Use of the Career Resource Room and Computers to Assist in Career Exploration and Research
2013-14
Program/Service Description: Include Description/Mission Statement/Number of Years at COD/Benefits/Contact (source: Faculty/Dir/Coord/Dean)
Description: The Career Center provides COD students and faculty members with both hard copy and online resources to facilitate the transition to a fulfilling career. In addition to the MBTI and Strong Interest Workshops, students are encouraged to meet with a Career Counselor for personalized assistance with writing resumes, cover letters and job interview.
Mission Statement: The mission of the Career Center is to promote student development through advanced career research techniques, sound decision-making principles, as well as the enhancement of meaningful academic and career goals.
Number of Years at COD:Since 1990
Participants in the program/service receive the following benefits:
- Use of the Career resource room and computers to assist in career exploration and research.
- Participation in the Career & Job Fair where employers meet with interested students to discuss current and future job opportunities.
- Career personality and skills assessments and interpretations.
- Workshops on choosing a major, study skills, job search techniques.
- One-on-One career counseling services.
Amanda Phillips, Director of Counseling and Advising Services Phone: 760-636-7962
Population Served: Include Number/Eligibility (source: Faculty/Dir/Coord/Dean)
Number of Students Served: 660unduplicated student contacts; 937 duplicated student contacts including career assessments, workshops, appointments and drop-ins.
Eligibility Requirements: All enrolledCOD students.
Program Requirements from outside agencies (source: Faculty/Dir/Coord/Dean)
Partially funded by state VTEA funds earmarked for vocational and reentry students.
The Career Center adheres to all state VTEA funding Guidelines. Education Code/Article 8
Program/Service Outcomes(source: Faculty/Dir/Coord/Dean –from OAC Coordinator)
OVERARCHING PROGRAM LEVEL OUTCOMES
STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES
1 - PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND RESPONSIBILITY
Students utilizing this program/service will demonstrate an ability to:
- display habits of intellectual exploration, personal responsibility, and physical well being.
- develop individual responsibility, personal integrity, and respect for diverse people and
- value and accept people with different cultural and linguistic backgrounds and abilities.
- understand ethical issues to make sound judgments and decisions.
Students utilizing this program/service will demonstrate an ability to:
- evaluate their own knowledge, skills, and abilities.
- display three components of an effective self-advocate:
- Self knowledge.
- Define their own needs.
- The ability to get what they need.
- develop realistic goals.
- appreciate the value of feedback.
- adapt to challenging situations.
- recognize that knowledge is the key to self-advocacy.
- teach the people around them.
Students utilizing this program/service will demonstrate an ability to:
- identify and utilize services, programs, and resources to become life-long learners including,
- Study/Learning Labs
- Supplemental Instruction
- Computer-aided tutorials/instruction
- Learning Communities
- Student Development Courses
- Tutorial Assistance
- Counseling Services
- Special Programs for Student Success
- Admissions and Records
- Business Services
- Financial Aid
- Scholarship information
- Career/Transfer Services Resources
PROGRAM/SERVICE SPECIFIC OUTCOMES
CAREER CENTER
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
- By utilizing the MBTI and Strong Interest Inventories, up-to-date career handouts, current job search websites and personalized career counseling, students will have the knowledge to conduct a successful job search.
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE
Cycle I / CommentsAssessment / Report & Discuss / Implement Changes
Career Center / 10/FA / 11/SP / 11/FA / Completed
Cycle II / Comments
Assessment / Report & Discuss / Implement Changes
Career Center / 13/SP / 13/FA / 14/SP / Completed
Cycle III / Comments
Assessment / Report & Discuss / Implement Changes
Career Center / 14/FA / 15/SP / 15/FA
Cycle IV / Comments
Assessment / Report & Discuss / Implement Changes
Career Center / 16/SP / 16/FA / 17/SP
Results from most recent Assessment from schedule above– (state SLO assessed and results of assessment)
1) Student Service/ Learning Outcome(s)
SSOs/SLOs /
- Students who utilize the Career Center will become self advocates in the career process.
2) Identify Assessment Tool(s) to implement / A pre/post survey was administered to students in a workshop about major choice.
3a) Expected level of achievement
(Refer to rubric)
3b) Actual results / 3a) Seventy-five percent (75%) of students who participate in the major choice workshop will report that the workshop has made them more confident in their role as a student developing their career.
3b) Ten of the 12 students (83%) reported higher scores after the workshop was completed indicating that the workshop made them more confident in their role as a student developing their career.
4) Explain how collected data was analyzed and evaluated. / At the major choice workshop, students were given the pretest prior to the workshop beginning. Following the workshop, students were asked to completed the post-test survery in order to measure the benefit of the workshop in regards to their career development.
5) Identify gaps between expected and actual results. / The results were more positive than expected.
6) Document results and outline needed changes. / The results indicate changes to the major choice workshop will not be necessary. However, we will continue to analyze the effectiveness of the other career development workshops available to COD students.
RESOURCES
Staffing for Program/Service: Include Funding Budget Level/Current Staffing Level
(source: Faculty/ Dir/Coord/Dean)
2013-14 Funding/Budget Level:
Salaries & Benefits / $80,938
Discretionary Costs / $ 1,410
Total General Funds / $ 82,348
Categorical/Restricted Funds VTEA Funds / $35,350
TOTAL / $117,698
Position / # / FT/PT / Funding Source
Coordinator/Counselor / 1 / PT / 83% District; 17% VTEA(20 hrs wk district/4 hr wk VTEA)
Secretary / 2 / PT / 100% District (Time is split 50% Career Center/50% Transfer Center.
Adjunct Counselor / 1 / PT / 100%through VTEA funding
Facilities (source: Faculty/ Dir/Coord/Dean)
1) List of all facilities (Please indicate if any of these were added last year):
The Career Center is located in a former classroom on the second floor of the Cravens Center.
During 12/13 three enclosed cubicles which incuded built in desk, lighting, filing cabinets and storage spacereplaced three desk stations making these spaces more private to meet with students. One space is used by the Transfer Center Coordinator, one is currently used by the adjunct Career Counselor and is available for the Career Center Coordinator. The third space can be used by guests from other schools or faculty advisors to meet with COD students.
Visiting Outreach Representatives from 4-year colleges also meet with students in the hall leading to the Career /Transfer Center.
Career workshops continue to be held in classrooms, conference rooms and the Multipurpose Room of the Cravens Student Services Center as well as in classroom space at both the EVC campuses, Indio and Mecca.
Additionally, career presentations are made in collaboration with academic faculty in their classrooms.
2) Assessment of adequacy of current facilities:
Though the replacement of the three desk stations with three enclosed cubicles has increased the privacy of career counseling sessions with students, it remains easy to hear private conversations in the next cubicle. Privacy and confidentiality continue to important issues to be addressed in the Career Center.
With two of the cubicles occupied by coordinators three days per week, it is challenging to coordinate space for adjunct career and transfer counselors.
The Transfer / Career Center split from the Counseling Center when the departments moved into this building in 2010. Coordination between the two departments has been reduced as a result and counselors find it difficult to work with students in the Transfer Career Center. Opening up a direct passageway between the two offices would enable counselors to work more easily with students using the resources provided in the center.
Equipment and Supplies (source: Faculty/ Dir/Coord/Dean)
Equipment:
There are five shared computers in the Transfer/Career for student use. There are four computers for staff use located at each workstation. The nine computers and monitors in all stations were updated in 12/13.
Supplies:
The majority of the Career Center supplies are purchased through General Fund and/or VTEA Funds.
Summary - Narrative Interpretation (source: Faculty/Dir/Coord/Dean)
The Career Center served fewer students this year than the last. There have been three different coordinators in the last three years. Many new, innovative programs have been started but without continuity of leadership, they have not been able to take hold and gain widespread recognition on campus.
Being located in a former classroom, the center is not very visible, even in the CSSC building. Either opening up to the Counseling Center or renovating the entrance might help make the center stand out and make more students aware of its location and purpose.
GOALS/ACHIEVEMENTS/CHALLENGES
Program/Service Objectives/Goals for current year: 2013-14 (source: Faculty/Dir/Coord/Dean)
- Reintroduce Career Development class to teach during Fall 2013.Progress: No progress made.
- Establish “Industry Days” each month where professionals from particular industries are part of a panel to bring awareness of career path to COD students. Work in conjunction with Transfer Center when possible (i.e., bring colleges/universities offering appropriate degree programs). Progress: In the Fall of 2013, a series of speakers, Career Mentors, was introduced featuring local professionals from the Coachella valley. The twelve speakers during the Fall and Spring semesters represented the following industries and COD majors: teaching, athletics/coaching, accounting, psychology, nutrition science, government, business, culinary arts, digital design & production, air conditioning & heating, animal training, political science, nursing, public service, art, museum studies.
- Collaborate with CSUSB-PDC on fall and spring career fairs for local-area employment for COD students. Progress: No progress, as there was a change of direction for the annual Career Fair.
- Promote career development in the classroom to COD faculty. Progress: At the beginning of Fall 2013 and Spring 2014 semesters, all faculty was emailed regarding the availability of classroom presentations and workshops provided by the Career Center on the topics of career development as follows:
How to Choose a Major
Using Dr. John Holland’s career theory students learn the importance of matching their interests, skills and personality to jobs and careers.
Exploring Career Options
Students will learn how to identify and explore career options in depth using career information websites like Eureka.org and Onetonline.org.
Researching Education & Training Requirements
Students will learn about the US education system, accreditation standards for colleges and universities and how to research the educational and training requirements for careers they are considering.
Job Search Skills:
Resumes & Cover Letters
Interview Preparation
Conducting a Successful Job Search
Myers Briggs Type Indicator
The MBTI is a personality inventory. The results are useful in assisting students in understanding themselves in the context of work and relationships as well as other areas such as study skills.
As a result, faculty contacted the Career Center and presentations were made in the following courses: ENG 070, 071, 001a, RDG 061, BUHM 063, ECE 023, ECE 010, COUN 011, COUN 012
Program/Service Achievements 2012-13 (source: Faculty/Dir/Coord/Dean)
Program/Service Achievements for 2013-2014
Career Center:
- Created Career Mentor speaker series to inform and encourage student in the career development process.
- Expanded present career outreach to campus via increased collaboration with academic faculty and staff by presenting in classes.
- Offered Career Services at Indio and Mecca – Thermal campuses.
- Developed new career-prep and career-development workshops.
- Developed the Career Center Web site to include a variety of career development resources and marketing of upcoming events.
Program/Service Challenges (source: Faculty/Dir/Coord/Dean)
- STAFFING:
- Career Center Coordinator is a part time position and has been since 06/07. Previously it was full time position. The Career Center necessarily continues to be tasked with the vital job of preparing College of the Desert students to navigate the increasingly complicated journey of career awareness and readiness with diminishing resources.
- BUDGET:
Program/Service Objectives/Goals for 2014-15 (source: Faculty/Dir/Coord/Dean)
- Reintroduce Career Development class to teach during Fall 2013.
- Establish “Industry Days” each month where professionals from particular industries are part of a panel to bring awareness of career path to COD students. Work in conjunction with Transfer Center when possible (i.e., bring colleges/universities offering appropriate degree programs).
- Collaborate with CSUSB-PDC on fall and spring career fairs for local-area employment for COD students.
- Promote career development in the classroom to COD faculty.
Program/Service Objectives/Goals for 2015-16 (source: Faculty/Dir/Coord/Dean)
- Increase student understanding, skill and use of technological resources in developing their career awareness and job readiness by incorporating hands-on computer/internet access to each student participant in all career center workshops.
- Increase student skill and use of technological resources in developing their career awareness and job readiness by adding five additional computer/internet student workstations in the career center.
- Increase student a.)participation in career center workshops, 2.) use of career center resources and 3.) contact with career counselors and instructional faculty advisors in order to increase their career awareness and job readiness by making use of all available campus and community marketing tools.
- Identify which campus and community marketing tools result in highest student career center use and event participation.
- Increase student access to community resourcesby inviting persons in COD program representative occupations and careers on campus to meet and speak with students on a regular basis in order to increase student career awareness and readiness
- Increasestudent career awareness and readiness by including employers and businesses at the COD Career Fair that represent all the college’s academic programs.
- Increase student career awareness and readiness by making instructional faculty periodically and regularly available to meet with students in the career center.
- All career center workshops instruct students in current and up to date job search tools and skills (resumes, cover letters, interview skills and techniques and job search strategies).
- Increase career center services available to satellite campuses in Indio and Mecca.
1
PROGRAM REVIEW UPDATE ADDENDUM
Program Name: CAREER CENTER 13/14
- Staff Needs
NEW OR REPLACEMENT STAFF (Administrator, Faculty or Classified)[1]
List Staff Positions Needed for the upcoming Academic YearPlease justify and explain each faculty request based on rubric criteria for your college. Place titles on list in order (rank) or importance. / Indicate (N) = New or (R) = Replacement / Annual TCP*
1.CAREER CENTER COORDINATOR, FULL TIME
Reason: This request of $93,500 is the cost for a full time Career Center Coordinator position.
Since Fall 07/08, the Career Center Coordinator position has been a part-time position. Currently, 13/14, and in 12/13, the position has been held by adjunct faculty working approximately 24 hrs per week. Prior to that and back to 07/08 the position was held by a full time counselor who split her time 50/50 between general counseling and the career center. However, prior to 07/08 the Career Center Coordinator position was a full time faculty position for many years.
The mission of the Career Center, to promote career development and career readiness of all College of the Desert students, has not changed since the position went from a full time to a part- time position, though the college’s headcount grew steadily from Fall 1995 to Fall 2009, from 7,348 to 12,213 students. Additionally the college added satellite campuses in the eastern valley during that period. The most recent data available shows the student headcount Fall 2012 at 10,099 about the same as the 2006 level. The Career Center necessarily continues to be tasked with the vital job of preparing College of the Desert students to navigate the increasingly complicated journey of career awareness and readiness with diminishing resources.
Yet, other student support programs, which serve anywhere from 50 to several hundred students whose students also are helped by and participate in Career Center services have full time coordinators, higher number of adjunct counselor hours and full time support staff..
The services of the Career Center help students ensure they are making a major and career choice that is the right match them. This critical choice sets student on a career development path for success. Not having access to professional assistance and advisement of a career development specialist can result in wasted educational dollars and years of frustration trying to succeed in a job or career that simply is the wrong match for that student’s interests and abiltiies.
Additionally and equally critical is that students are educated and kept up to date on the tools and skills of successfully entering the workplace after they have completed their education. With the continual advancement of technology, the tools and skills required to succeed at a job search are also continually evolving and changing. The task of the Career Center is to make sure our students have the knowledge and tools necessary to successfully land the job for which their financial and educational investment has prepared them. / N / $93,500
- Adjunct Career Counselor
- Career/Transfer Center Specialist – Full Time
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* TCP = “Total Cost of Position” for one year is the cost of an average salary plus benefits for an individual. New positions (not replacement positions) also require space and equipment. Please speak with your college Business Officer to obtain accurate cost estimates. Please be sure to add related office space, equipment and other needs for new positions to the appropriate form and mention the link to the position. Please complete this form for “New” Classified Staff only. All replacement staff must be filled per Article I, Section C of the California School Employees Association (CSEA) contract.