new career department
I have just begun working for a new and small online school, who have just begun developing student services department and career placement. I am looking for advice and tips on how to create contacts in industries to help with placement?
It is very important to create contact with potential employers to have them placed upon graduation but also is important to know your product. You need to know your students before finding the best fit for them.
Shula,
Great that you are just developing new student services and career services departments. This gives you the opportunity to set up departments with a strong foundation and effective offerings and strategies. We suggest you start with the end in mind. What does the online student need to be successful? Is it extra coaching and mentoring? Should the instructor be required to communicate directly with the student on a regular basis and report any issues to student services? What "issues" should be reported and how should they be handled? What kinds of student services will you offer in the areas of Orientation, study help, library resources, retention, and graduation? For the career services department, again, start with the end goals. What kind of job search coaching can you offer? What about lists of employers where students live? What about online job websites and how to use them? What kind of student information management system can you put in place to track progress and statistics? Have fun. It's a great opportunity. Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
