Integrating Real Time Career Planning In Course Development

The rapid change in work circumstances due to factors such as COVID and changing technology results in the need for workers to have access to training and educational opportunities that will result in gaining these new skills.  Peterson’s (2019) research identifies the dissatisfaction that employers have with current graduate competency in some needed skills that are required for success in the contemporary workplace.

The rise in online and mixed delivery educational offerings has been exponential over the past few decades and can be seen as an effective delivery mechanism to help deliver skills that employers want. Contrasting with this growth picture is the trend toward lower enrollments. Nietzel (2024) states “Public and private nonprofit four-year institutions suffered the largest decreases in freshman enrollment (-8.5% and -6.5%, respectively)” (para 5).  There are many causes for the enrollment drop, even with the growth of the online land mixed delivery venues. One possible solution is explore a stronger relationship between real time career planning and course content, especially in the freshman class, which Nietzel (2024) suggests comprise the main audience accounting for this issue “Most of the drop was accounted for by a nearly 6% decline in the number of 18-year-old freshmen, representing those students who enroll in college immediately after high school graduation’ (para 5).

In this interactive session, methods of increasing career planning into course development and individual course elements will be presented, following by sharing of best practices, roadblocks, and suggestions that can be incorporated into future development.