Hi Luis
Good point to keep students focused on preparing for and passing the licensing tests. Ways to do this could include test prep courses and using the exit interview as a time to get the grad to commit to a test date. Good points.
Best wishes
Susan
In just a few words, you have explained the key to student's success after graduation. I would like to add that preparation to pass, registry and licencing exams on every course that the student takes while in school is another important factor. Students tend to loose interest if there is too much time between graduation and passing those exams.
HI Patrick
Perfectly said. Employment skills training and focusing on placement are activities have to happen every day and in as many ways as possible. Placement equals successful retention and motivation.
What other ways are there to present employment and placement skills to students on a regular basis?
Best wishes
Susan
While the question askes about motivating students to seek employment, Nate Clark's response shows that employment is the result of a systematically designed set of processes throughout the program to have students expect and be ready for empolyment as the logical conculsion of the school's program. Having students obtain employment is more about the school designing its processes from admisssions to exit interviews focused on the desired results rather than trying to "motivate" students after graduation.
HI Nate
All great ideas. In fact, I found simililar results when I researched a massage therapy school for my doctoral dissertation.
Best wishes
Susan
You may want to take a close look at the Qualitative Approach to Admissions. In a good Qualitative Interview, the admissions rep will ask the prospect to explain why the school should accept them. Make employment a high priority in this process.
The instructors must be trained on making each lesson applicable to the job. Make testing applicable to the job outcomes, and insert some of the Qualitative Interviewing Techniques here. Make the student sell themselves on their employability.
Bring employers into the classroom on a regular basis. Ask employers who have success stories to share to speak at student assemblies.
Every day, the student should hear something from you about the wonderful career prospects in their chosen field.
Without all of this, the student may lose sight of their dreams and change vocational goals prior to graduating.
There will always be a small number who do not go to work after graduating, but this should not cause you to fail the placement test with your accreditors.
Nate
great suggestion, I really had not gotten in the investigation mode on management software, we have great systems in place, they are just too labor intensive, I have put that on my short list.
Thanks Again
Deby
HI Debra
Record keeping is vital to a school and an easy place for most school administrators to get bogged down. There are many commercial providers of school management software. You might want to call a few and have them give you a presentation. Lots to learn about your options.
Best wishes
Susan
Interestingly we are in the same position with a massage therapy school, where we are working on the record keeping of those seeking to add to their skill set, those seeking to change careers, those seeking to expand their lives yet not seek employment. Clarity in the admissions process we have, now it is record keeping.
Hi Patty
Interesting situation. Sounds like you are doing a lot of the right things. So - how to motivate people to get jobs? Perhaps they didn't enroll with employment in mind. Perhaps they just wanted the skill. With massage therapy perhaps students already have jobs like working as a nurse, psychologist, etc. and want the additional skill to help them in their practice. Or perhaps some want to train now and get a job at a future date.
Also might be a problem in admissions. Do the applicants know the occupational outcomes of the program in which they are enrolling? Does the admissions rep assess whether the prospect can picture themselves in the job?
If grads do not plan to seek employment upon graduation you might have them sign a form saying they are enrolling with no occupational objectives. Forms like this often work with accreditating agencies and state boards as well.
Best wishes
Dr. Susan F. Schulz
