Key points:
- Workforce readiness is a key priority for institutions–and recent grads
- Bridging education and employment to boost workforce preparedness
- 3 ways to create a strong STEM pipeline in higher ed
- For more news on workforce readiness, visit eCN’s Teaching & Learning hub
Higher education institutions are facing stiff headwinds. Skyrocketing costs, mounting skepticism about the value of a degree, and a renewed interest in skilled trades have led to declining enrollment and rising dropout rates.
Nearly half of recent grads believe they could have landed their current job without a degree, and with the velocity of skills change accelerating, at least one-third of the skills second-year students are learning right now could be obsolete by the time they graduate.
At the same time, employers lament that recent grads are woefully underprepared for the workforce, citing a lack of professionalism and workplace etiquette as their top concerns.
In a more competitive job market and with a college degree becoming increasingly harder to sell, institutions must find ways to differentiate themselves when it comes to preparing students for post-graduation success.
Here are seven low-cost strategies colleges can add to their curriculum that give grads an edge and promote their institution’s commitment to workforce readiness.
1. Speaker series can showcase alternative pathways. There is a whole world of career opportunities out there that most students know nothing about. For example, tech skills like AI, automation, and cybersecurity aren’t just for Silicon Valley. They are in high demand across a broad range of companies, including aerospace, education, healthcare and critical infrastructure. Just recently, even I was surprised to see brands like Levi’s and L’Oreal recruiting talent at a tech conference–their processes also rely on automation and AI skills. Inviting speakers to talk about their jobs exposes students to a diverse array of careers beyond traditional roles. For example, there is ample opportunity for engineers and other technical experts in the military and defense industries. But at most career fairs, these booths are oftentimes overlooked by students who instead wait hours in line to add their resume to the pile of thousands at the Big Tech firms. Inviting these speakers to class costs nothing, but can drastically expand students’ employment horizons.
2. Encourage entrepreneurship. While there may be ample opportunity in traditional employment, some students are well suited to build their own businesses. Yet, higher education spends most of its energy herding students into traditional employment to boost their job placement rate. In addition to providing technical skills, we should encourage students to be creative, figure out how to fill marketplace gaps, and create their own paths. Consider business plan contests or “Shark Tank” style competitions that foster entrepreneurship.
3. Engage with industry and government agencies. College curricula are often stagnant and slow to adapt to industry change. Do your department heads and curriculum developers actually know what employers are looking for in candidates, both now and in the future? Instead of just kindly accepting donations from industry partners and putting their names up on the wall, your team should also be routinely meeting with their HR and operations staff to ensure your programs cover what their companies require. It not only gives your students an edge, but it positions your program on the cutting edge of workforce development initiatives.
4. Develop a robust career center. When it comes to career counseling, most college career centers provide “what ifs” but few leads. Staff should partner with industry leaders, promote job openings, and help facilitate hiring. They also need to be engaged with students as part of the curriculum. Instead of only being available if/when students come to the center for support, career staff should seek out students for regular touchpoints and incorporate workforce readiness into the classroom.
5. Offer applied learning opportunities. Internships have been shown to improve job attainment and help students earn higher starting salaries, not to mention learn professionalism, communication, problem-solving, and collaboration–those etiquette skills employers say new grads are lacking. Companies also benefit by tapping into young talent, the ability to pre-onboard prospective employees, and it’s a low-cost way to recruit.
6. Encourage research. The ability to conduct research and solve real problems is in extremely high demand, and students who haven’t done this work will struggle to compete with those who have. For example, at the National Institute for Aviation Research (NAIR), students are reverse engineering aircraft and building digital twins, giving even first- and second-year students a chance to work on real-world projects. In addition to hands-on learning, this experience gives students an opportunity to expand their skills and develop passion for the work.
7. Prioritize soft skills. During an interview, I once asked a student, “Why does this job interest you?” His honest answer: “Because I need the money.” That may have been true, but students need to be able to move beyond that, to tell their story, explain why an opportunity aligns with their passion and how they can contribute to an organization. Career centers should work with students to practice interviewing, public speaking, presentation, and communication skills, as well as tailoring their resumes for specific opportunities.
While it’s never too early to start offering these career exploration opportunities, senior year is definitely far too late. Higher-ed institutions would benefit from implementing a tiered system beginning in sophomore year that starts with career and entrepreneurship exposure, followed by soft skills training to help students attain those applied learning and research roles.
By incorporating career readiness into the curriculum, colleges can not only better prepare their students for future employment, but also cultivate their reputation as valuable partners in building the workforce of tomorrow.
Anthony Newbold is an accomplished educator with more than two decades of experience in the field. As the NextGen STEM Program Director at FirePoint Innovations, he leads the Future Innovators Program, which aims to develop the next generation of aerospace engineers by exposing them to the defense industry and providing professional support. To help expand opportunities for students and grow the program in the future, please consider donating to this foundation and passing this information along to others. For more information, please email Anthony Newbold (anthony.newbold@gofirepoint.org).