At my school we used to have a discrepancy between admission and career service and Academic goals. We have been working diligently the past couple of years to narrow this gap and it is working. Some of the things we have implemented:-
Quarterly meetings to discuss Market demands and employer needs
The addition of soft skill training into the curriculum
Introduce soft skills training to all staff as well – “it all starts with us firstâ€
All departments help contribute to make student- Employer Ready!
Hi Ann.
Unfortunately, we did not use software to collect all the data. I had created a manual with instructions, roles, template forms for capturing the data, and a schedule of review and discussion. It was not the most technically saavy means of doing so, but we know we needed to get it done.
Jennifer
Jennifer,
Great approach, the challenge many institutions face is tracking the kind of rich data needed to evaluate feasibility. Do you mind sharing with everyone what specific software you use to collect and analyze the data?
Ann Cross
I would recommend that institutions conduct a quarterly review of data analysis to identify any gaps between enrollment management and employment rates. Doing continuous feasibility studies will help the institution better prepare for strong graduate employment success. Our institution has been conservative in regard to enrolling into specific programs and ensuring that there is employment availability on the other end.
Michelle,
This kind of comprehensive approach is what is needed. What specific steps did you take to gain this kind of campus-wide participation in employment outcomes?
Ann Cross
