Hi Glenn, Interesting about the role of instructors. If they are student centered then they will know that talking about employment, workplace ethics and activities, and reaching out to students to encourage thinking about the job is essential. Good idea to encourage them to participate and belong to professional associations. Since many instructors are hourly perhaps there can be some bonuses for their extra time. Great that you have developed relationships with employers. Remember there are prospective employers out there too. Thanks for your input, Susan
Passing along information about placement is not the only role the instructors play. Although some of them believe it to be. I strive to get our instructors involved in the local professional organizations,charity events and the such but sometimes they don't want to give up their time. We do have some that are very active so they are a great help.
I have very good professional and personal relationships with a lot of our employers in our area so they are also comfortable in calling when looking for staff knowing that I will be sending good potential employees their way.
To the end result of helping the students we offer seminars every other week on resume writing, cover letter writing and interviews.
In our management class we have the students prepare for an interview and they are interviewed by myself, the school president and we also bring in employers for the process.
This is an ongoing process and we want to be able to give the students the tools they need to succeed with especially in this economic situation we are in
HI Glenn,
Very good. Admissions does benefit from your placement reports and the better your stats the better enrollment is. And you are quite right that when students see placement results it impacts on retention. Students enroll in career schools for two reasons. One is to learn a skill and the other is to get a job. Sometimes students forget the part about getting a job when they get caught up in getting through their classes. It is true that students have to do their part in getting a job. But we feel that it is up to the school and placement department to give students the skills to be successful in the job search. Thanks, Susan
HI Glenn
So what you are saying is that the only role instructors have in the placement process is to pass along information about services offered by the placement department? Passing along info and encouraging students to participate in placement department services is important. However, we feel that instructors are vital in teaching students about the workplace. Ideally instructors are active in the workplace and share real work experiences with students on a daily basis. Thanks, Susan
because we also offer resume and interviw seminars it makes it easier for the instructors to pass this information to the students which makes them feel better about teaching their courses and not having to worry about the help they may be asked for
The obvious answer to this is the fact that we will be able to find our students jobs in their new chosen career. Because of our higher placement rate it enables our admissions dept to use the information as a selling point. Because of the success we have had with our students we are able to field and fill requests from local employers when they are searching for new staff. This also helps our in house students because as they see our people going on externship and having jobs it gives them more confidence about their ability to succeed also.
With the economy in the shape it is in now, prospective students want to know if they can get a job after completing our course. This is the biggest help to our Admissions Dept. I also stress to them that there is no guarantee of a job, that the students have to participate in the process.
You highlight a lot of great issues, Arthur. It's good to hear that your placement department operates within Student Services and is separate and works with students and grads. Successful placement is in part dependent on the jobs in the community and saturation issues. That's why it is important for placement to communicate with the education departments. It might be time to drop a program and add other training that is more in demand in the community. This takes talking with employers and community leaders to determine what industries need trained workers and what kind of training they need. And what new companies may be coming into the community with trained worker needs. An important part of the placement department mission is to stay in touch with the community and interpret training needs to the school. We like you point about volunteering. In many situations this is effective. You might also consider creating an externship for students to learn the latest procedures and protocols in a real work setting. Thanks, Susan
The Placement Department is a small part of the larger Student Service Division. And as much should be viewed in its contribution to the overall success of the Division. The idea of the Placement Department is to assist current students and graduates seek gainful employment in their chosen career field. While it is true that successful placement bring prestiege to the school it also is dependent on the growth or lack of growth in the community. A vocational program in like a product cycle. It shows high expectation when the need is great. As graduates fill their ranks growth slows. Finally an over production of graduates causes a saturation of qualified candidates. This in turns causes an Employors market resulting in a lowering of entry level pay, more qualification per candidate and longer lead time before hiring a candidate.
In todays economy the pay for some career field has reverted to the same entry level pay seen 3 to 5 years ago while demanding more experience for the candidate.
Many graduates should consider "volunteering hours" as a way to keep current with the latest procedures and training. Volunteer hours keeps the candidate active in the career they want without subjecting them to a lower self worth.
Very well said, Carly. The Placement Department is responsible for aiding the grads to establish careers. In our opinion that means that placement has to start with the admissions process and be a presence in the lives of students every day. That means the Placement Department needs to have many activities and offerings for a student to complete. And of course services for grads. Can you imagine if every grad connected with the school periodically? That would increase enrollments and community presence significantly. Thanks
Career Services/Placement Departments prove to be huge selling points for admissions representatives. Placement assistance is available to current students, as well as graduates, and is quite valuable in todays market. Most potential students return to school because they don't have jobs, because the market is now requiring higher levels of education/training, and because they need help. An academic team can assist with the education, but it is the placement department that offers help with establishing a career.
Hi Jack, Very well put. Placement impacts on the entire school. And yes, students have concerns about getting placed. We feel that we can reduce their anxiety if they know there is placement staff who can assist them and get them through any challeges. That's why it is important to be sure everyone knows exactly what the placement department does and how to reach placement staff. We have to say placement isn't guaranteed. But wouldn't it be great if we made a committment to place every grad? Thanks, Susan
Just the fact that the School has a professional and well staffed Placement Department posititvely effects every department. Every student and staff member is aware the department exists and is effecient.
In the back of every student's mind is "Can I get employed in the field I'm being prepared for ?" When they know a great department exists to help and support them, confidence and hope increases greatly.
Of course, there are no quarantees in anything including placement, and the informed student knows this, and the importance they help themselves also in the process. It's a team effort.
Word travels fast, and when a school has placement results that always travels and finds it's way to future students, increasing enrollment.
Yes, Eric. We believe that placement services impact on admissions, retention, student satisfaction, and of course job placement. The efforts of the Career Services department also impact on the image of the school. Imagine employers looking to your school as THE school for the best employees. It takes a lot of community outreach as well as great employment and confidence skill building. Thanks, Susan
As mentioned previously, placement services impact enrollments significantly. Placement services provide a guide or selling point on the success the student will have upon completion of the program.
Hi Krisitn
Sounds like you are getting other people and departments in your school to look to Career Services for valuable information to help them do their job. Great idea to connect a prospect with a graduate. There is a great comfort level talking peer-to-peer and reduced pressure. And very good to get the prospects focused on the goal (getting a job) even before they enroll. It's important the this goal is reinforced throughout the students school experience. Thanks, Susan
We are in the processes of building a comprehensive career service here at our school. Our admissions department likes using the statics we have generated so far to show perspective students what the school can do foe them, even after graduation. When a perspective student comes in and is looking to work in a certain part of the field we can now offer to put that perspective student in contact with a graduate who is already there and been through our program. Also to see where along with how many grad get placed helps the perspective student see the end of the road and where they could be and that it is achievable.
Really extremely well said, Glenn. It is our theory that the Placement Department is the most important department in the school. Certainly it can influence admissions reps to enroll qualified students who are likely to graduate. And as you point out, admissions has to have information from placement to tell the prospect about employment results and expectations. And admissions certainly has to qualify and collect information that will be vital to student success. Every employee in the school is responsible for student success. The goal is to empower faculty and staff to realize this and give them the tools - like plaement information - to do their job. Thanks for a very comprehensive picture of the ideal placement process. Susan
The ETI placement department is the separation of the wheat from the chaff when all is said and done.
Our requirements stipulate that we are responsible for placing 70% of our graduates in order to be in good standing with the national and state accredidation services.
Therefore the quality of the student is of primary importance on the front end of the enrollment process.
Stricter entrance requirements help placement numbers upon graduation. The pre screening process in the admissions department regarding driving records, criminal records, and drug testing all sort out potential employable people from less than desirable future employees.
It therefore flows logically that if the placement department does not meet their quotas the schol may in fact be put under some form of disciplinary action and actually be placed on probation.
Surely this benefits no one.
So from the first impression and first contacts
the journey to job placement is either helped or hindered by every department and aspect of the school.
Admissions done well leads to better graduates.
Financial aid done well leads to payment plans and loans that are manageable upon graduation.
Excellent classroom teaching and lab work leads to better knowledge and application of field expertise.
Placement department presentations on such things as; the keys to success, resume writing and completion, interview skills, and job placement skills are all integral parts of the success of the program.
Each department must work together to be able to produce a final product that is employable.
Stressing honesty, integrity, a good work ethic, and retention of information and on the job training all lead to satisfaction in the curriculum and after graduation.
The placement department will well serve the school by delineating the results and goals to each department in order that conformity might be seen in all areas.
If this is done everyone benefits and each graduate realizes their dreams and aspirations regarding their new career.
Hi Carey
Great strategy to involve all departments in keeping students focused on the job. How do you do that? We find that it starts in admissions. The more the admissions people know about placement success, the better they can inform the prospective students. And it starts the student thinking that getting a job is what it is all about. And that helps retention. Instructors need to know about placement efforts so they can do their part. Instructors need to bring real work experiences into class by talking about what really happens on the job and keeping students excited about the world of work. Thanks, Susan
