Purpose First Means College and Career Success Later December 14, 2016 By Lorenzo Esters Read Time Strada Article Career Connection Navigating Education Value of Education ... Ask students why they pursue a college education, and their answers often focus on finances and future employment opportunities. In fact, issues related to jobs and future earnings command the top three spots in the list of reasons students gave for attending college in a 2015 College Decisions Survey by the New America Education Policy Program. Yet many colleges and universities still operate on a model that does not expose students to career choices until their third or fourth year of study. A new initiative from Complete College America aims to change that. In its Purpose First project, supported by a $1 million USA Funds® grant, Complete College America is developing strategies, tools and practices for colleges to use to help their students develop a strong sense of career purpose — and act on it. The hope is that students will: Better navigate complex academic choices. Stay on track for completion. Find good first jobs. Successfully navigate a rewarding career. College students discuss their aspirations and challenges during the recent Complete College America Purpose First kickoff meeting. I recently asked Dhanfu Elston, vice president of alliance state relations for CCA, to share more about Purpose First. What challenge does Purpose First seek to address? Elston: Too few college students enter campuses with the critical information needed to make an informed choice about a potential major and career pathway. Much of this information is readily available. But only a limited number of institutions have designed a guided pathway that includes purpose-driven strategies connecting students’ skills, values and interests to long-term career and financial aspirations. We recognize that career exploration and navigation happen on a learning continuum for many students. Unfortunately, it’s all too common to hear students say that they wish they’d been informed about a career earlier, or that having career information at the beginning of college would have reshaped how they approached college. The opportunity to work with college leaders and national experts on designing Purpose First is energizing, as we seek to improve our campus systems to benefit the many students and families who view college as the path to a desired career. What are the key areas on which this project focuses, and why? Elston: In the early phase of the Purpose First project, through insights learned from national organizations, we have identified multiple gaps and opportunities related to onboarding students and assisting them in choosing a major: Students infrequently receive career interest and assessment counseling. In the instances that they do receive this important information, it lacks connection to their educational planning process. Students need real-time, national and regional labor market data that highlight required degree levels and credentials, associated skills, expected salaries, and future demand. Students can benefit from access to information on wage and non-wage investment returns for a variety of occupational fields. When provided with training and tools, academic advisers can help students better understand and connect their educational and career goals. Complete College America has identified three broad, interrelated areas that serve as the focus for Purpose First: Integrating career assessment and counseling — early and continuously — into academic advising. Incorporating economic and noneconomic return-on-investment calculators into the advising process. Providing real-time labor market information accessible to students through a learning management portal. Five CCA Alliance members in Hawaii, Texas, New Hampshire, Tennessee and Virginia have selected multiple institutions that will be demonstration sites for the implementation of Purpose First. On which practices will CCA focus to ensure that more students choose a career as they enter college? Elston: The demonstration network of states and institutions will work closely over 24 months to develop and test a set of strategies, tools and practices that other colleges can deploy to help their students develop and act on a strong sense of career purpose. We will place specific focus on college admissions, new student assistance, and academic advising. What does CCA hope to accomplish by the end of the project, and what are the measures of success? Elston: We hope to see more students participating in an assessment of their values, skills and interests before they enroll and register for classes. Additionally, we expect that the majority of students at the demonstration institutions will have access to an economic and noneconomic ROI calculator, incorporated into the advising process. Using the CCA national data metrics, we expect to see more students enrolled in a major or meta-major within their first year and increased credit accumulation within an associated program of study. The Purpose First project allows CCA to enhance our mission of significantly increasing the numbers of Americans with quality certificates or college degrees through our work with an Alliance of 41 states, territories and consortia. We’ll disseminate through the CCA network a final Purpose First report and training guide of findings related to implementing purpose-driven strategies, for future scaling efforts in states and institutions across the country. Group 13 Group 11 Group 12 To create a PDF of the webpage, choose in opened window 'Save as PDF' option in 'Destination' select or something like that and click to save or print button. Got it Lorenzo Esters Vice President, Philanthropy Strada Education Network Learn More In the news from Strada July 24, 2024 Clear Outcomes: An Interview With Strada Chief Data Ecosystem Officer Jon Furr Education-to-employment data help individuals make informed decisions about college and workforce training. Strada Article Clear Outcomes State Opportunity... ... June 26, 2024 Mentors ease path to students’ first jobs Mentors in Tech recruits tech industry veterans from the region’s robust tech industry to mentor students at the area’s small, affordable, open-access colleges. The partnership between Green River and Mentors in Tech, or MinT, is supported in part by a $400,000 grant from Strada’s Employer and Community College Partnership Challenge. Strada Article Employer Alignment Our Priorities Quality Coaching Uncategorized ... April 29, 2024 Student Work Reimagined Through the Arizona State-led Work+Collective, more than a dozen institutions are injecting mentorship, career development skills. Strada Article Our Priorities Philanthropy Work-Based Learning ... February 21, 2024 Talent Disrupted: An Interview With Strada CEO Stephen Moret ‘Colleges and universities, states, and our country can do more to help prepare students for the critical transition from college to the labor market.’ Strada Article Uncategorized January 25, 2024 A Salute to Our Mentors The gift of time. A recognition of talent. A helping hand. How our mentors helped shape us as people and professionals. Strada Article Quality Coaching December 12, 2023 Community college, biotech companies partner to prepare students for careers At the heart of MiraCosta College’s Increase Diversity, Equity, and Advancement in Biotechnology (IDEA-BTEC) program, funded in part by a $400,000 grant from Strada Education Foundation, is a unique partnership between the college and two local biotech employers: Sterogene Bio-Separations and Open Biopharma Research and Training Institute. Strada Article Adult Learners ECCPC Employer Alignment Philanthropy Work-Based Learning ... November 1, 2023 Community college, dental insurer come together to address dental hygienist shortage The community college learning lab and dental clinic is now a newly refurbished space where dental hygiene students refine their technique on mannequins outfitted with realistic incisors, molars, and cuspids. The clinic was remodeled through a partnership with Delta Dental of Rhode Island and supported by a $400,000 grant from Strada Education Foundation. Strada Article Advocacy Employer Alignment Philanthropy Work-Based Learning ... November 16, 2022 Listening to Alumni About How Education Enriches Lives A rich mixture of skills gained in college improves post-completion outcomes for graduates Strada Article Our Priorities Public Viewpoint Research ... October 7, 2022 Strada Future Leaders Fellowship A 12-week internship for individuals who are bold, curious, motivated team players — and passionate about advancing equity. Strada Article Equity & Oppo... Our Priorities ... September 12, 2022 Strada Scholar D’Vontae Scott Delaware State sophomore accounting major eyes and a different career path after viewing a wealth of options. Strada Article HBCU Initiative Our Priorities Philanthropy ... September 12, 2022 Strada Scholar Jeremy Jackson Sophomore engineering ‘rock star’ learns to become a leader while following in the HBCU grad footsteps of his parents and brother. Strada Article HBCU Initiative Our Priorities Philanthropy ... September 9, 2022 Strada Scholar Keante’ Lewis As a natural leader, student embraces opportunities to work in her field and build campus community Strada Article HBCU Initiative Our Priorities Philanthropy ... September 7, 2022 Strada Scholar Imani Burke With a passion for writing and teaching, student seeks ways to teach while she’s still learning Strada Article HBCU Initiative Our Priorities Philanthropy ... May 13, 2022 Examples From the Field: University of Minnesota Rochester At the innovative Rochester campus of the University of Minnesota, our vision is to “inspire transformation in higher education through innovations that empower graduates to solve the grand health challenges of the 21st century.” Strada Article Beyond Completion... Our Priorities Philanthropy ... May 13, 2022 Examples From the Field: University of Oregon Ducks Rise: Empowering Underrepresented Minorities and Low-Income Students Through Research Internships and Intentional Student Experiences Strada Article Beyond Completion... Our Priorities Philanthropy ... May 13, 2022 Examples From the Field: University of Texas System Developing In-Demand Skills Among Undergraduates for Better, More Equitable Post Completion Outcomes Strada Article Beyond Completion... Our Priorities Philanthropy ... May 13, 2022 Fulfilling the Promise of Higher Education Access to college isn't enough. Neither is completion of degrees. It's time to focus on outcomes Strada Article Beyond Completion... Our Priorities Philanthropy ... April 7, 2022 ‘I Didn’t Know I Had All This in Me’ Credit for prior learning helped Loyce Shelley see herself in a new way — and complete her degree. Strada CAEL Article Adult Learners Career Connection Collaborative Completion Employers Equity & Oppo... Navigating Education On Purpose Our Priorities Engagement & ... ... March 2, 2022 How Local Partners Can Rebuild the Workforce Equitably Even before the pandemic, employers struggled to find the skilled labor they needed to fill jobs. Strada Article Connections to Ca... Navigating Education Advising Employers On Purpose Our Priorities ... February 23, 2022 Growing Fairly: How to Build Opportunity and Equity in Workforce Development The labor market in the United States faces seemingly contradictory challenges: Many employers have trouble finding qualified applicants for current and future jobs, while millions of Americans are out of work or are underemployed—their paths to living-wage jobs blocked by systemic barriers or lack of adequate skills. Strada Article Innovation in Wor... Adult Learners Career Connection Equity & Oppo... Navigating Education Our Priorities ... February 1, 2022 How Credentials Can Create Opportunity for More People The origin story of Grow With Google, like so many initiatives at the global technology company, begins with data. Strada Article Connections to Ca... Degree and Creden... Navigating Education Adult Learners Employers Nondegree On Purpose Our Priorities Research ... January 5, 2022 5 Ways To Integrate Career Connection Into College Experience Recent Strada research points to a striking disparity between first-year students’ aspirations for career planning in their undergraduate years and seniors’ actual experiences. Strada Article Connections to Ca... Navigating Education Advising Employers On Purpose Our Priorities Public Viewpoint Research ... December 2, 2021 4 Ways To Build Better Education-Workforce Partnerships More than 18 months into the pandemic, the employment headlines can seem like an algebraic riddle: If U.S. employers are seeking workers to fill 10.9 million jobs, how can 8.4 million workers be unemployed? Strada CAEL Article Connections to Ca... Employer Alignment On Purpose ... November 17, 2021 How To Make Sure Education After High School Is Worth the Investment Economist Beth Akers insists she’s not a college debt crisis denier. College is expensive — more than double the cost today compared to the 1980s. And too many students pay too much for it, she said, not only in relation to what they can afford now, but also to what they will earn after graduation. Strada Article Degree and Creden... On Purpose Our Priorities ... November 4, 2021 How To Set Students Up for Success After Graduation As provost and later president at the University of Utah, Ruth Watkins called out the “hollow promise” a university delivers to college students who have access to higher education but leave without completing a degree. Strada Article Connections to Ca... Navigating Education Advising Employers On Purpose Quality Coaching Research Research Team Work-Based Learning ... October 21, 2021 How To Better Serve Latino Students Deborah Santiago’s parents always made clear she and her three siblings would go to college. Strada Article Navigating Education Advising Lessons Earned On Purpose Our Priorities Engagement & ... ... October 7, 2021 How the HBCU Experience Builds Leaders Roslyn Clark Artis grew up in southern West Virginia, the only African American in her graduating class. The daughter of a coal miner, she dreamed of becoming a lawyer and applied to every public university in her home state, hoping to find an affordable route to college. Strada Article Connections to Ca... Degree and Creden... Navigating Education Advising Employers On Purpose ... September 22, 2021 6 Ways Our Conversations Are Shaping What We Know Strada CAEL Inside Track Article Connections to Ca... Degree and Creden... Navigating Education Advising Advocacy Employers Lessons Earned On Purpose Our Priorities ... September 8, 2021 6 Ways to Upskill Women for In-Demand Jobs Strada CAEL Inside Track Article Connections to Ca... Navigating Education Advising Employers On Purpose Our Priorities Technology ... August 25, 2021 How To Connect 2-Year Students to a 4-Year School — and a Career Nationwide, about 80 percent of students enrolling in community college say they intend to continue at a four-year college or university to earn a bachelor’s degree. But only 15 percent of community college students achieve that goal within six years. Strada Article Connections to Ca... Navigating Education Advising Employer Alignment Employers On Purpose Quality Coaching ...