An Equation Model on the Professional Knowledge and Confidence for Future Employment of Students in Programs Supported With Emerging Technologies

The career development of Black immigrant college students has been understudied. More often studies have focused on immigrants of the Latino/a and Asian backgrounds. The few studies that have focused on Black students do not distinguish between those of immigrant origin, rather Black immigrant students are lumped together with the native born African American students, negating their unique experiences. In this chapter, the authors present a theoretical perspective of understanding career development, factors that influence career choice and development, challenges in career development, as well as interventions appropriate with this population. Research has revealed major gaps in the understanding of Black immigrant students' college experience and career development. Consequently, future research suggestions have been provided.

Drawing from examples of career development initiatives implemented by SAGE 2YC Faculty Change Agents, this chapter illustrates the role of career development in supporting the success of all community college students and guides faculty, administrators, and professional societies on how to advance student career development on a variety of scales. Career development as an integral component of community college science courses has major implications for increasing the diversity of science professionals, conveying the importance of science and scientific literacy in career sectors within and outside of the sciences, reducing equity gaps in students’ career development as undergraduates, and facilitating skill‐building necessary for the workforce. We urge community college science faculty and administrators to consider the powerful impact that career skill‐building and career exploration have on students and encourage the adoption of career development activities at the classroom, program, and institutional levels.

The universalization of higher education and the uncertainty of the labor market in China has rendered the career development of college students increasingly important. However, previous constructs of career development and their measurements were mainly developed for psychological interventions based on Western culture, rather than educational practices in China. To investigate the career development of Chinese college students, this study examined a four-factor model of the Perception of Career Development Inventory for Chinese College Students. The four factors are self-seeking, competence enhancements, context exploration, and role matching. The present study confirmed the four-factor structure and provided evidence of satisfactory psychometric properties using a sample of Chinese college students (N = 739). Further validation and the investigation of educational effects need to be extended.

The development of college students’ entrepreneurship in the context of the Internet and the current situation of social development are inextricably linked. The TF-IDF algorithm and literature combined to extract the influencing factors for college students’ innovation and entrepreneurship program development from four dimensions. The combination of the DEMATEL method and ISM method is used to quantitatively analyze the overall role relationship and the recursive hierarchical structure of the system elements and then identify the key elements affecting the development of college students’ innovation and entrepreneurship programs. Then, the qualitative comparative analysis method is used to summarize the common characteristics and combinations of conditions that lead to success in college students’ dual entrepreneurship projects driven by Internet technology in multiple cases. The results show that four factors at the school level occupy 3/5 of the explanatory position of the centrality degree, three factors at the national level are important outcome factors, and innovation and entrepreneurship team cultivation are the fundamental factors. There are a total of five paths, namely, environment-influenced (A1), experience-supported (A2), ideal-driven (B1), multiple-assisted (B2), and demand-oriented (B3), which contribute to the success of promoting college students’ innovative entrepreneurship programs under the Internet technology.

The phrase 'access for student success' is familiar in the South African Higher Education (SAHE) sector since the formation of the Department of Education in 1994, a result from the desegregation of the then 17 racial departments. Numerous initiatives to address this concept have been instituted in different ways by the Higher Education (HE) institutions. These have taken the form of student support programmes which have, inter alia, included access and/or foundation provision, academic development initiatives, career development and employment preparation programmes. The University of South Africa (Unisa) has not been omitted in taking on similar initiatives. Unisa in its attempt to enhance student success offers academic development (AD) programmes such as the Science Foundation Provision (SFP), amongst others. However, academic development remains an ad-hoc activity being offered by different directorates working in silos and often times duplicating some of the services. This paper aims to present a proposal towards developing an integrated model for learner support whose objective is to identify students' academic and career needs at the point of entry; refer them to appropriate learning and career development programmes; and thereafter enrol them in a job readiness training and placement programme (JRTP) in preparation for work-integrated learning (WIL) placements. This is a mixed methods study, involving a diagnostic academic literacies assessment, student and employer questionnaires as well as focus group discussions. Participants were 'employers' of Unisa students in WIL programmes with and/or without the career development and JRTP experience as well as Unisa students in these programmes. It was found that most senior students view student success as obtaining a qualification, and being able to use such qualification in gainful employment.

The purpose of this Action Research study was to investigate and improve career development for rural college students in Western New York State. An initial research cycle utilized semi-structured interviews to identify rural college students' perceptions about their career development and the career-related institutional supports and experiences they had received. This cycle revealed that better institutional awareness and understanding of rural identity could potentially strengthen career education for these students. The action steps that followed included the design, implementation, and evaluation of a three-part interactive workshop series focused on supporting rural student career development. Participants included faculty and staff practitioners in career and experiential learning roles representing 10 local higher education institutions across Western New York. Findings included a desire to build even greater awareness of rural identities, a desire to spread that awareness across home institutions, better targeted resource development for rural students, and greater identity-informed interactions with rural students. Implications for higher education institutions included an assortment of practical and achievable interventions to support rural college student career development. Additionally, the practitioner's institution type (size, location, and scope) revealed unique challenges for rural populations and led to varied interventions. Further research is needed to investigate approaches and actions that are specific to the needs of both rural students and the places where they attend college.--Author's abstract

Is there a monotonic criterion for measures of vocational maturity in college students?

This Study delves into the role of career counselling expo for students' career development and motivation. The rapidly evolving landscape of careers, characterized by traditional research roles and emerging interdisciplinary fields, presents students with many career opportunities and challenges. Effective career counselling expo is crucial in helping students navigate this complex landscape. The study highlights students' unique challenges, such as the often-overwhelming number of career choices, the high academic demands, and the need for specialized skills and knowledge. Without proper guidance, students may struggle to identify and pursue the career paths that best align with their interests and strengths. The research methods include interviews with 20 teachers and focus group with 25 students in the form of 5 groups. The study found that counselors can help students develop a growth mindset, encouraging them to view challenges as opportunities for learning and growth rather than obstacles. By linking academic achievements to potential career outcomes, counselors can also help students see the relevance and importance of their studies, thereby increasing their motivation to excel academically. The findings indicate the importance of experiential learning opportunities, such as internships, research projects, and industry partnerships, which allow students to gain practical experience and insights into their chosen fields. These experiences not only enhance students' skills and knowledge but also provide valuable networking opportunities that can be crucial for career advancement. The study recommends well-being through career counselling expo, recognizing that stress and anxiety can significantly impact students' academic performance and career development.

This study aimed to determine the differences between the career development of students with disabilities in private and public schools. It applied a comparative method involving 84 special education teachers teaching vocational education at the junior and senior high school levels. Career development was examined through the development perspective using three components: career awareness, exploration, and preparation. The first instrument was used to collect the demographic data, and the second instrument generated the teachers' perception of the career development of students with disability in the special schools. The obtained data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Our finding suggested that the career development of students with disabilities in private and public schools was not substantially different. Meanwhile, their career development based on their various disabilities also did not vary significantly. Interestingly, the students with intellectual disabilities presented narrower career development than those with other disabilities, primarily in the career preparation aspect. Our analysis showed that this finding could be caused by more significant hindrances encountered by the students with intellectual disabilities in relation to their self-determination. This research can be used as a basis for providing career services for the career development of students with special needs, both in private and public schools.

Despite recent progress, statistics show an urgent need for growth in the numbers of underrepresented minority (URM) students in STEM fields. An individual development plan (IDP) has been used to assist Ph.D. trainees in exploring career paths, developing short- and long-term career goals, and creating action plans to achieve these goals. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and many institutions require the completion of the IDP by graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and junior faculty mentees to enhance career development. However, little information exists regarding how motivated and behaviorally engaged undergraduate URM undergraduate students are in using IDP as a tool to develop their STEM career pathway. In this study, researchers present data from the motivation levels and behavioral engagement factors that are associated with the effectiveness of the IDP with 20 URM students recruited for the REP Summer program. A total of 85% of students strongly agreed that the IDP was most effective in assessing and reflecting on their academic and professional goals. The mentorship needs were met by 80% of the students, while 75% of the students agreed that the IDP was very effective in helping to identify short-term and long-term goals for their undergraduate studies. Moreover, 70% of the students were satisfied with the IDP in developing an action plan, identifying short-term and long-term goals for their professional careers, and assessing their scientific skills, interests, and values. URM students are intrinsically and extrinsically motivated to implement the IDP and pursue careers in STEM. Findings suggest that URM students’ motivation and behavioral engagement levels impact the effectiveness of the implemented IDP with these students. There is a need to identify factors that enhance the effectiveness of the IDP to determine how to maximize the career development of URM students in STEM programs.

Post-secondary education serves as a transition between secondary education and the world of work for many individuals, including visiting international students and immigrants. These latter groups are present on campuses in the U.S. bringing varying goals and beliefs. However, little research or practice could be found to address the potential career development needs of this group. This chapter explores the role of gender, academic major, and familial influences on a sample of immigrant and international students' career development (n = 125). Participants completed STEM-specific measures of career interest and commitment. Data were analyzed for differences between Immigrant and International students, genders, and institution type, finding significant differences on four career development measures. Significant differences were also found between groups on three of the six contextual factors, and on comparisons to other diverse samples.

The authors explored through semistructured interviews the interrelationships of religion, spirituality, and career development in a sample of 12 African American undergraduate students. Using consensual qualitative research methodology (C. E. Hill, B. J. Thompson, & E. N. Williams, 1997), they identified 6 primary domains or themes related to these students' experiences in this regard, including (a) degree of identification as religious and/or spiritual, (b) parents' influence on religious and spiritual beliefs, (c) roles of religion and spirituality in participants' career development, (d) challenges in dealing with academic and career‐related issues, (e) religious and spiritual strategies to deal with academic and career‐related challenges, and (f) indicators of success in future career or occupation.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the career development and employability needs of undergraduate information technology (IT) students at an Australian University, and their relation to students’ career interest. While many factors and stakeholders contribute to student career development, this study focused specifically on the student experience. Social cognitive career theory (SCCT) is used as an approach to understand the students’ needs of career development and employability. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was completed by 126 IT students to record information about students’ career development and employability background and needs. Findings The results demonstrate that SCCT helps understand the factors that impact on IT students’ career development, with their outcome expectations and self-efficacy informed by prior studies in IT and their need for access to “IT professionals” to contribute towards their career interest. In addition, IT students rely on academic achievement and experiential learning, rather than career resources, to guide their career development and employability. Research limitations/implications The data collected in this study are limited to one discipline (IT) at one university, which necessarily limits the generalisability of the specific results. Practical implications Career development is a complex, life-stage-dependant and discipline-specific process that varies for every decision maker. This research makes an important contribution in presenting the IT student experience and demonstrates how an appropriate career development model can help understand students’ needs. This outcome will help educators better support IT students to build the career interest. Originality/value This study explored the often-overlooked student experience of career development, providing valuable insight into IT students’ needs.

Objectives/Goals: To design and implement programming that better prepares graduate students for diverse roles in a variety of workforce environments, our study models the training landscape and programming needs of graduate students in behavioral, clinical, and biomedical graduate programs at a large Midwestern school of medicine and public health. Methods/Study Population: We conducted six focus groups (two graduate program manager focus groups and four graduate student focus groups), to assess the programming, career development, and training needs of graduate students. Using a grounded theory approach, we first engaged in open coding of a sample of transcripts. After developing a codebook, we continued with an iterative coding process interspersed with coder meetings to discuss emerging and changing codes. Using the framework of landscape analysis allowed our coding and modeling to go beyond graduate student needs and study the varying relationships and contexts that impact graduate students throughout their training, such as relationship to supervisor or institutional policies. Results/Anticipated Results: Preliminary results indicate that students wrestle with their status as both students and workers. Specifically, conflict arises between graduate and supervisor expectations around time spent in class, lab, and other career development activities based on these divergent roles. Students and program managers also note the disparities that arise from the university’s lack of standard, formalized policy on labor issues, such as paid leave. Data also suggest that students on training grants note the difference in access to career development resources compared to colleagues. In many cases, students themselves coordinate ad hoc programming to better suit their career and professional development needs, although this work is not a required aspect of their training. Discussion/Significance of Impact: We characterize current graduate training landscapes, which continue to shift as graduate student bodies diversify, unionize, and express interest in increasingly varied biomedical careers. Data from multiple perspectives facilitate creating, implementing, and evaluating supportive training programs that meet identified student needs.

Employability not only refers to the first time be hired ability, but also should include future career development of the relevant quality employee. Based on the data of University Business Majors, this paper used the AHP structural to analyze characteristics of college students the ability to employ. Business students' employability competencies include four dimensions of basic ability, psychological quality, professional knowledge and skills, Yuan skills. Yuan skills are the key element of which affect the ability to form Students may employ, followed by professional knowledge and skills, psychology and basic skills and Yuan skills need to be improved. At the same time, professional knowledge and skills is weak and all of those are not conducive to the initial employment and career development of college students.