Understanding Career Readiness Among Student Affairs Professionals at a Public Texas Institution

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand how student affairs educators make meaning of the concept of career readiness among undergraduate students they directly advise or supervise at a public, research institution in Texas. This study was driven by the increased pressure of higher education as a whole to highlight college graduates’ employability and their articulation of skills gained during their collegiate experience. The exploration of how student affairs educators foster the connection of co-curricular experiences to career readiness development was examined in this study. The definition and application of career readiness had to be explored and understood through the lens of participants in this study to determine action items moving forward. The data showcased that participants conceptualized career readiness through the following ways: (a) informal knowledge (e.g., lived experiences), (b) formal knowledge (e.g., formal training or education), and (c) daily student interactions. The student affairs educators interviewed tied their meaning making of career readiness to innate skill development (i.e., soft skills) and affirmed the importance of career readiness development among the students they directly work with in their roles.

The findings also indicated that an advisor-driven student learning design and department student learning design were used to reach the desired outcomes of preparing career-ready students whose skill sets aligned directly with the National Association of College & Employers (NACE) competencies and skills desired by employers. Ultimately, my research reinforced the notion that career readiness development is embedded within higher education and is an integral part of learning both in and outside of the classroom for undergraduate students. Fostering career readiness in a student affairs realm is something that has become more grounded through this empirical research. This research study provides a foundation in understanding career readiness and can serve as a framework to produce practical implications in student programming moving forward.