Retention and Placement
Retention isn't simply the goal and/or responsibility of an Academic/Education Department. This factor effects all departments, and as such, all departments must make retention a priority. The Career Services/Placement department plays an active role in retention/attrition. Indeed, in this economy, job placement assistance is a valuable service available to students, and may make the decision to stay in school easier. Understandably, money is a motivator, and if funding becomes an issue for students, the placement department may be able to offer help.
Having just met with other directors of career services, I would like to elaborate on the topic of retention. My campus has experienced a 47% increase in graduates this year, thus far. Obviously, my department will have their hands full in assisting these grads in finding employment in their fields, as our job duties revolve around our placement percentages. However, we still have an obligation to help current students secure jobs while they are attending, any type of position that helps them "get by." Placement assistance is a service that is legally available to them, and in this manner, career services representatives can wage their own war on attrition. We are responsible for assisting with attrition. But, on a different level, we should help them...if nothing more than to sleep easier at night knowing that we have done all that we can do.
How are the duties assigned in your office, Carly? Do you have separate people working on jobs for in-school students vs. developing leads for full time employment?
carly you are correct.
at are campus we have students that have to work to stay in school if they dont have money they will not be focused,We also have departments that try to help them in this area.
