ProPath Offers Structured Approach to Career Planning
09/29/2014
The Career Services & Cooperative Education Center has launched a program that offers students a road map to career development and planning, taking them from freshman year through graduation. Called ProPath, the program lays out both recommended and required activities and opportunities that students can undertake each year, from exploring different career options, to finding internships to learning professional networking skills.
“The goal is to give students a clear path toward career development and make them aware of the many experiential learning options available at or through UMass Lowell so that they are better prepared for the job market,” says Martina Witts, director of Career Services.
Students enroll in the program by attending an orientation session offered by Career Services. ProPath participation is not mandatory but students who do sign up and complete specific activities will be invited to special professional networking events with upperclassmen, alumni and employers. Juniors and seniors who complete required activities will also be eligible for inclusion in resume books sent to employers.
The idea for ProPath grew out of feedback from upperclassmen who said they wish they had gotten involved with Career Services sooner. The program includes career-building activities like resume workshops and interview practice sessions, cover-letter writing and encourages participation in experiential learning opportunities such as volunteer jobs, the DifferenceMaker program or internships.
UMass Lowell has been expanding experiential learning opportunities for students across all disciplines, including the launch several years ago of a professional co-op program. Research bears out that students who graduate with hands-on, professional experience have better prospects entering the job market. For instance, a 2013 study by the Chronicle of Higher Education and American Public Media’s Marketplace found that internships were a top consideration for employers when evaluating recent college graduates.