Collaborating with employers to create placement.
Hi Susan,
We have been exploring how we can create win/win economic relationships with employers, to facilitate placement. Strategies we have used are educating employers about State/Federal job training initiatives and funding streams to pay for pre-employment costs, and tailoring curricula to job descriptions. Do you have other suggestions?
Thanks!
Karl
Hi Karl
Staying in touch with employers opens lots of opportunities. They are a source for more jobs and for enrolling their employees. They can sit on your advisory board and give you feedback about your curriculum and equipment. They can tell you if your training is relevant to the workplace and what else your grads need to know to be successful and work ready. They can speak with your students, mentor and coach them, and provide interview practice. They can offer scholarships. Any number of types of collaboration.
Best wishes. Susan
Many of the companies that hire from my department are old students. Gone on to become successful, now call back to hire grads.
It works
Barbara Jobin
HI Barbara
Yes, happy and employed grads are very likely to hire your current grads. What is important is to stay in touch with alumni. The same concept can really apply to all employers. Keep in touch with them, let them know about your programs, ask them their opinions, and they will be great resources.
Best wishes
Susan
Karl,
We also utilize our Advisory Boards. Our Board members assist us with curriculum content, Career opportunities for graduates, industry trends and technological outcomes, etc..
We have also found that being a facilitor for meetings has become very successful. Example; we are located in a very heavily manufacturing area. We offer programs such as CAET/ET/HVAC etc.. We offer a topic to be discussed once a month and invite some of the top manufacturing HR people to sit in and discuss. (of Course we offer Lunch and a tour of our facilities). THis is just one idea. We actually have a designated department for community outreach.
Pam
Pam,
A designated community outreach department is a great idea. Can you provide us with more details? Thanks
Susan
We have a seperate department with 1 designated employee. Her position requires her to stay involved with the Community, through serveral means of contact. Chamber of Commerce, Associations, Rotary Club, Womens Club etc...
Her position assist the institute in two ways; from a marketing/Sales prespective and externship/placement prespective. This position is relatively new, so we are still in the early stages with it. So far we have found the contact with the Community beneficial.
Pam
Your Community Relations department is a great idea. Something for every school - large and small. You definitely want to stay involved in the major community orgnizations like the chambers and economic development boards. Also professional organizations that relate to your careers. We suggest keeping in regular contact with current and prospective employers. Employers are a source for job openings, prospective students,externships, scholarships, advice, and more.
Great job. Anyone else with community relations staff?
Best wishes
Susan
Hi Karl-
Can you please share with us the strategies you used for educating employers about State/Federal job training initiatives and funding streams to pay for pre-employment costs?
I am always looking for ways to support the employment process. Thank you, Michele
I just wanted to make a comment. Every year we have an advisory board meeting to get ideas and to improve our course curricullum. I take it upon myself as the "Placement Associate" to introduce myself to these individuals. I also work into the conversation to ask them for a favor by coming out to the school to speak with students about what they are looking for when hiring graduates. This also helps with the externship program.
Barbara
Hi Barbara
Very good points re use of Advisory Boards. Here are a few more to develop the opportunities. Suggest that additional Advisory Board meetings be held. Some can be held via email and conference call. Helps to keep members attached to the school and the ideas flowing in. Also suggest you communicate with the members via a variety of ways to keep them informed about placement. Then plan on making specific requests of them. Ask them to attend the school on certain dates to give presentations, hold mock interviews, give students tours of the workplace, arrange for mentoring, give you job openings on a regular basis, etc. Do what you are doing but do more of it. You'll get more results. Best wishes, Susan
I am new to this position in the placement department and have more of a forteit in the externship department. I am looking for suggestions on how to consistantly gather placement information from either our extern locations or outside sources.
Joice
HI Joice, Information gathering and analysis is critical to anything. Lots of ways to get information - questionnaires, in person interviews, email questionnaires, by phone, mail, fax. Ask everyone for their input and feedback. And then use the info to make changes. Good luck, Susan
One of my goals is to make sure that I continued to be out in the field more often. When I have met with past employers that have hired our students or met with new employers to develop new externship sites for current graduates, I have found that there's nothing like face-to-face meetings with the employers, instead of relying only on phone,Email or regular mail. When I have met with employers in person, the employers were able to give me more valuable and honest feed back, whether it's postive or negative. I then take this very important vital information and relate this back to my Directors, Staff and Faculty, Furthermore, we could implement new goals and strategies to better serve our Student and Employers and improve the quality of education that we provide at our College.
Great plan, Lucy. It is sooo important to get out of the office and meet employers and prospective employers in person. You are right - face to face and you discover a lot of information that is limited by phone and email. And it's easier to quickly build rapport. It's easier to candidly ask for feedback and get honest and helpful responses. You'll also want to get employers to your school to see your operations first hand. They might also be willing to hold mock interviews and talk with students about how to be successful on the job. Thanks, Susan
