James,
Placement being seen as part of the journey as early and as often as possible helps students prepare for the end goal.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
From day 1 of class, the instructors in my program talk to students about jobs in the field and how important every course is to their success. Our placement area usually reaches out to students at the mid way point of their program which has worked well. We always are reminding students the importance of them reaching out to the placement department.
The placement department at the school works well to keep students informed on there progress by reports after all test and labs.
Kent,
Retention is a school wide priority and begins at enrollment. However, if the classroom environment is one of caring and engagement retention becomes significantly easier.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
Currently, we have academic advisors who can help assist with retention as well as student services personnel.
We could improve our mentoring program or formalize it a bit more.
Also, we could discuss retention and make it a bit more of a priority.
Karyn,
Keeping the end in sight throughout the program does help prepare students. Has this effort been reflected in the school's placement rates?
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
Carroll,
Yes. Do you have these in place at your school?
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
resume skills and interview skills seminars will help retention
Our students meet Career Services at orientation. We work closely with them and time is blocked into our classes for lectures, powerpoints, mock interviews, how to sell themselves, and etiquette of interviews. The process is repeated at different classes so as another instructor may have had a class i just finished with, it gives them another perspective when career services does the presentation. Also hearing from their classmates who have had interviews or stages helps. WE tell them to stage early and often, work with their instructors, volunteer to work school events. AS big as our industry is, it's very small and the more you can get a foot in the door, the better you will be.
Marie,
This also contributes to career readiness and potentially placement.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
In an attempt to improve our student retention, we have started having the career services department hold monthly workshops with the students. They discuss resume writing, dressing for the interview, interview skills, etc.
Damien,
Are the tests verbal or practical? If verbal are the questions written as if from an interview. It has been my experience that students need practice to answer such interview questions.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
Our placement department give tests to evaluate students knowledge to match them properly with the class content
QUINTIN,
Sounds like a plan. Is this happening now?
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
First, to get students geographic info, then throughout the program, start tuning the resume, then posting leads and also how to info sessions for interviewing.
Kay,
Having a career class at each end of the program is a great approach. Are the suits loaners or do the students keep them?
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
We have a career development class for the students' first term. The last term includes a career management class. We assist with resumes, job searches, etc.... Also, mock interviews and dress for success workshops are performed. We provide a suit for each student upon completion of Career Management. This is beneficial especially to the students with low income or no way to purchase a nice professional suit for interviews.
The placement department visit students in very terms/block in the student’s classroom setting. It helps to be in the classroom because the instructors get involved.
Arthur,
The early involvement with Career Placement is great. It helps set student expectations on the prize at the end of the program, a career.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
Training is a constant at our Intitute. the first day of class everyone takes Professional Development. From that moment its a union between faculty and Career Placement. We have no experation date on our student-graduates.
