Hi Jenna
We also see that schools with great placement departments have an impact on enrollment. Happy students with jobs refer people to your school. Happy satisfied employers refer people to your school and might even pay their tuition. Can you share with us how often you meet with admissions, what information you provide them, what data you maintain, how often you collect it, and what is done with the information? Thanks, Susan
Placement Services affects most departments at my school. The most positively impacted department is admissions, by far. All of my records and statics are at their disposal, and used as valuable tools to encourage prosective students to apply. We meet often and exchange feedback.
Really great, Jay. Placement can make a difference in all areas of the school. Happy students do refer students and there's nothing like free marketing of word of mouth. The more employers know about your school the more likely they will send students and let you know about job openings - particularly in difficult economic times. If you need externship placement then keeping in touch with employers helps you find out about openings. You can also talk with externship sites to determine how likely it is they will hire the extern. There's nothing like filling jobs at the extern site. Thanks, Susan
It impacts them other departments in many ways. Some of our best marketing is through word of mouth advertising so if students are satisfied with thier educational experience and the Placement Department is able to assist them into seeing thier education through to a career in the field all departments benefit. The school's reputation in the community, especially with employers, is positively impacted. Of course admissions being able to report good pacement numbers in the various programs of study is a huge selling point for students to choose our school.
Thanks David. Sounds like you wrote the same book we did. Yes, Career Services can make a major difference on enrollments, retention, and placement. High graduation and placement rates certainly do impact on referral and thus enrollment. We promote community outreach, which is easier when happily placed grads can introduce you to the right people at each company. It takes time and effort and follow up to develop and maintain employer relationships. Thanks, Susan
As a Director of Education who oversees our Student Services (including Career Services), I tell my staff that our success can be effectively measured by just three numbers...enrollments, graduates and placements. Getting new students in the door is crucial to our continued viability as a school, helping our students successfuly complete a quality curriculum is our primary objective, effectively placing our graduates in their chosen inducstry is proof that we have accomplished our primary objective. Each department has a role to play in each of these three areas. Strong graduation rates and consistently placing a high percentage of graduates in their profession is a great recruiting tool. High quality graduates are essential to building relationships with local employers who, in turn, seek out our graduates as employees. Strong placement rates are a great incentive for students to complete their programs so they can get the quality jobs as well. It is a win - win - win proposition -- effective recruiting + quality curriculum + strong placement efforts = satisfied graduates which leads to strong recruiting (and the cycle repeats).
You're right Eric - that placement info is very important during the admissions process. That's why we feel that people in career services need to have an on-going dialogue with admissions. Provide reps with information, facts about the career, job placement success, and more. You might work with admissions and see if you can be available to make a brief presentation during interviews, answer questions, and describe how career services is part of the student's training. Your presentation can be called "You're Hired." That will certainly get attention! Thanks, Susan
HI Christopher, Very good summary. Yes, the placement department should be letting the rest of the school know about job placement results. And surveys are very important. Surveys by email, mail, and even phone follow up. And certainly all instructors and staff should know employment skills to pass along to students. And again good points that most stats can be used to make changes and improvements. Again, all great ideas that are easy-to-implement once put in place. Thanks, Susan
Basically, the success of a student reflects the success of the school.
1. The Placement department will be able to supply different statistics for the school, which could be based on surveys sent out to students, former students, and employers alike.
2. Additional skills (from educational development to personal and professional development) can be taught.
3. One major point is that the statistical info provided can be used to develop new practices and courses for the school.
4. Help maintain connections from the school to employers and students.
5. Record of success with students will improve enrollment.
HI Elda, You seem to have a great understanding of the placement services department and that it's more than just teaching a grad how to write a resume. With a range of services offered by career services, the student can learn employment skills. And also build confidence. When the student is satisfied and successful it does impact positively on the entire school - admissions, retention, and of course placement. Thanks, Susan
Placement impacts most areas of the education process, particularly admissions, it becomes an attractive tool for schoold officer to offer placement stats. At the same time it entices potential students based on placements success rate. Although, placement can not be guaranteed to students a well round placement department alway benefits students whether directly or indirectly. Workshops are especially important in assisting them with resumes and interviewing skills among other things.
With Placement it could help with bringing up the enrollment numbers. One of the deciding key factors in choosing a school is the placement rate. Students are going to school to be able to get a job in that field.
You've provided the same response to several forums. Can you please respond to at least one forum with specific comments about how you will apply the methods presented or any other ways you will enhance your department. Thanks, Susan
Training was very informative, educational, and useful.
You have it right, David. Since you are setting up your Placement Department you have the opportunity to do it right. YOu can set up policies, procedures, forms, activities, community and employer outreach programs and more. If you document everything it will be easy to get helpers to assist with the routine parts of the job. You'll have time for networking each day. There's nothing like direct contact with hiring people to show off your school and your grads and to create and sustain relationships. Good luck, Susan
I am just in the process of setting up a Placement Department at a Private Medical School. The Placement department impacts all departments in the school. Not only is a good placement percentage the best way to market for new students which affects the Admissions Department, but to retain current students by assisting in their resume writing, interviewing and job search skills. One of the Placement Departments main objectives is to build relationships with hiring authorities in the industry. By building these relationships, all of the departments in the school win since these leads can also lead to internship, externships and clinical rotations in the medical field for the schools students.
Yes, Linea. We also agree that the right career services offerings do increase retention and enrollment. Students are motivated to stay in school and attend class, when they are clear about the kinds of jobs they can get. And certainly if the word is out that grads do get jobs, admissions will see an increase in referrals. That's why it is important for career services to offer a variety of services to students and to stay in touch with the entire school about your offerings and success. Thanks, Susan
Hi Kevin, What a great idea - VIE. And great that you have employers visit your campus. Having the employers see your campus first hand is a great way to encourage them to think of your grads when seeking new hires. What a great idea to give a gift and also take photos. The photos can become a job success board that can be set up in admissions and other places in the school. Always a good idea to do whatever you can to be sure students see and understand their employment potential. Thanks, Susan
Hi Lesli, We also believe that everything that happens in the Placement department does make a difference to all other departments. Most certainly all admissions reps need to know all the services Placement offers. It's helpful to let admissions know about every successful job placement, where the grad works, what they are doing. Ideally you can set up a graduate success board within the admissions department. In that way students visiting the school will clearly see the results of their studies. Thanks, Susan
I believe that the Placement Department impacts ALL the departments, especially the admissions department. Many potential students want to see prove of the number of students that have been place. Its a great tool to close a contract.
