Addressing the "skills gap".
The course discusses how employers site a skills deficiency despite the skills training that they receive in institutions of higher learning. This skills gaps suggests colleges need to improve methods of measuring work-readiness.
How do you measure the job readiness of your students? Do you assess both technical and soft-skill readiness? What tools (if any) do you use?
I agree with Ms. Cross. Our Education and Career Services team works as one. Our CS team is in a lot of the classes participating in what they learning that day or that class.
Antonia,
Really impressive! It sounds like you've created a culture at your institution which fully supports the idea that your students don't graduate and start looking for job, the job preparation and search is an ongoing process interweaved with their academic studies. I'm guessing you have great success. What do you do when a student doesn't meet your professionalism standards six weeks prior to externship? Do you postpone it?
Ann Cross
Ms. Cross,
Our campus does the same type of training between Career Services and the Instructors. There has not been a time since I have been here that we did not have a way to measure students clinical, clerical and soft skills. I can say there was a time when I initially came on board; where the employer expectations were not being met within each program. Since receiving that feedback; additional core skill checks and extensive training has been put in place. In career services we work closely with education. I give the students an additional assignment 6 weeks before they go out to there externship. The assignment is intended to measure their professional skills are where they need to be to obtain and maintain their career. It test their time management (deadline is given), ability to follow instructions (I have a detailed packet that must be completed); interview skills (they have to interview 3 employers) and they submit their final resume. Feedback is provided to each student. We know that the new procedures have been affective based on increased satisfaction from the employer surveys.
Trista ,
This sounds very comprehensive. Have you been able to measure the effectiveness of these initiatives/courses? Was there a time when you didn't offer these that you can look back on and compare?
Ann Cross
Yes, our institution does evaluate both technical and soft skill readiness. Core program instructors work directly with the students to ensure job readiness of the technical skills. We also use the externship / internship program to assist with the learning process of our students. This is an extension of the classroom. For soft skills we utilize a class at both the beginning of a program and as the last class prior to externship or graduation to address soft skills. This includes, conflict management, problem solving, time management, goal setting, interviewing, resumes, cover letters and thank you notes. This instructor also has touch points with the students throughout the course of their program. They are also instrumental in working with both the core program instructors and the career services department to ensure that graduates are employment ready.
