The Career Center invites UNC Charlotte faculty to partner on the integration of career competencies into their current academic courses in order to support students in their overall skill development. The Career Competency Institute engages faculty in a process of translating the activities and assignments in one or more of their courses to enhance the visibility to students; the long-term goal is to work towards a “career competency-integrated” major. In such a major, students would build career competencies in an intentional and scaffolded fashion as they progress through the curriculum, be encouraged to take advantage of co-curricular opportunities, and build their capacity to showcase these career competencies by taking full advantage of Career Center resources.
The need for this effort is clear. Elevating career competencies puts value on the very qualities and capabilities that are developed by academics while simultaneously taking advantage of the fact that employers are focusing less on a students’ major and more on the skills and competencies they are learning in the classroom. Reimagining a major to take advantage of this duality is particularly important for equity. Low income and first-generation students are less likely to have the social capital that helps them to translate their college education into job-ready talking points and less likely to have access to the connections and resources to get a foot in the door and learn from experience. Graduating, oftentimes with debt, UNC Charlotte students need to be able to move seamlessly from college to career if we want them to become active and thriving members of the active engaged citizenry we are educating.
Institute Overview
- Centers around the research on competencies, their integration into higher learning, and the connection to purposeful work after graduation.
- Engages faculty in translating career competencies into discipline-specific language (what do competencies look like in the major) and discovery of best practices to engage students on the “why and purpose” of the course as it relates to purposeful work.
- Fosters a collaborative spirit in working with our students through the development of joint resources, strategies, and project-based learning opportunities that deepen learning how to learn.
Eligibility
The Institute, resources, and activities are open to ALL Charlotte faculty.
To learn more about the Career Competency Institute and participate in future trainings, please contact Dr. Suzanne Voigt, Program Manager for Career Readiness Design and Faculty/Staff Engagement.
Trainings Available
The Career Competency Institute provides opportunities for faculty to explore the research behind the career competencies, purposeful work, and best practices to translation in the course. Participants will be asked to re-imagine one or more of their current undergraduate courses by identifying key career competencies targeted by the material, updating assignments, and creating avenues for thoughtful reflection for students and pathways to incorporate lessons of purpose.
In-Person Sessions: In-person training occurs once per semester. *Capacity is 18 faculty per training
Self-Paced Sessions: coming soon!
Recognition/Benefits
In-Person Training Faculty will receive:
- $250 in professional development funds
- Continuous coaching and mentoring throughout the process and after completion
- Certificate of completion for a professional file
- Digital badge
- Potential Venture funds from the Career Center for career-related events or programming initiatives
Self-Paced Training Faculty will receive:
- Continuous coaching and mentoring throughout the process and after completion
- Certificate of completion for a professional file
- Digital badge
- Potential grant funds from the career center for career-related events or programming initiatives
Program Resources
The resources below are available for graduates of the Career Competency Institute. Please reach out to Dr. Suzanne Voigt to learn more about future trainings!
Akkermans, J., Schaufeli, W. B., Brenninkmeijer, V., & Blonk, R. W. B. (2013) The role of career competencies in the job demands – resources model. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 83(3), 356-366.
Chang, H. T., Feng, C. Y, & Shyu, C. L. (2014). Individual management and counseling as moderators in achieving career competencies and success. Social Behavior and Personality, 42(5), 869-880.
Francis-Smythe, J., Haase, S., Thomas, E., & Steele, C. (2012). Development and validation of the career competencies indicator (CCI). Journal of Career Assessment, 21(2), 227-248.
Valickas, A. & Pikauskaite-Valickiiene, R. (2014). The role of career competencies on subjective well-being. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 116, 2736-2740.