(Dothan, AL)--People crowded the Dothan Civic Center on Tuesday to congratulate Wallace Community College's latest graduating nursing class. Despite the tough economy, many of WCC's nursing graduates already have jobs or will be able to find one in Dothan.

"We hire graduates fresh out of local nursing programs all the time," Flowers Hospital Nursing Services Vice President Jeffrey Davis said. "After we train them, nursing graduates will usually stay at our hospital for ten to fifteen years," Davis said.

On average, there are ten to fifteen positions available for nurses at Flowers Hospital. However, there are other hospitals and areas looking to hire nurses .

"You can be an E.R. nurse, an ICU nurse, and even an out-of-hospital nurse," Davis said. "Schools hire nurses, the military hires nurses, and so, there are many different jobs available," He said.

The national average earning for a nurse is around thirty-one dollars an hour. The pay is determined by experience, degree level and employment location.