A Call to Action - cacee.com€¦ · •Demonstrate ethical, moral and intellectual ... Value 10%...
Transcript of A Call to Action - cacee.com€¦ · •Demonstrate ethical, moral and intellectual ... Value 10%...
A Call to Action:
A Time for a New Shift in
Our Thinking About
University and College
Career Services
CACEE December 3, 2013
Overview of the next 20
Minutes
Why this conversation now?
What does this Call to Action
mean for Career Centres?
What does this Call to Action
mean for Employers?
My Lens on This is Predicated on my
Experience over the Past 28 years
Student employee at the CEC-OC at
Memorial in 1985
-Professor, former director of CDEL at Memorial, teach
career development in the leadership development
program at Fac. of Business, former Deputy Provost,
Current AVP Academic and Student Affairs at MI, &
Founding Editor of CJCD
Why this Conversation Now?
In my 28 years of experience in this field I
have never believed the time as more
perfect to enhance the importance of career
centres and match talent with employment
but we need to do some things differently
Why oh Why are we having a disconnect
when the headline read….
• Conference Board of Canada
Summit on Skills and Post
Secondary Education
(Academica)
• PSE Grads less likely to do what
they’re best at (Inside Higher ED)
• Grads need better preparation for
the workplace (Toronto Star)
And more….
• The University Myth of Good
Employment (Toronto Star)
• Giving Employers What the Don’t
Really Want? (Chronicle of HIED)
Why Now….Results from year 3 of a 5
year research project
•Career Integrated Learning
•Competencies not degrees
What does this Call to Action Mean for
Career Centres ?
•Have to connect to the Curriculum
(Teaching and Learning Framework)
•Relevance to the public engagement side
of the institution
•Career Integrated Learning
Project Review
This 5 Year Project was born from…
• Experience in career development
work in post secondary
• Recognition that many students
needed more opportunity to reflect on
their post secondary experiences
• Discussion with colleagues in the
university regarding student
engagement.
• Doctoral research that discussed
student persistence and Career
Development
Memorial University Teaching and
Learning Framework, 2011
• Critical and practical thinkers
• Responsible citizens
• Demonstrate ethical, moral and intellectual
integrity
• Creative and responsible problem solvers
• Passion for learning
• Supportive collaborators with particular regard
to diversity of interests
• Knowledgeable and competent in their field
• Communicate effectively
• Passionate and industrious individuals
Career Integrated Learning
Learn a living (Hall, 1996)
• Learner focus
• Developing skills and attributes
to navigate life/leisure and work
• Learning embedded in
experience
Pilot Program
• Preparation
• Review existing course syllabi
• Re-write with GSC for each
evaluation activity
New Syllabus (in class)
Initially Graduating Student Competency
lists were attached to back
Now integrated with evaluation activity
Course Requirements and
Evaluation
Class Participation - Value 10%
Students are expected to attend and be
prepared for classes and to actively
participate in discussions and activities.
Graduating Student Competencies
Acquired
• Improve Interpersonal Skills
• Improve your ability to understand and
work within the dynamics of a group
• Develop your research skills
• Leadership Skills
• Writing skills (e.g. group summary
response)
• Ability to work within a time frame
• Accepting responsibility for your role in a
group
• Summary, integration and assimilation
skills (e.g. journals and class activities)
• Application of knowledge to practice
• Decision-making
• Critical thinking skills
Mid-Term Stage
1. What did you think when your
instructor included in your
syllabus “ GSC” that you may
develop as a result of
participating in this course?
QUOTES
• I was using them before but not calling
them GSC. But then made the
connection when discussed in class.
• They get us to think outside the box
• Helps see relevancy of course beyond
the classroom
Quotes
• I had not considered my GSC
before this course. I also did not
realize how they may set me apart
from other students applying for
similar jobs.
• In recent job interview I referred
to my competencies not degree.
Mid-Term Stage
3. Have you thought about the GSC
that may be developed in this
course since they were
introduced in your class?
Quotes
• I spoke about the GSC I have
gained throughout university in a
job interview.. And managed to get
a 2nd
interview.
Quotes
• My focus has increased around
how I am developing and refining
them. I am engaging in more
monitoring, defining and refining
of them.
Mid-Term Stage
4. Do you see how these
competencies have been
integrated in your course
activities to date? Please give
examples.
Quotes
• Communication and working in groups
• Time management skills
• Self-reflection skills
• Ability to work in a group dynamic
• This course is one of the most relevant
I’ve taken in terms of application to
career skills.
End of
Semester Stage
2b) Through discussion of these
competencies this term do you
feel you have learned something
about your own skills/attributes?
Please give examples.
Quotes
• I like to take more of a leadership
role.
• I have learned to work more
independently.
• I am good at understanding people
• I have learned I CAN let go and let
others lead
Quotes
• I tend to take on more of a
supportive role in groups due to my
passive nature
• I know how to sell myself better
• I enjoyed working in groups
Quotes
• Spoke about competencies in job
interview.. They were (obviously)
impressed as I got the job!
• Become more employable
Quotes
• Helps me to verbalize my skill set
in interviews
• Increase my confidence
• Helped me realize skills I did not
know I had before
Quotes
Now I visualize myself as part of a
bigger whole… That aside from my
degree and through volunteer work- I
have developed an abundance of skills
I can carry with me throughout life.
Career fair
Approach a min. of 8 booths at Career Fair.
1. Discuss job opportunities based on your
GSC at 4 booths.
2. Discuss job opportunities based on your
degree at 4 booths.
3. Did the response from recruiters differ?
4. Benefits of attending Career Fair?
Quotes
• When discussing GSC with recruiters
some were pleasantly surprised
while others were uncertain as to how
to respond. They were uncertain re:
transferable skills.
“One recruiter even asked if I was
REALLY a MUN student?”
Quotes
• Some booths favored a degree
while others indicated GSC were
more important.
• MORE discussion with GSC than
degree….more engagement!
Quotes
One booth gave a blank stare when
discussing my degree but once GSC
associated with degree were
mentioned they could see the
connection (recruiter felt degree not
related to their field at first).
Quotes
• Degree prompted very predictable
and generic responses.
• Some recruiters were very quick to
think on their feet and respond to
possible job opportunities based
on GSC.
Quotes
• More jobs opportunities based on GSC.
• There was a physical difference in how
people listened to me… they appeared
more interested when discussing GSC
and just entertaining me when
discussing degree
BENEFITS of Career Fair
QUOTES
• Learned about current jobs
• Realized importance of being
aware of GSC and their
transferability.
Quotes
• Met several people who “inspired”
me to look into new employment.
• “looking for a job as a teacher can
be discouraging… the experience
offered me “renewed hope” (other
possibilities).
Quotes
• I can highlight my skills to fit
different companies.
• I gained more confidence in
speaking about myself
• I learned “I AM MORE THAN MY
DEGREE”
Quotes
Defining oneself in terms of a
degree can put you in a “box” based
on attitudes and perceptions about
the degree while defining oneself
by a variety of skills and abilities
proves that we can reach beyond
the label and explore many open
doors and career paths.
Next Steps….
• A Call to Action (CACEE, AUCC,ACCC)
• Employers need to focus on
Competencies not degrees
(Curriculum)
• We need to create Career Centre
advisory committees on our campuses
to create value
• We need to lead the connection of
studies to the world of work (Research)
• Community Engagement
Next Steps….
•Employers need to step up and write letters of
thanks to presidents if they are partners in
career centre experience
• Skills gap or skills mismatch?
• Ask what the community wants from your
career centre?
• CEO to CEO
Career First Aid
Just like community mental health first aid
we need to get the entire community
involved in the career development
conversation
References
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