"From College to Career," New College of Florida’s creative approach to career preparation is touted as one of the top six college programs in the country.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES, October 13, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- How does a liberal arts education prepare students for the competitive workforce?

Dwayne Peterson, the executive director of the Center for Career Engagement and Opportunity (CEO) at New College, was recently spotlighted in a prestigious higher education journal. He discussed how faculty members at New College (one of only six other colleges featured in the publication) are collaborating with career educators to integrate career preparation and development into the classroom.

“We can no longer rely on a peripheral and optional career services delivery model if we want to ensure the successful transition of all students into careers at graduation,” Peterson said. “Academics alone are also not the solution, as employers are expecting students to understand and demonstrate their skills outside of the classroom. So, to meet this expectation, students need intentional training and support to build skills and learn to communicate those skills effectively.”

The only way to ensure that every student receives the training and support they need to be career-ready is to “embrace career education as a learning outcome of the entire academic experience,” Peterson said.

From day one at New College, all students are paired with their own nationally certified career coach/adviser—a luxury that larger colleges cannot provide.

Through the Novo Career Advantage program (a customized four-year career prep plan), New College’s career coaches help students apply for internships and fellowships, guide them through job exploration, and connect them with mentors through the Novo Network Mentorship Program. And nearly every student at New College completes an internship before graduation.

Beyond that, Peterson and his team work directly with professors to infuse the New College curriculum with career-building skills.

“We have always known that our academic program gives students knowledge and skills, such as critical thinking and communication,” Peterson said. “But what’s traditionally a missing component of a broad bachelor’s degree is ensuring that students can see those skills–how the skills connect to careers, and effectively demonstrate competence in that skill to an external non-academic audience (such as an employer) in writing and also verbally.”

According to data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), students at New College are more likely to participate in career education activities (such as interview prep, résumé review, and career engagement with their professors) than students at other small liberal arts colleges.

“The NSSE data is early evidence that our institutional efforts to scale and integrate careers with academics is working,” Peterson said. “Career planning and preparation are being normalized by students and faculty as essential academic endeavors, which ensures that all students will be ready for their future by graduation.”

For more information on the Center for Career Engagement and Opportunity (CEO) at New College of Florida, visit ncf.edu/ceo.

Catherine Helean
New College of Florida
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