Our Priorities

Quality Coaching

Every individual considering or pursuing postsecondary education can benefit from high-quality coaching.

 

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The journey from education to employment can be confusing and difficult to navigate. Individuals face a series of high-stakes decisions as they begin to explore education and career pathways, and every choice can shape future possibilities.

Education-to-career guidance and coaching can be a game changer, helping students complete their postsecondary education and position themselves for career success.

We envision a future in which everyone has access to coaching that helps students identify their talents and interests, choose career goals, map education pathways, and navigate challenges.

Guidance and Support Make a Difference for Students

Navigating the landscape of available degree and credential programs involves reflection on interests and individual circumstances, as well as an understanding of options and outcomes. For students, identifying the education program that fits their talents and interests and will help them achieve the life they envision is no easy task. Research from Strada’s State Opportunity Index shows that 69 percent of recent graduates who received education-to-employment coaching have a first job that requires a degree, and 63 percent of recent graduates who received education-to-employment coaching were satisfied with their jobs and with the progress they are making toward their long-term career goals.

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Coaching is Available in Many Forms

Advisors, professors, community members, and employers can all play a role in coaching students. Highly coveted internships at prominent tech companies can be hard to come by, with more than 100,000 students nationwide vying for just thousands of positions. The recruitment process can favor students at top universities and those who have industry connections. A Strada-funded partnership between Seattle organization Mentors in Tech and a local community college aims to improve opportunities for students who live in a region with a robust tech industry that can be difficult to access. Mentors in Tech recruits tech professionals to mentor students, and those relationships typically evolve to include education-to-employment coaching that help the students land internships and prepare for job searches and interviews.

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Coaching Helps Students Navigate a Changing Labor Market

Employment outcomes for college graduates have changed as the labor market evolves and tightens. Research from Strada’s recent Talent Disrupted report shows 52 percent of graduates are underemployed a year after graduation. Quality coaching provides students with information about the job market for their field of study, so they can make education decisions with their future careers in mind. Unfortunately, only about one-quarter of graduates from two-year institutions and one-fifth of graduates from four-year institutions experienced personalized coaching that included key information and support.

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