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

Current Discourse in Media

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

Working Model

Smith et al. 2009

Facilitator Curriculum

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

End of

Semester Stage

2c) Do you feel that becoming

aware of your GSC is helpful to

you? Explain.

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.

Why is a Call to Action Important for

Employers?

CAREER FAIR PROJECT

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

Thank you so Much and thank

you for doing such amazing

work !

References

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry & Business

Council of Australia. (2002). Employability Skills for the Future. Canberra: Department of Education, Science & Training.

Conference Board of Canada. (2000+). Employability

Skills Profile.

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Web Links

• National Association of graduate Careers Advisory Services nagcas.org.au/ALTC

• The Higher Education Academy www.heacademy.ac.uk