Innovative programs at UNC Charlotte’s University Career Center (UCC) are helping students translate what they are learning in the classroom and on campus to discover career pathways and to attain purposeful work after graduation.
To help students begin developing career competencies as early as their freshman year, UCC developed an innovative online tool called Competency Compass that provides an individualized guide for students. After taking an assessment to identify a student’s interests and aptitudes, the Competency Compass presents the student with options for campus activities and academic courses that align with eight different career competencies, providing a pathway to growth in any of those skill areas
“No other school has a tool as robust or comprehensive as this. It is one-of-a kind,” said Suzanne Voigt, associate director for career branding at UCC. “The tool was piloted with humanities students to help them connect their major with a future career and to help them articulate what they have learned as it relates to a career or professional path. It is now available to students in all majors.”
Employers often seek job candidates with well-developed “soft skills” or “transferable skills.” These career competencies, as defined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, broadly prepare college students for a successful transition into the workplace and include communication, critical thinking, knowledge of equity and inclusion, leadership, professionalism, self awareness, teamwork and technology.
The Competency Compass was developed in-house and is in its third revision. Faculty and staff members can access the portal to add an activity or course that is linked to a certain competency for easy searching by students. The tool provides personalized guidance to help students navigate the many options they have for growth. Based on an individual’s survey responses, the tool will present a student with links to specific suggested activities or courses.
“Everyone can benefit from this -- from students to faculty to student affairs staff,” said Curtis Kularski, OneIT data analyst for Career Services, who wrote the software for this tool.
When students link to an activity or course, the tool also provides sample bullet points for resumes, as well as sample interview questions to show students how to translate their acquired skills to employers.
“I recommend the Competency Compass to other students a lot,” said Nandini Tushir, a senior double-majoring in business analytics and management information systems, who also works as a peer pro at UCC. “It is so easy to use and has so many helpful prompts to help you develop a competency and know how to talk about it in a job interview.”
Tushir used the Competency Compass herself to develop a resume and prepare for an interview for a summer internship, which she successfully landed. Her experience at UCC also is preparing her for transition to full-time employment. Graduating in December, Tushir has accepted a job offer with Bank of America.