Placement
As discussed a school is measured by retention and placement results, but what can you do if a number of students after graduating just don't seem to have the drive to join that specific work force that they received training for?
It's very hard to place someone at that point, and subsequently this will affect your placement numbers when it's not for lack of trying your end.
Hi Sarah
Yes, a very common problem for schools. What we have discovered is that for many grads there is a great fear about the job search process. So a lot of work has to be done to prepare students for their first interview. A lot of focus has to be on identifying their fears and getting through them. Once their fears are lessened many gain an interest in looking for a job and stop pretending they don't want to work.
Best wishes, Susan
An approach to this matter would be to meet with the student while they are still attending. You could set up a workshop to help students discuss some of their obsticals. This could help you to see a pattern before the student grads out.
Hi Sarah,
Well I think it's a case of tough love where you are being honest from the admissions interview till graduation, of the realities of the industry and how they can maneuver themselves in it. After that, it is easier to guide them to success because they know what they're getting into. No sugar coating.
HI Jennifer and Sarah, Exactly. You never want any surprises when the student is in school or when they graduate. The more a student knows about the training and the field they are entering, the more likely they will deal with any surprises and challenges and succeed. Best wishes, Susan
Hi Sarah,
I believe a realistic picture of what the jobs are like that the students are training for, starting with marketing info and admissions interviews is very important. One suggestion would be to require an essay in the addmissions test, to determine which applicant has the required determination to succeed in the industry.
Hi Udo and Sarah
Interesting about an essay for admissions. Unfortunately a lot of people can't write very well or express their thoughts. Perhaps you can create a verbal essay. Ask questions and have people tell you. Best wishes, Susan
I believe that the selection process needs to include interviews to find out if the candidates have done their homework about the profession. In addition, a good way of learning about the industry is to actually spending some time in the chosen field. So one of the criteria to admit the student in the College is evidence of them spending time in say X-ray department to see what is undertaken by a radiologic technologist. This may help.
Hi Suhas
Great admissions strategies. It is true that the more the applicant knows about the profession the higher their success. Do your admissions requirements include a certain number of hours that the applicant has to spend in the field? Do ou arrange these sightseeing tours? If the candidate hasn't done their homework, what information do you provide? Thanks, Susan
Susan,
At this time we do not have this process in place, however, this was the process we used in my previous employment. If the candidate has not spend time in the hospital we would interview the candidate and advise the student to make sure that they do so and send the appropriate paperwork for us to process their application.
We also had a catalog designed with all the information related to the chosen field and all the websites that the candidate could visit for further information. In addition, we included a clinical person in the interview so that the candidates were asked questions related to academic and clinical situations prior to admitting them.
Hi Suhas
Thanks for the great information. Sounds like a great plan. What kinds of outcomes assessments do you have in place to measure success and how has it been working? We think it is wonderful way to enroll informed students. And the more informed the more likely to stay and complete. Good luck, Susan
The outcome assessment would be the retention rates and placement rates compared with the same statistics from previous years.
Great Suhas
You might also consider student satisfaction and feedback. And maybe student success and how soon after graduation that they get a job.
Best wishes
Susan
Our school is a Music School so the music industry employment opportunities are very unpredictable, also many students that come to our school do not have the goal of being professionals. They come for the pure enjoyment of musical self-expression. We do have also placement numbers not really reflecting the quality of our program. With this scenario in mind, how do we improve placement?
Thanks!
Hi Vicky
Intersting situation. If students enroll in a course for personal enrichment then placement isn't an issue. If students enroll in programs with no plans to get a job, or are already working, you can ask them to sign a statement that they are not enrolling with the goal of employment. And thus placement isn't required. Your license and other regulatory boards should have accommodations for this. Or perhaps your students take courses or a program because they want to work on their own. Usually regulatory boards have certain accommodations for this. Your goal as a placement department is to show students and grads their options for seeking jobs, job enhancement or promotion, salary increases, etc. You do also need to keep track of what they do upon graduation and then follow up periodically in case their status changes and they do get jobs. You'll learn a lot. Not all as easy as it sounds!
Best wishes, Susan
One of the things that separates our school from other types of schools - like community colleges - is the individual attention we promise to give to our students. This is time-consuming and often frustrating, but absolutely essential in getting our students through the job hunting process. We have to meet with each student individually early on and consistently through the program - not just at graduation time.
Hi Dale, Really well said. Employment and placement skills training is as important as any course, in our opinion. It's not only learning the skills, it's about getting over the fear of the job search, increasing self-esteem, gaining skills in public speaking, overcoming shyness and feelings of inadequacies, and much more. It does take time. Thanks, Susan
Our school as well emphasizes individual attention to our student body. We require an essay with the admissions process to determine why they want to come to culinary school. Also we are very frank about a typical day in the foodservice industry and are there to help our students with finding a job and everything that goes with it. We also encourage our students to help local restaurants/catering companies with special events for additional hands-on training while in school.
Hi Crystal. Sounds like you are doing everything right. We find that students need to be reminded about the occupational outcomes of their training on a daily basis. It's as simple as instructors talking about their work or career services offering many workshops, presentations, etc. throughout the students entire school experience. Or running videos throughout the day showing people on the job. Best wishes, Susan
My overall understanding is that as professionals working in the vocational training field, we have
accepted the challenge that the students that we are wroking with need more help to stay focused, get to the finish line, and find a job. We have no
way but to accpet this challenge, and work on it the best we can. That is also what the regulations hold us to.
There will be always a few that you can not help, no matter what. We should do our best to keep that number to the minimum. I like all the suggestions that focused on encourgaing the students during the lenght of the prgram, and not just the at the end.
