Empowering Student Veterans: SJSU Veterans Career Readiness Program
How SJSU's VCRP supports student veterans with career exploration, internships, mentorship, and professional development. Learn about key outcomes and challenges faced by veterans entering the workforce
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Presentation Transcript
Sandra De Leon, Career Counselor-Diverse Students, SJSU Maggie Morales, Director Veterans Resource Center, SJSU
AGENDA Introduction of the SJSU Veterans Career Readiness Program Why create a VCRP? How it was implemented Timeline of program How it supports student veteran success Lessons learned
VETERANS CAREER READINESS PROGRAM What is the VCRP? Partnership between SJSU s VRC and Career Center, under the Division of Student Affairs, the VCRP is a program designed to empower student veterans at SJSU to earn meaningful internships by providing professional career advice, tools, and mentoring/networking opportunities. Program Outcomes, students will: 1. Gain the skills, knowledge, and understanding of the career exploration process 2. Fine-tune their marketing tools for their job search 3. Identify their career goal (s) 4. Receive guidance on obtaining a professional mentor 5. Receive support to gain an internship 6. Awarded $500.00 stipend upon completion of required activities
POLL What are the top 7 reasons employers hire veterans? 88% 87% Work Ethic Mental Toughness Self-Discipline Teamwork Adaptation Leadership Professionalism 86% 86% 84% 82% 82% 81% 80% 78%78% 78% 76% 77% 74% 72% Institute for Veterans and Military Families/SVA, Higher Education Research Report, 2017
POLL What are the top career transition challenges veterans face when entering the workforce? 1. Older than traditional student 2. Married 3. Have children 4. Have a disability 5. Working full or part-time 6. First-generation student Institute for Veterans and Military Families/SVA, Higher Education Research Report, 2017
WHY CREATE IT? Purpose of the Veterans Career Readiness Program Identify career goals for veterans Internship/job search strategies Resume support Marketing tools (ex: LinkedIn) Networking/mentorship Interviewing Alumni/employer connections Confidence booster Cohort/bond Campus Strategic Plan
Networking Confidence Career Exploration
IMPORTANCE OF INTERNING Across all degree programs and socioeconomic levels, internships are a known high impact practice that positively affects academic performance (Binder, Baguley, Crook, & Miller, 2015) Having a related internship displayed on your resume resulted in a 14% higher employer response rate (Nunley, Pugh, Romero & Seals Jr., 2016) Allows you to test drive the industry: confirm or reject career options (Rothman & Sisman, 2016) Get paid more upon graduation (6.5% on average) (NACE Class of 2019 Student Survey)
INTERNSHIPS & CAREER OUTCOMES PAID INTERNSHIP VS. NON-PAID INTERNSHIP VS. NON-INTERNSHIP Paid Internship Non-Paid Internship Non-Internship 33% 43% 57% 67%
IMPLEMENTATION How did we get program started Funding Collaboration with VRC and Career Center What were deciding factors in program implementation: Size of cohort Space issue/room reservations Staff time Marketing program for first cohort
TIMELINE SEP- MAY JUNE AUG JULY Begin Begin Marketing Program Review & Notify Participants Applications Due cohort/workshops 4 workshops/ events in Fall Review applicants via Google sheet. Attend program orientation before start of term. Market via email, social media & website to all registered student veterans Students submit application via Google form 4 workshops/ events Spring
PROGRAM SYLLABUS Topics covered in Workshops (syllabus) Participant Expectations: Attendance: *Must attend AT LEAST 6 out of 8 workshops throughout the program. Participation: Actively participate in your career exploration process by way of the workshop activities and complete required assignments. Teamwork: Treat your cohort as you would someone you care about. Get to know their goals and keep an open eye out for opportunities and resources that could be helpful. For learning/working sessions-please bring a laptop.
PROGRAM GROWTH First Year Cohort: small and mighty
PROGRAM GROWTH Participation is key! Year 2 Year 3
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Using Alumni as a resource Special events for program Career Counselor in VRC office hours Employer Info Sessions in VRC Collaborate with Bay Area Veterans Coalition of Employers (vet ERG s)
PROGRAM FEEDBACK One suggestion I would make is that if you could invite those Veteran Alumni to the regular meetings just to network with us throughout the course that'll be awesome. That way, every meeting, we can start socializing with each of them.
MODIFICATIONS What we ve learned
IN CLOSING Any Questions? sandra.deleon@sjsu.edu maggie.morales@sjsu.edu
