Our CS dept believes placement services start on day one of the students program.
We are most successful in placing students who are proactive in their preparation for employment. We also find that the better we know the student we can more easily find them a good job match for their personality and skill set.
I tell new students that their resume is a living document which will grow and change over the course of their program. By the time they get to their externship they will have developed a lot as a person and a potential employee. The externship could be their next job so we need to know who they are well before they graduate!
Amanda,
Great that you are looking at prospective students carefully to see if they qualify. Assessment are great. When students are qualified for your program they are more likely to complete. When they understand the jobs they are training for the more likely they will get placed. We agree that career services starts at the time of enrollment. Students must be constantly reminded they are in school to train for a job. There is work to be done, projects to complete and their confidence has to develop. It all takes time and work. Thanks Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
Placement services should begin during the intake/Admissions process. Our students complete a few simple assessments when they interview for our program. This allows us to ensure that we are taking their interests and abilities into consideration when we place them into their vocational programs. This also assists us with placing them in appropriate internships.
Having placement services begin when a student enters a program gives everyone a vital jump start - the student, career services, and instructors - which lessens the stress for everyone as the student continues through their program.
Jennie,
Yes. We also see that making career services workshops a requirement is also important. The employment skills training has to be done from the start because there is so much the student needs to learn and prepare for. In addition, confidence is a requirement and confidence takes a long time to build. It is important for everyone on staff to have a job focus state of mind. It really makes a difference to the placement numbers and obviously graduate satisfaction. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
Definitely agree with placement being offered at inception of program. This allows for flexibility and management of time, effort and strategy towards best practices on defining and targeting positions of interest to apply for.
Planning and organizing are essential to working on and out which goals are best to achieve. And starting at the beginning supports this.
suzet,
We totally believe that. We think that Career Services should sit with or very near the admissions department and be part of the admissions process. Applicants need to know that they are attending school to learn the skills to get a job. They should be very aware that the school has staff and assistance in the job search process that starts on the first day of school. In addition to learning career skills we feel they should be required to learn how to become job ready and conduct a personal job search campaign. Everyone on staff needs to have this state of mind. That's our opinion! Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
Placement should start from the beginning. Once enrolled and orientation is obtained the student should be welcomed to come into the placement department.
Fernando,
Great idea. We actually think that career services starts at the time of admissions. Students should be focused on the reason they are enrolling and assuming debt - it's to get a job. Admissions people need verifiable statistics to present. Or better yet, suggest that the admissions department include you in the interview process. Thanks
Dr. Susan Schulz
At orientation I make it a point to inform every student that the benefits of Career Services doest not begin after graduation but in fact it starts today.
Linnet,
We totally agree. Placement services and process should actually start at the time of enrollment. From the start students need to be focused on the job they are training for and the services provided by the school to reach their goals. Within each class instructors need to talk about how training is used on the job. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
The placement process should start from the moment that the student enrolls the class, just explaining how the placement services work will help the student to fill more confident about their future career.
Marion,
Yes, we find that the most effective career services start on day 1 - actually during the admissions process. No matter how much time is spent talking about the job the program trains for, many students don't really know what it is like in the world of work. I met a massage therapy student who was shocked that clothes had to be removed for treatment. That's an extreme but an example of why the realities of the job have to be conveyed in many ways and constantly. It is the respsonsibility of everyone on staff to help the student have realistic expectations. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
I do agree with that statement. The role of career services should start at the beginning of the student's experience. I don't know about other schools, but preparing for the workplace is a systematic process of getting the student to start think about the career they are studying for. Additionally, students should never be surprised about the job market, and this can occur if we wait until the end of their program to start these discussions. Students may have a certain false perception about the career pay rate and work demands, and addressing these topics earlier rather than later are key to setting realistic expectations and getting the student involved in the process and decision making about their career early.
Yolanda,
Very well said. It takes a while to learn employment skills and get ready for the job search process. The concept of seeking a job takes a lot of consideration. The student has to see why and how what they learn in class applies to the work place. They have to feel that they are qualified and capable. Most of all they need self confidence and that simply takes time. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
I agree that placement services are most effective when offered to a student toward the beginning instead of near the end of the program. Such timing enables students to set personal goals, research pros and cons within the chosen industry,develop the necessary skills to network as well as determine if they want to continue in the program.
Noah,
Yes, it is important for students to know that the goal of enrollment is to get a job. In every way possible students need to understand that what they are learning in class will be used in the workplace. The expectation of getting a job has to be on their minds at all times. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
I agree. It needs to start during the first week. An orientation process will start getting them in the mindset of what they will need to do to get ready for their career.
Stefanie,
Interesting approach. We think that career services needs to be offered at the time of admissions. Students need to keep focused on the reason they are in school - to get a job. Employment skills training takes time, as you point out. There are so many tasks to build skills needed for the job search and when on the job. It takes a long time to build the confidence needed to be successful. All this is done one step at a time. We do agree that the actual job search should start towards the end of the program. By this time students have skills needed for the job and the search. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
I think job placement should not occur till the end of a students program for retention purposes. However I do think they can access Career Services early on in their programs because you can start preparing, educating students in what they should be doing while they are students in order to help their future careers. For example researching, developing and fostering relationships with professors and colleagues, starting a resume, career planning, assist in looking for volunteer work or shadowing experiences that can benefit future careers, etc. However actual placement should not begin until the end of the program when students are close to obtaining their actual degree.
kim`,
Great that the discussion of placement starts early at your school. And great that you introduce career services early on as well. We also believe that career services and assignments need to start on day 1. How are you doing that? Many schools make these assignments a requirement. We agree. And we definitely vote for internships for every program - not those where practical experience is required as part of the training. In fact, I'll be giving a talk on experiential learning at ABEHS conference at the end of the month. Perhaps you will be there? Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
