Incorporating Career Development Skills into the First-Year Seminar Course

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Incorporating Career Development Skills into the
First-Year Seminar Course

• Ann Blasick, MS
• Assistant Director, Division of Professional
  Practice
• Steven P. Girardot, Ph.D.
• Director, Office of Success Programs

30th Annual Conference on The First-Year
Experience February 7, 2011
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Agenda

• Institutional Profile
• Georgia Techs Freshman Seminar (GT 1000)
• GT 1000 Career Development Learning Outcomes
• Case Study Division of Professional Practice
  Cohort Section of GT1000

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Georgia Tech Institutional Profile

• Four-Year, Public Research University
• Six Colleges (35 Majors)
• Engineering, Computing, Sciences
• Management, Liberal Arts, Architecture
• 20,720 students (66 undergraduate)
• Overall Undergraduate Demographics
• 68 from Georgia and 6 international
• 35 minority (12 URM)
• 31 women
• 59 majoring in engineering
• First-year retention rate 94
• Six-year graduation rate 80

Source Office of Institutional Research and
Planning
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Freshman Class of 2010

• 2,700 freshmen
• 63 Georgia Residents
• 8 International
• 76 from India, China, South Korea
• 36 Female
• Average SAT 1370
• Average HS GPA 3.87
• 44 states 51 countries represented
• Top Reasons for Choosing GT
• Academic Reputation (90)
• Get Good Jobs (87)
• Get into top graduate/professional schools (55)

Source Office of Institutional Research and
Planning
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Freshman Seminar (GT 1000) Overview

• Extended Orientation Seminar
• One Contact Hour, Letter-graded
• Average Class size- 25 students
• Not required (70 enrollment)
• Utilizes Peer Mentors (Team Leaders)
• Range of instructors (e.g., faculty, student
  affairs, academic affairs, advisors, etc.)
• Fall 2010- 82 sections offered. Three types of
  Sections
• Interdisciplinary (40 sections)
• Departmental/Disciplinary (27 sections)
• Special Cohort (15 sections)

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Freshman Seminar (GT 1000) Overview

• Curriculum
• University Culture
• Academic Success/Time Management
• Communication Skills
• Major and Career Research
• Career Development Skills
• Leadership and Involvement
• These course topics map to nine learning outcomes
• Three required assignments
• Resume and Cover Letter
• Team Project and Presentation
• Career and Major Project

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Question

• What career development elements (if any) are
  included in your freshman seminar course?

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GT1000 Career Development Learning Outcomes

• Describe the required skills, daily activities,
  current and future state (growth potential), and
  salary potential of the major/career selected
• Develop a resume applicable to internships,
  co-ops, study abroad programs or leadership
  positions (as appropriate)

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Case Study Professional Practice GT1000

• Semesters Piloted in Fall 2009
• Offered again in Fall 2010
• Students 25-30 freshman engineering majors
• Instructor Internship advisor from Division of
  Professional Practice
• Team Leaders 5 engineering seniors who had each
  completed at least 2 semesters of
  co-op or internship work experience

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Additional Career Development Learning Outcomes

• Be able to describe components of the co-op,
  internship and work abroad programs
• Establish personal goals and a timeline for
  next 4 years
• Create a professional reference list
• Develop effective interviewing skills
• Conduct an informational interview
• Create and utilize a LinkedIn Account
• Find and apply for jobs
• Be able to successfully transition from school to
  work

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Syllabus Components

• TL-led Small Groups to follow GT1000 model
• Brief talks on various career topics led by
  instructor and TLs
• Assignments paralleling GT1000 requirements but
  with career development slant
• Guest Speakers (Study Abroad, Undergrad Research)
• Student Panels
• Employers Panels

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Reflective Writing

• Blog prompts on career-related reflection
  questions
• Why did you choose your major? Were you
  influenced by outside factors?
• Do you think your major both matches your skills
  AND would lead to a career you are passionate
  about?
• What aspect of working as a co-op or intern is
  most exciting to you?
• In addition to earning your degree, what other
  goals would you like to achieve while at Georgia
  Tech?

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Team Project Presentation

• 2009 Create a business plan for an original
  company or product utilizing the majors of each
  person in the group
• 2010 Utilized textbook topics including GT
  Traditions,
  Off-Campus Dining or
  Proposal for a new GT Organization

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Resume Cover Letter

• Provided students with sample template and rubric
• Opportunity to submit 1st and 2nd draft
• Harshly graded 1st draft to encourage students to
  revise and submit a 2nd draft
• Required cover letter be written for a specific
  internship/co-op posting from GT job database
• Possible Activities
• Resume with Errors Activity
• 10-second Scan

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Career Project Components

• Researching Your Major
• Professional Articles
• LinkedIn Account
• Informational Interview with Upperclass Student
  in their Major
• Informational Interview with Professional in
  their Field
• Company Spreadsheet using Company Database such
  as Reference USA
• Timeline for their next 4 years
• Reflection Paper

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Additional Activities

• Career Services Career Planner
• Guess Which Major Assignment
• Peer-to-Peer Mock Interviews
• Create your own Elevator Pitch
• Design your Ideal Job
• Clean-up your Cyber Image
• Extra credit for attending Majors Fair, Employer
  Site Visits or Job Shadowing and then writing
  
  a reflective blog post

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Assessment 2009 Survey Results
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Assessment 2010 Survey Results
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Assessment Survey Results
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What was the Most Beneficial Part of the Class?
Top 7 Responses

1. In-depth Overview of Co-op and Internship
   Programs
2. Resume and Cover Letters
3. Employer Panels
4. How to Get and Maintain a Job
5. Interviewing
6. Talking to the TLs about real life student work
   stories
7. Professionalism

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Challenges

• TIME!
• Dedicating time that matches students high
  interest in study abroad, work abroad and
  undergrad research
• Incorporating small group activities and small
  group discussion time
• Teaching how majors connect to
  careers
• Incorporating traditional GT1000
  topics such as time
  management
  and study skills

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Student Quotes

• My search for a co-op after completing this
  assignment seems to be a lot less stressful. I
  know what I want, I know the resources available
  to get it, and I know how to approach companies
  ready to make myself seem like I have the
  potential to be a valuable employeethe class,
  helped me more than I was expecting... I now
  feel prepared, well informed, and ready to job
  hunt!

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Student Quotes

• The lessons learnedhave given me a greater
  understanding of what my major entails and what I
  need to do to become successful, not only at
  Tech, but in the real world.

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Contact Information

• Ann Blasick Dr. Steven Girardot
• Division of Professional Practice Office of
  Success Programs
• ann.blasick_at_dopp.gatech.edu
  steven.girardot_at_vpss.gatech.edu
• 404-894-0735 404-894-1951

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Assessment Entrance Survey Results
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Change of Major
Note All students who changed majors switched
to another STEM major. No students changed to
Business or Liberal Arts.