Sheri Leach

Sheri Leach CHEP

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Barriers to Employment and Intervention Strategies

Shannon, Weaving soft skills instruction throughout the student's lifecyle (including the skills you mentioned good eye contact, maintaining a professional demeanor at all times, and knowing how and when to shake hands, how to approach a potential employer, how to thank an employer for an interview or referral)is one of the single most important best practices that leads to positive graduate placement. What challenges did your institution fae when implementing this practice and how were the challenges overcome? Sheri Leach

Sheri Leach CHEP

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Relationship-building Strategies

Teresa, Do you host specific activities when people from the community visit your fairs and visit your school? What have you found to be most successful? Sheri Leach

Sheri Leach CHEP

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Event Programming

Judi, there is definitely great value to having industry professionals speak to our students and graduates. In the familiar setting of their classroom, students will feel comfortable asking questions. When they have their questions answered, they will feel more confident and ready to pursue their career. And let's face it, oftentimes Carer Services and the instructors are like mom and dad and the students don't listen hard to everything we say. But, have a guest come and deliver the message the students just may take it to heart. Another best practice, as you mentioned, is having successful alumni speak in… >>>

Sheri Leach CHEP

Discussion Comment

Relationship-building Strategies

Judi, You have mentioned some wonderful best practices! Inviting speakers to your graduations is an ideal way to let professionals in your community become acquainted with your Academy and your students/graduates. Graduation is such a positive event and provides a great networking opportunity for your staff and the new graduates. I have seen Career Services Team Members pick out two specific students to introduce to each speaker. They do the introductions based on what they believe would be a good employment match. You also mentioned having HR speak to your students before they graduate. At our institution we strive for… >>>

Sheri Leach CHEP

Discussion Comment

Event Programming

Missy, What idea do you have that would be a good event? Sheri Leach

Sheri Leach CHEP

Discussion Comment

Experiential Learning

Viola, you bring up a great point. Externship is definitely (field) experience. We as Career Service professionals need to make sure we are educating our employers to that fact. We also have to explain to our students how to present themselves as having experience when they are speaking with a potential employer. All too often our students lack the confidence on a interview or they don't even go to the interview. We and our instructors need to help the students understand how valuable the extern experience is, and even if they don't get hired on their extern site, how they… >>>

Sheri Leach CHEP

Discussion Comment

Experiential Learning

Viola, There are many factors that contribute to the success of a class or a single student. Experiential learning opportunities are factors that can increase the likelihood of success. Building relationships with the students and the sites/employers is key. Being able to work with the employers to provide an appropriate learning environment that has the potential of becoming an employment opportunity for the student is invaluable. DO you have any experience with students who did not have relevant work experience, yet were successful on their externship and in their job search? Sheri Leach

Sheri Leach CHEP

Discussion Comment

Experiential Learning

Viola, a 50% extern-to-hire rate is very respectable, I don't know many institutions that have achieved that level. When students are invested (such as helping find their own site) they assign more personal value and meaning to the experience. The result is that they will usually perform better since they picked the site and usually it is one where they hope that they will be offered employment. How can Career Services ensure that new sites will be used so that the students have a better chance of being hired? Especially when Career Services is not responsible for the placement of… >>>

Sheri Leach CHEP

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Creating a Culture of Employability: Best Practices in Career Services

Sheri Leach CHEP

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Creating a Culture of Employability: Best Practices in Career Services

Creating a Culture of Employablity: Best Practices in Caree Services Great Article that talks about the importance of creating a culture of employablity on campus. "Everyone on the campus needs to be focused on the students' ultimate goal, and that is getting them employed in their field."