Posts

How To Find A Mentor As A College Student Or Recent Grad

By Tracy Brower, PhD, Reprinted from Forbes If you want to advance your career, expand your capabilities or just get advice, you can’t do better than finding a mentor, especially as a college student or recent grad. But a lot of people aren’t sure how to find a coach, and they are reluctant to ask […]

AI is making networking and social skills more critical. Are your students prepared?

By Robert Markle, Reprinted from SmartBrief In an AI-driven future, social skills aren’t just a plus; they’re a prerequisite. Between 1980 and 2012, jobs requiring social skills surged by almost 12%, while their less social counterparts dwindled by 3.3%. By 2030, demand for social skills is projected to skyrocket 26% across all industries. But social […]

3 Ways to Help Students Gain the Career Connections They Need to Succeed

By Robert Markle, Reprinted from The74 Between 2012 and 2018, rates of loneliness in school among teens nearly doubled. COVID-19 school closures only added fuel to the fire, leaving students feeling even more isolated and withdrawn. In response to this nationwide epidemic, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s recent advisory urges institutions, including schools and community organizations, […]

People-powered pathways: Lessons in how to build students’ social capital through career-connected learning

By Robert Markle, Anna Arsenault, and Julia Freeland Fisher, Reprinted from The Christensen Institute Download the Paper Executive Summary What will it take to ensure that all students, especially those furthest from opportunity, are on a path to promising and fulfilling careers? Schools are increasingly engaging in career-connected learning to increase career exposure and skill […]

The value of career mentoring programs for justice-involved youths

Varghese, F. P., Bihm, E. M., Gibbons, C., Bull, C., Whitmore, J., Nolan, J., & Tomas Flores, L. (2022). Pilot Study of Career Mentoring Program for Juveniles. Psychological Services. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ser0000689 Summarized by Charlotte Styron and Ariel Ervin Notes of Interest:  Employment plays an important role in preventing recidivism among adults involved with the justice […]

Too often, we are left to sink or swim: Young people discuss equitable pathways to opportunity

By and reprinted from the American Youth Policy Forum AYPF recently conducted focus groups to obtain feedback from young people on creating equitable pathways to opportunities. The discussion with our young people surrounded access and success in post-secondary education and training that would directly lead to meaningful employment. Here are some of the valuable insights […]

Microcredentials and mentoring: How universities can boost student employability

By Ann-Louise Davidson, Reprinted from YouthREX The looming recession climate is causing concerns over skyrocketing student debt. On top of a deeply unaffordable housing market, these factors call for universities to be more relevant in terms of preparing students for employability. This is a break with the traditional mission of the universities. Economist George Fallis, […]

Networking as a First-Generation Student Can Be Hard. Here’s How to Get Started.

By AiLun Ku and Ray Reyes, Reprinted from the Harvard Business Review If you’re a first-generation college student, you might have heard people tell you to network for better opportunities. If you’ve rolled your eyes at that piece of advice, you’re not alone. The truth is that, for students from underrepresented backgrounds, including low-income households […]

New study explores: The uneven climb from college to career

By Karin Fischer, Reprinted from The Chronicle of Higher Education Ask students why they go to college, and they cite one reason more often than any other: To get a better job. Yet students’ chances of landing that good job after graduation aren’t created equal. Low-income students, students of color, and those who are the […]

New study explores how peer mentoring enhances students’ career goals

Boat, A. A., Miranda, A., & Syvertsen, A. K. (2022). Enhancing education and career pathways through peer and near-peer social capital. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 51(7), 1287–1304. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-021-01540-x Summarized by Ariel Ervin Notes of Interest:  Although social capital is known for assisting individuals with achieving their goals, research on this subject primarily examines the […]