12/07/2021
By Julie Nash

As you plan for Spring 2022, the First Generation Working Group, in collaboration with the Career & Co-op Center, is encouraging faculty to incorporate career development in the classroom. Doing so exposes all students (not solely first generation) to important concepts, skills, and knowledge to support their preparation for future careers.

Consider these five ways to incorporate career development into your classroom:

  1. Routinely share with students the essential learning outcomes associated with class assignments. UML’s essential learning outcomes align closely with the NACE Career Readiness Competencies. It can be valuable for students to understand how what they are doing for classes aligns with the competencies and behaviors they will need in the workplace.
  2. Require students to complete a “ready-made” career-related classroom assignment.
  3. Create an assignment that encourages students to attend a career workshop, networking program, or other career-related event. The Career & Co-op Center offers events and workshops weekly during the fall and spring semester; view upcoming career events on the website.
  4. Invite a guest speaker(s) to visit your class to talk about their career path - this can be as short as 5 to-10 minutes or a full class period. A panel is another option that can easily expose students to multiple career paths at one time. Our alumni love to be invited to visit our students and share their experiences and advice.
  5. Invite Career Services to deliver a presentation to your students.

Have an idea and want to discuss feasibility? Email kerry_willardbray@uml.edu and a Career & Co-op Center staff member will be in contact with you.

Thank you for considering how you can integrate career development into the courses you teach.