You are right. It is essential, in our opinion, to talk about placement at the same time admissions reps are explaining the benefits of training and going to your school. It is very important to have very explicit details about your placement services and where grads work prominently on your website. When prospective students check out schools they consider attending, it is more likely they will visit the one that talks about the placement services. Schools that offer Alumni Associations also jump to the top of the list. Susan
I totally agree with your statement that Placement services are more effective when offered to a student towards the beginning of the program as opposed to near the end of the coursework.
Our schools offer a Cosmetology program which I would like to say is "recession proof". Many of the students coming in are "Career changers". Their main concern is to be gainfully employed when they complete the course.
The key to a successful career in the industry is to prepare for it! This process begins the day you meet with the Admissions Department and continues throughout your training.
The students should meet with the placement person frequently, visit salons, (you'd be suprised to see how the salons enjoy meeting prospective employees), attend career fairs, Graduate orientations, Trade shows, etc... They need to see what is "out there".
The excited and motivated student usually knows where they would like to work before they graduate.In addition the placement person should have an ongoing relationship with the student and will know which employer would be a good fit for that student.
Placement is a process and it begins the day the student steps foot in the school.Build a relationship with the students, keep them excited and motivated and the placement rate will soar.
Patricia Johnston
Hi Patricia - Actually we feel that placement services should be occurring throughout the student's experience. Starting from day 1 and yes, starting at time of enrollment. Yes, students need to see what is out there in the workplace And it is great that salon owners like students to visit. Everyone likes to have a part in a student's success. Interesting that students want jobs before graduation day. We think that is a great goal. Keeping the carrot (the job) in front of students definitely does impact on retention. Thanks, Susan
I personaly agree with this stetment. Our career services department used to be set-up to where we would only offer mock-interviews during the last 4 weeks of class in the last semester. I found myself asking, how will we get to work with students if they are not perfoming well in their mock interviews. I made a suggestion that we offer workshops to students during their first semester to get them familiar with career services and what we offer and how we can help.
From there we have a mock interviewworkshop that gives students a clear understanding of what is the industry norm, do's and don'ts of interviwing. Many of these items are discussed becuase these students rarely have any work experience upon graduation.
Now that we offer the mock interview workshops during semester 1, we can then begin having actual mock interviews dureing semesters 2. That leaves us with semester 3 to get those that still arent prepared an opportunity to improve on their skills and interviewing skills.
Therefore, I feel that student services should start right at the beginning when they start their program. It is vital that students know who their placement coordinator is so they can contact them any time. The better effort we make in building a relationship with our students early on, the easier it will be to get information from them when they have graduated.
From day one starting at orientation unitl they complete the program and long after that.
That's what we think too. Students enroll to get a job. So teaching them job skills throughout their time at your school is a very effective way to do that. It takes a long time to build confidence. So starting at the beginning is a good idea. Thanks
I agree - it is important for the student to see the future and for them to picture themselves as successful at the beginning rather the end.
We totally agree that placement services start as early as enrollment. People enter career schools to train for a job. That's their focus. So real important to show them all the services you offer to help them before, during, and after the job search. And then offer career training on day one. Thanks, Susan
At orientation and throughout the student's program. We are developing a strong Placement Department by becoming a part of the student's curriculum from the very beginning. Then by the time the student graduates they are confident in not only their required program skills but their soft skills as well.
Sounds great Vicki. We believe that employment skills training should be required throughout the program and also should start at the time of admissions. Students enroll to be able to get a job. So they have to know that the school is doing everything possible to make that happen. Susan
I definitely agree that placement and career services are more effective when offered to a student at the beginning of the course and continued throughout the course. It takes time for a student to build their portfolio and at our school if they wait until the end, they are too busy completing their final projects. They need to take advantage of what career services has to offer from the beginning and continue to build their skills. They will then be more prepared in the "real world" when they graduate.
Very well put. We also think that ongoing career services projects builds confidence. And confidence is not something that happens automatically. We also believe that career services assignments should be mandatory. The goal is a job in the field the grad trained for. Thanks, Susan
I agree. Fortunately our office is somewhat of a small setting at this time. I like to meet the propsective students as they come in for a tour of the school and just introduce myself in a friendly manner. After that, I do attend orientation on the first day and go over everything my department has to offer. We have developed student surveys for them to fill in the beginning, middle, and towards the end that ask general questions about their goals, what type of setting they are looking for, if they want to specialize in a specific area, and where they want to work geographically. Sometimes, the answers to these questions change as a student progresses through the program. These surveys help us to continue to know the student and their desires and we are better prepared to place them when the time comes.
Sounds like you are keeping in touch with students throughout their studies. That's a good thing. We suggest that they be required to complete career services assignments along with other required courses. It takes a while to learn the job search skills and can't happen at the end of the training program. Re your surveys - hope you are compiling information, sharing with other departments, and making changes. Thanks, Susan
The information obtained in the surveys as well as conversations that I have with students is entered into a software program that the other departments have access to as well. We are required to view the comments entered on a regular basis so everyone is kept up to date on a students progress as well as any concerns or challenges they may be facing.
Great idea to track all student interaction with faculty and staff. Lots to learn in terms of trends or simply what might be missing in your curriculum. Some regulatory bodies require proof of student engagement with the school. All this impacts retention. thanks, susan
I feel that it should start in the begining. I tell my students on orientation day that they now have two jobs, one going to school and the other job searching. They came to school for a job, so they have to put as much into the search as we do. We start with in the first 6 weeks they are in school, with resume preparation.
Sharon cologero
they start on orientation day, Day 1. i agree it is more effective toward the begining of the program, this way they are thinking JOB, and this will help them to continue to realize why they have enrolled in a career school, to get a job, so right from the begining is the best.
Sharon Cologero
This is great. That is the focus - students do have two goals and need to be reminded of doing great in school and the job search. Thanks
Students are thinking mostly JOB when they think about enrolling in a school. That's our experience. Thanks, Susan
