With technology advancements rapidly reshaping the workforce, students of all ages are demanding high-quality work-based learning in education programs. But what does that look like, and what higher education institutions are making career connections for today’s learners?
A recent report from the Center for Higher Education Policy and Programs (CHEPP) at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) makes a strong call for work-based learning and career connections “to be integrated into all learning degree types and modalities in higher education.” CHEPP researchers add that they be “tailored to the variety of learner needs and circumstances,” whether they are full-time or part-time students, whether they intend to start a career or change careers.
Calbright College is already showing innovative leadership in developing programs and support that integrates work-based learning, and a record of success.
“Through our Improving Career Connection Opportunities for Today’s Learners research, we saw firsthand how Calbright is redefining the link between education and employment,” CHEPP Executive Director Jamie Fasteau said.
The Path to Providing Opportunities, Skills, and Experience
The CHEPP researchers recommend specific strategies and best-practices, including:
- Authentic Workforce Opportunities: Learners without prior experience in professional work settings can benefit greatly from opportunities that convey the norms and experiences of being an employee. While an on-site, full-time job may not be feasible, experiences could be designed to include things like having an assigned supervisor, participating in team meetings, etc.
- Technical and Durable Skill Development: Strategies should emphasize both skill sets, as employers are seeking the technical skills to do the job on day one, and the durable skills to manage the change and challenges over the course of the job.
- Respect and Validation of Learners’ Existing Skills: Adult learners bring with them transferable skills from prior employment and life experiences into higher education. Sometimes they need support translating those skills into their desired career path. Credit for prior learning (CPL) can also convert those skills into credits to accelerate their path to a degree.
- Pathways through Career Connection Strategies: Institutions and employers should partner to facilitate increasingly deeper career engagement for students, allowing them to convert career exploration and project-based learning activities into an informational interview, a shadowing opportunity, or a paid internship.
- Paid Opportunities: For learners to undertake more time-consuming experiences, the pay must be sufficient for them to forgo their earnings from work.
- Paired with Comprehensive Supports: Advisors are crucial advocates and guides for learners navigating the career connection strategies, helping them understand their options, develop a plan, stay on track, and tap into their skills. Other supports can include cohorts, financial benefits, and accommodation services.
- Embedded into Existing Commitments: Strategies should minimize the amount of additional time learners need to spend to acquire experience. Learners can try out the skills they learned in their coursework at their current job, or they can get experiential learning in the classroom through project-based learning or clinical experiences for credit.
- Clear Goals: Strategies should have established expectations and outcomes for the experience. For example, they could specify details such as the type of work to be performed, performance evaluation, and the skills to be developed—details that should be understood and agreed upon by the learner, their institution, and the employer. Institutions should seek to standardize outcomes with recurring employer partners and align the outcomes of the experience with those of the academic program.
- Good Data Practices: Continuous improvement efforts should be informed by employer and learner satisfaction surveys as well as employment outcome data. Institutions should examine what career strategies are most effective for different types of learners.
At Calbright, implementing these practices has been essential since the College’s start in 2018, with the growing shift toward skills-based hiring in the job market. As Calbright Vice President of Learning and Instruction Shannon McCarty shares, that signaled to the College, and other institutions the urgency to integrate and blend durable skills learning as well as real-world experience where students can apply and showcase competencies.
“With increasing scrutiny on the ROI of degrees, it’s no longer enough to deliver theory. Students must leave with tangible evidence of their abilities,” McCarty said.
Calbright’s work-based approach and career focus also means students have access to career and job search support, free of charge. As the CHEPP report notes:
“Calbright College integrates its career services and career advising into its student success efforts. Every student is assigned a student success counselor who supports them with academic success strategies, basic needs, career readiness, and exploration. Further, the career services team supplements this one-on-one support by offering a suite of workshops and events aimed at interview preparation, job search strategies, resume and cover letter support, building durable skills, and connecting with employers. One innovative approach is a job search module, where learners go through a mock job search process, then get feedback from a career-readiness faculty member. Calbright learners have found greatest satisfaction and value from events that bring in industry experts and employers who can share insights on job market trends and strategies to help them stand out to hiring managers.”
Graduates like Williams agree that this kind of support matters to them,
“Studying at Calbright was amazing,” Williams said. “The professors responded to everything I asked, and were very helpful. People with Calbright weren’t just helpful with my classes, though, they were also helpful with my whole job search. They helped me create my resume and develop it. They helped me create my LinkedIn profile, and optimize it. I took advantage of everything Calbright has to offer.”
Graduates like Alicia were even able to use Calbright’s career support to get jobs in new industries before they had completed their classes.
“I needed a job,” Alicia said, “so I found Calbright and the first thing I did was go to Career Services and work with the resume builder. She helped me a lot, and then I used that resume to get the job I have now at a non-profit at a children’s hospital. And that has really helped.” Alicia’s career has accelerated since then with other high profile opportunities.
These kinds of initiatives, the CHEPP report says, are leading edge – and a direction other colleges should follow.
“By embedding durable skills into every program and giving learners badges to demonstrate their abilities, Calbright makes education immediately relevant in the job market. We appreciate their willingness to share their approach, which serves as a model for other institutions.”
