The rapid pace of technological change is revolutionizing every sector of the economy, transforming how value is created and delivered to consumers through technologies like robotics, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things. This transformation underscores the need for a diverse workforce as the new skills valued and…

Immigrant college students often encounter daunting tasks and obstacles when exploring career paths, seeking employment and experiential learning opportunities aligned with their interests within the dominant US higher education structure. Considering that there is a career services and development literature gap on immigrant students (who…

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the labor market, with more than 40 million Americans who have filed for unemployment. The recovery will be long and difficult, and communities of color are bearing the brunt of this economic impact, exacerbating inequities that have long existed in our education and workforce systems. Recent…

While employment rates and wages for college graduates are extraordinarily higher than for those without a college degree (NCES, 2023), underemployment remains a significant challenge for graduates unable to find positions that align with their skills and education levels. However, innovative career services strategies are helping institutions…

America is undergoing a reckoning as the pain, suffering and setbacks caused by years of systemic racism is coming into full view. This heightened awareness around racism, sparked by death and injustice, must result in the development of real pathways to eliminate systemic racism, or it will be a lost opportunity for our generation to do our part…

College students who identify as transgender face numerous roadblocks in accessing employment opportunities. With an unemployment rate three times higher than the U.S. average, much of the transgender employment discrimination reveals itself in the process of seeking employment. Research indicates students identifying as transgender feel pressure…

This chapter describes the expectations of employers for recent college graduates within the current state of higher education, the resulting career readiness competencies developed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, and the increasing shift for colleges and universities to recognize career readiness as an institutional…

Colleges and universities are recognizing the need to reimagine their approach to career services support. The old career services model is a reactive one, with career centers that students can seek out if they want to and with services typically including assistance with job searches, resume review, and interview preparation. Today, students face…

This chapter emphasizes that the practice of career counseling should be the foundation of career centers.

Providing career preparation for our students continues to be a focus for faculty, departments, and institutions. Professional development is most effective when accessible to students in a number of ways. This article presents how career preparation can be incorporated in advising, through programming and assessment in a career center, and in the…

This chapter addresses a range of core programs that career centers can lead in contributing to an institution-wide seamless system of career services.

This chapter provides career professionals with an overview of current assessment practices and a framework for understanding how to bring practitioner-led assessment activities into daily practice.

Universities, colleges, and their academic programs are under increasing pressure to demonstrate positive job outcomes for graduates. A degree in political science confers on students a host of transferrable skills, but career paths for using those skills are not always clear. We present one method for leveraging the resources of the campus career…

Why don't more students use the career center? Shane J. Lopez argues that the traditional career center has not kept up with students' needs. He suggests that they reimagine themselves as places where students identify and nurture their strengths in order to find fulfilling work and create fulfilling lives.

As one of the 30 community college presidents taking part in the American Association of Community Colleges' (AACC) Pathways Project, El Paso Community College (EPCC) President William Serrata is learning from coaches and national experts at each of six Pathways Institutes run by AACC. He also has a key state-level resource that allows him to…