not seeing that much,” said nursing graduate Tabitha Kuopus, “but in other parts of the country, I'm seeing that.  But I'm hoping not to have to relocate."

It's the hope that their degree at Finlandia will help give them an advantage to getting a job up here.

"Graduates of Finlandia University have a head start," said commencement speaker Peter Van Pelt.  “They come from a place which reveres learning and growth.  They'll do fine."

"I believe the graduates at Finlandia are training for occupations that are going to serve them very well,” said Dr. Sylvia Fleishman, Chair of the Board of Trustees.  “(All the) programs are the type of programs that people are looking for here in the U.P., so we hope their placement will be fairly immediate."

It is true; some have already had success looking for a job in the U.P.

"My degree is a Bachelor in Human Services and I already got a job lined up in Marquette and I'm moving there tomorrow," said graduate Jennifer VanOverloop.