Career Services Performance Group

Public

Ask a question from your peers to help you in your professional work. Seek different points of view on a topic that interests you. Start a thought-provoking conversation about a hot, current topic. Encourage your peers to join you in the discussion, and feel free to facilitate the discussion. As a community of educators, all members of the Career Ed Lounge are empowered to act as a discussion facilitator to help us all learn from each other.

Cheryl Zapata

Placement Office Utilization

What specific methods work to encourage student participation with the placement office on a one to one basis after graduation?

Karl Kaufman

Collaborating with employers to create placement.

Hi Susan, We have been exploring how we can create win/win economic relationships with employers, to facilitate placement. Strategies we have used are educating employers about State/Federal job training initiatives and funding streams to pay for pre-employment costs, and tailoring curricula to job descriptions. Do you have other suggestions? Thanks! Karl

Karl Kaufman

Placement/Student Services Dept.

Hi Susan, Some career schools we have spoken with have placement modules as a distinct curriculum component. We would need to extend our programs to include additional placement related instruction, unless we added it as an optional class. Yet, I wonder if the students who most need this placement related training will indeed take an additional class if it isn't required. Thanks, Karl

Kate Harmon

Grads

We contact our grads with a newsletter format monthly (this seems to work best) we have found that by asking our grads to participate in submitting articles for the newsletter (whether it is work related or product related) it keeps the grads keep coming back. We also have an incentive referral program for grads. We encourage our grads to participate as a teacher's aid, which in some ways gives them a job right out of school and keeps them attached to the college. Student surveys can be a bit tricky to get participation, so once again we offer bookstore incentives… >>>

Karl Kaufman

Setting Up Externships

Dear Susan, I have been working part time for two years on creating externship relationships with regional employers. Graduates find them very valuable, and we have had a significant number of hires out of the externships. However, it has been a process that has been slow-going, as I use a contractual clinical relationship and maintain malpractice insurance for the participants. The contract has to be approved, and that can take some time due to the various levels of review. Do you have any suggestions for facilitating this process, and crafting relationships that are attractive to employers? Thanks, Karl

Karl Kaufman

Other Resources

Dear Susan, Do you recommend any other resources on the topic of placement? Are there any books available that expand on these themes? Do you have a book, and how would I obtain it? Karl Kaufman

Kate Harmon

Understanding Placement Services

I have had to evaluate what I can take one and what will have to wait for our placement department. One thing that is really standing out is finding out how much our Graduates want to be involved with this endeavor. I am thinking of setting up an externship and have a graduate volunteer help manage the research required to set up this department. We already have a lot of industry contacts and many great leads for jobs, but most of our career programs are for those interested in being self-employed. Much of the services would be business development and… >>>

Kate Harmon

designate jobs to correct departments?

I have asked my admissions department to ask new students to advise us of places they aspire to work with phone and address. I hope to contact them and to have a working relationship by the time the student graduates. Although this will not work for all students it should give me an idea of what the core needs are for our job seekers. Also I am sure this will give me a good start for building industry contacts. Any other ideas would be most helpful. Kate

Moszetta Horton