University Career Services 2018-2020 Strategic Plan · University Career Services currently has 15 professional staff members, 5 support staff, 2 - 4 graduate assistants and 6 - 10

University Career Services 2018-2020 Strategic Plan

Table of Contents

Executive Summary..................................................................................................2

About University Career Services (UCS).................................................................3

Strategic Plan Approach...........................................................................................4

Goal Alignment.........................................................................................................5

Goal 1.......................................................................................................................6

Goal 2.......................................................................................................................8

Goal 3.....................................................................................................................10

Goal 4.....................................................................................................................12

As we look toward the future, the critical question before us is: What unique value do students and employers receive by utilizing University Career Services at George Mason University?

Executive SummaryGeorge Mason University Career Services is a leader in the career services space, modeling best practices for others.

More specifically, our industry model for student advising and employer development, job shadowing program, student professionalism focus, credit bearing career courses and faculty engagement initiatives such as the Career Influencers Network have all been adapted for implementation at universities across the country.

As we look toward the future, the critical question before us is: what unique value do students and employers receive by utilizing University Career Services at George Mason University?

The following plan outlines how we will build on our success and leverage the assets of the institution such as its location in the DC metro area, new on-campus spaces, esteemed faculty, long-standing diversity initiatives, and a culture of innovation to provide one-of-a-kind programs and services to produce career ready graduates.

Successful Mason graduates are an institutional outcome. This plan recognizes that meeting the university’s strategic plan goal of producing 100,000 career ready graduates will require University Career Services playing a leadership role in cultivating an integrated, community approach to career preparation. That work begins with developing shared language and common understanding of what makes a career ready graduate.

Our four goals further the career readiness of Mason students:

Goal 1: Serve All Mason Students Goal 2: Embed Career Readiness into the Curriculum Goal 3: Increase Access to & Engagement in Experiential LearningGoal 4: Create Effective Talent Pipelines for DC Area Employers

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p. 2University Career Services 2018-2020 Strategic Plan

About UCS

VisionMaking big dreams an attainable reality.

MethodCultivating an integrated, community approach to career preparation so that every Mason student graduates career ready.

MissionWe prepare and connect career ready students for postgraduate success.

University Career Services (UCS) is the centralized career center for George Mason University (Mason), serving 34,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

UCS is dedicated to helping students identify, pursue, and excel within their desired industry. Our programs and services prepare students for the internship and job search process while also equipping them with the knowledge necessary to succeed in their first position after Mason. In partnership with our strong network of employers, alumni, and faculty we are able to successfully connect students with opportunities in their industries of interest.

Existing services and programs include one-on-one appointments, career exploration, industry-specific programs, career fairs, experiential learning opportunities, professional development coaching, and graduate school preparation.

University Career Services currently has 15 professional staff members, 5 support staff, 2 - 4 graduate assistants and 6 - 10 student employees. The approximate career advisor to student ratio is 1: 2 ,800

University Career Services is the centralized career center partnering with campus stakeholders to serve all Mason undergraduate and graduate students.

We prepare and connect career ready graduates for postgraduate success by helping students think through the decision of how to choose and use their major, providing opportunities for students to gain hands-on experiences, particularly internships and coaching students to effectively market their knowledge, experience and skills to successfully enter and advance in their industry of choice.

Elevator Pitch


Strategic Plan ApproachAppreciative Inquiry

In the spring of 2017, University Career Services engaged in a comprehensive strategic planning process using a method that reflects our vision and core values.

We began by surveying students, alumni, employers, faculty, and staff to discover key themes to guide us during our Strategic Planning Summit Day. The Summit was approached using Appreciative Inquiry, led by senior administrators trained as facilitators, and included 30 members of the community representing all of our stakeholder groups.

We took time to reflect on our accomplishments, were given the freedom to dream big, and had fun creating designs of the future in the form of artwork and 3-D models. The insights, ideas, and images collected through the Summit were focused into four goals around which the UCS staff divided into teams.

The teams, headed up by a member of UCS leadership, used internal data along with additional information from student and employer advisory board focus groups to refine the goals, and formulate strategic actions and annual activities for each. The efforts of this work make up this document which lays out how we will live into our destiny.


Goal AlignmentMason Strategic Plan Goals

UCS Goals Students Community Faculty

Goal 1: Innovative Learning

Goal 2: Accessible Pathways

Goal 3: Return on

Investment

Goal 4: 100,000

Career ready Graduates

Goal 5: Innovation

Engine

Goal 6: Community

Builder

Goal 8: Diverse

Academic Community

Goal 9: Support

Teaching & Scholarship

Serve All Mason Students * * * * *

Embed Career Readiness into the Curriculum * * * * *

Increase Access to & Engagement in

Experiential Learning * * *Create Effective

Talent Pipelines for DC Area Employers * * *

UCS Goals & Strategic ActionsUniversity Life Themes

Engaged Student

Strategic Support Services

Inclusive Thriving

CommunityEfficient

Operations

Serve All Mason Students1) Increase access through new technologies and service delivery pathways * * *2) Raise awareness of UCS and key messages through expanded marketing *3) Enhance resources and services to support diverse student populations * * * *4) Increase employers and opportunities through new career management system * * *Embed Career Readiness into the Curriculum1) Financially incentivize faculty to redesign courses with career readiness component

2) Leverage technology to bring career services into classrooms *3) Expand school-embedded career services model * *4) Facilitate integration of employers into classrooms and academic activities

Increase Access to and Engagement in Experiential Learning1) Increase engagement in experiential learning *2) Grow funding for experiential learning * * *3) Maximize campus positions as source of experiential learning opportunities * *4) Advocate for experiential learning requirement at Mason *Create Effective Talent Pipelines for DC Area Employers1) Implement initiatives to support a pipeline of clearance ready Mason students * *2) Leverage Mason’s STEM/D&I programs to address local industry demand * * *3) Launch Patriot Pipeline Internship Program for the Northern VA Chamber of Commerce * *

These tables demonstrate how our goals support divisional and university strategic plan goals.


Goal 1: Serve All Mason Students

Strategic Action OneIncrease access through new technologies and service delivery pathways

Year TwoUpgrade office technology to support virtual services

Roll-out select virtual services and begin tracking usage

Host “Design Your Career” workshops capitalizing on makerspace at MIX@Fenwick

Recruit and train outreach PCAs

Provide online appointment scheduling

Year TwoImplement marketing plan

Collect and share success stories (video, blog, podcast)

Distribute train-the-trainer resources

Develop data collection strategy for digital communications

Year OneConduct needs assessment with students to identify areas for expanded service

Research virtual services (e.g., Alex bot, video, or chat)

Leverage space and extended hours at MIX@Fenwick for career events

Explore expansion of Peer Career Advisor (PCA) program

Year OneDevelop marketing strategy to:

Leverage relevant social mediaCultivate a new brand identityPromote all career center services

Integrate career readiness equation and competencies into messaging

Collect student/alumni testimonials

Develop train-the-trainer materials for student leaders

Year ThreeDevelop additional web content to share success stories

Examine 1st year results from train-the-trainer program

Collect/analyze data (Google analytics, etc.)

Year ThreeFull roll-out of virtual service delivery

Review usage and expand, maintain, or discontinue as appropriate

Assess PCA outreach and adjust as needed

Strategic Action TwoRaise awareness of UCS and key messages through expanded marketing

All students must have equal access to career services.

Given Mason’s diversity, we seek to create an accessible and approachable environment with multiple avenues to connect with our staff.

The actions under this goal focus on accessibility in the following ways: creating new pathways to services for students with limited access to traditional offerings; expanding marketing efforts to raise awareness of opportunities for all students, particularly those who have not engaged with our office; addressing the needs of students from many identity groups, and using emerging technology to enhance access to jobs for students with all types of career interests.


Goal 1: Serve All Mason StudentsStrategic Action ThreeEnhance resources and services to support diverse student populations

Strategic Action FourIncrease employer connections and job/internship opportunities across all industries and locations through new career management system

Year OneDefine structure and leadership for office diversity and inclusion initiative

Implement recommendations from the 2016-17 UCS diversity and inclusion audit:

100% staff participation in undocuALLY and Safe Zone trainingCollaborate with Mason Autism Support InitiativeResearch, purchase, and install ADA compliant software for student-use computers in reception areaHold inter-departmental trainings with Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education (ODIME) and Office of Disability Services (ODS) staffOffer PCA walk-in hours within ODIME

Conduct a gap analysis and identify student populations on which to focus in Year Two

Year OneDevelop the plan to move to new system for Summer 2018

Prepare business case for architectural standards review board

Conduct a perception survey of HireMason brand

Work with vendor and ITS to integrate tool with Banner system

Coordinate staff training on new tool

Develop data migration plan for new tool

Year TwoContinue all-staff diversity and inclusion training

Conduct diversity and inclusion audit from perspective of new student populations

Develop recommendations

Develop multicultural competency assessment for staff

Year ThreeContinue all-staff diversity and inclusion training

Implement recommendations from 2018-19 diversity and inclusion audit

Conduct multicultural competency assessment of staff

Invite external review of diversity and inclusion efforts

Year TwoHost a launch party

Conduct marketing campaign and update all UCS materials and links

Leverage extended network to connect students with new employers in the system

Maximize features to provide students with a customized dashboard of opportunities based on career interests

Year ThreeComplete integration of new career management system


Year OneIdentify internal and external resources

Define award type and amount, application process, and selection criteria

Solicit and accept faculty applications

Strategic Action OneFinancially incentivize academic departments to redesign courses with a career readiness component

Strategic Action TwoLeverage technology to bring career services into the classroom

Year TwoSelect and notify inaugural award recipient(s)

Develop and implement assessment (pre and post-course) of student understanding of career readiness skills

Year OneIdentify ideal platform to create and share content with faculty

Develop series of videos, quizzes, and discussion guides for faculty use

Determine pilot group (e.g., distributed campuses and online/distance learning)

Year ThreeShare assessment results and best practices with faculty and Center for Teaching and Faculty Excellence

Evaluate and make necessary adjustments

Year TwoProvide video and additional materials to faculty in pilot

Track student views and number of completed quizzes

Solicit feedback from faculty/students and update videos as necessary

Year ThreeExpand reach by promoting to faculty teaching general education classes

Integrating career readiness into the curriculum ensures that all Mason students are well-prepared for postgraduate success.

This integration facilitates students’ connections of their academic experience with their career goals, and enhances their development of skills and competencies employers demand of successful candidates. The actions under this goal focus on strengthening our connections with faculty and administrators across Mason’s 11 schools/colleges in the following ways: working with faculty to redesign courses with career readiness components; leveraging technology to bring career services into the classroom; facilitating the involvement of employers in the classroom and academic activities, and expanding the school-embedded career services model.

Goal 2: Embed Career Readiness into the Curriculum


Goal 2: Embed Career Readiness into the CurriculumStrategic Action ThreeExpand school-embedded career services model

Strategic Action FourFacilitate integration of employers into the classroom and academic activities

Year OneDocument added value of embedded/shared position between schools/colleges and UCS

Initiate conversation about increasing UCS staff presence in schools/colleges to 1 day/week

Year TwoImplement 1 day/week model with 2 additional schools/colleges

Continue conversations with senior administrators about space, dedicated time and terms of shared position

Year ThreeImplement 2 days/week shared model: 25/75 or 50/50 between schools/colleges

Develop and launch school/college customized offerings

Year OneHold exploratory conversations with faculty about how they want to engage with employers

Determine effective process for connecting employers with faculty

Develop resources for employers on how to build relationships with faculty and use time in classroom

Year TwoIdentify faculty willing to engage employers in academic activities (e.g.,, course projects/capstone, student research symposium)

Facilitate employer-faculty referral process

Track number of employer-student connections in classroom

Solicit faculty feedback and testimonials

Year ThreeMaintain updated list of participants

Review and update resources for employers based on faculty input

Explore options for integrating employers into distance learning/online courses


Goal 3: Increase Access to and Engagement in Experiential LearningOf the nearly 91 percent of employers who prefer that their candidates have work experience, 65 percent favor candidates who have relevant work experience (NACE 2017).

Experiential learning is vital to competitiveness in the job market. The actions under this goal demonstrate our commitment to increasing engagement in career-building experiential learning opportunities, especially internships through: fundraising, employer outreach, expansion of on-campus opportunities, and using data to support an experiential learning requirement.

Year OneIncorporate Career Readiness Equation into Experience Expo, engage academic partners, and increase student attendance

Identify audience and develop a budget for an experiential learning event

Strategic Action OneIncrease engagement in experiential learning

Strategic Action TwoGrow funding for experiential learning

Year TwoPilot event to recognize students, employers, and university departments that engage in experiential learning

Collect testimonials from participants

Increase academic partners and student attendance at the Experience Expo

Year ThreeInvite senior administrators to provide remarks during event

Year OneIdentify internal and external funding

Year TwoIncrease current funding for experiential learning by 15%

Year ThreeIncrease current funding for experiential learning by an additional 10%

Collect testimonials of students positively impacted by increase


Strategic Action ThreeMaximize campus positions as a source of meaningful experiential learning opportunities

Strategic Action FourAdvocate for an experiential learning requirement at Mason

Year OneMonitor proposed changes to Federal Work-Study (FWS)

Conduct benchmarking of on-campus internship programs at peer institutions

Create goals and objectives for an on-campus internship program

Map Student Employee Workshop Series to career readiness competencies and develop assessment for effectiveness

Require all UCS student employees to complete level 1 of the Patriot Experience

Implement rubric for all wage student employees in University Life to emphasize career readiness competencies

Update new supervisor toolkit

Year TwoIncrease part-time and FWS positions in career management system

Increase employers at the Part-Time Job Fair by 10%

Encourage and support campus offices to convert existing positions into internships

Expand use of Student Employee Rubric to non-University Life campus offices

Explore creating online version of Student Employee Workshop Series

Increase campus participation in hosting Student Employee Workshops

Revitalize the Supervision Collective to elevate the competency of student employee supervisors

Year ThreeIncrease the number of on-campus employers at the Part-Time Job Fair by 5%

Collect and publish student and employer testimonials (video and print) about on-campus internships

Secure students to co-facilitate workshops for Student Employee Workshop Series

Goal 3: Increase Access to and Engagement in Experiential Learning

Year OneEstablish relationship with Center for Regional Analysis and NoVA Workforce Development Group

Collect testimonials from students doing experiential learning

Connect with Mason TEDx to plan a conference on experiential learning

Recruit graduate students to research experiential learning

Year TwoIdentify compelling data in partnership with the Center for Regional Analysis and NoVA Workforce Development Group

Share positive student and employer testimonials with senior leadership

Identify and coordinate with stakeholders to select date and topics for TEDx

Conduct gap analysis to determine programs that do not have a experiential learning requirement and compare career outcomes against those that do

Launch employer survey and facilitate focus group with Employer Advisory Board to research impact of experiential learning on employability, particularly for first generation and international students

Year ThreeHost a TEDx conference for faculty and senior administrators focused on experiential learning, incorporating data gathered from last three years


Goal 4: Create Effective Talent Pipelines for DC Area EmployersGiven finite resources, employers recruit only at select campuses, and Mason is one of them.

To ensure that top DC metro area employers continually choose to recruit at Mason, we must facilitate customized connections for them to find qualified candidates for hard-to-fill positions. The actions under this goal will create pipelines to: increase the number of clearance ready graduates, diversify the STEM field and provide fresh talent to Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce member organizations of all sizes.

Year OneDevelop requirements, incentives, and method to track student participation

Identify key representatives from government agencies/contractors who can address different aspects of the clearance process

Roll out program as part of Welcome to Mason, JumpStart, and Government Week with live/in-person events

Market program to student groups with defined interest in government-related careers (e.g., Veterans, Intelligence Community Club)

Establish methodologies to identify previously cleared current students

Strategic Action OneImplement initiatives to support a pipeline of clearance ready Mason students for government agencies/contractors

Year TwoRefine program structure, requirements, and incentives

Monitor student participation and follow-up to ensure completion

Launch comprehensive marketing plan

Create virtual/on-demand educational tools about the clearance process

Create evaluation or feedback mechanism for employers and students

Year ThreeHost exclusive event for employers and clearance ready/cleared students

Create clearance ready/cleared student resume books

Review and respond to feedback

Submit proposal for grant or innovation award


Goal 4: Create Effective Talent Pipelines to DC Area Employers

Strategic Action ThreeLaunch Patriot Pipeline Internship Program for the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce

Year OnePresent information to the Chamber and enlist 5-10 employers in pilot

Provide employers/Chamber members with webinar, resources, and manual for developing or enhancing internships

Promote internships to students

Assist employers scheduling interviews

Offer professional development webinar for Mason students interning with Chamber members

Collect feedback and testimonials

Year TwoModify program based on student and employer feedback

Double number of Chamber members participating in the program

Collect data on intern-to-hire conversions

Update student marketing to include success stories and new employers

Year ThreeIncrease student participation in program

Assess fit of the Patriot Pipeline Internship Program with the ADVANCE Mason/Northern Virginia Community College Partnership to engage students transferring to Mason

Present program outcomes to Chamber

Strategic Action TwoLeverage Mason’s STEM/Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) programs to address local industry demand

Year OneOffer best practices training on diversity recruiting and retention for employers

Partner with Mason STEM/D&I related programs to determine potential for engagement and protocol for referrals

Develop tracking for referred employers

Identify STEM/D&I related student organizations and their faculty advisors

Year TwoHost event for student organizations and their faculty advisors to determine potential for employer engagement and protocol for referrals

Review and update diversity recruiting training for employers with new pathways

Year ThreeFollow-up with referred employers and collect success stories


Goal Leaders:

Goal 2: Embed Career Readiness into the CurriculumElena Chiru

Goal 3: Increase Access to & Engagement in Experiential LearningRaechel Timbers

Goal 1: Serve All Mason StudentsStephanie Lampron

Goal 4: Create Effective Talent Pipelines for DC Area EmployersTrasi Watson

Strategic Plan Senior LeadershipSaskia Clay-Rooks, Executive Director


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Documents

University Career Services 2018-2020 Strategic Plan · University Career Services currently has 15 professional staff members, 5 support staff, 2 - 4 graduate assistants and 6 - 10