The college-to-workforce pipeline is often a defining attribute of modern higher education, as the pandemic and the years that followed have both contributed to a growing sense of urgency among students to get started in the professional field that’s calling to them. In accordance with that trend, many industries are seeking applicants right out of college, as those future employees bring with them the unique characteristic of being born into the digital age and growing up with a comprehensive understanding of and appreciation for technology.
This innate proficiency is indeed in demand, but also sometimes carries the misconception that the emerging workforce is an apathetic and detached one. Having spent their foundationally formative years navigating the pandemic and its isolation, it’s no wonder that teenagers and young adults are facing a mental-health crisis that can look like a lack of interest to older generations. All of these elements have expanded the responsibilities of educators to help their students find success post-graduation—and success within the field to which they have dedicated years of study.
Considering the confluence of new technologies, labor standards, local government and an understanding of each new class of students, it begs the question: How are educators supposed to keep up with the changing times? As is true with most circumstances in life, they’ve had to adapt with these rapidly changing times.
“If you look at what an educator needs to be able to prepare the students for tomorrow, we're looking at three big things. One is specific knowledge of that industry, or that trend that we're looking at and understanding the broad trends in the industry where this specific knowledge might reside. And then, how do you take that pedagogical skill set, knowledge and expertise and actually deliver it to the classroom? That part gets very nuanced, because what you can't do today is deliver a lecture and walk away,” says Dr. Monica Adya, Dean of Rutgers School of Business-Camden.
She continues: “It's very important for our faculty to continue to engage with the industry, not only to understand those trends and gain the knowledge that identify the knowledge that they need to pick up, but also to understand the student career paths so that in their classroom and through their advising, they can best guide the students on how to leverage the knowledge that they're getting in their classrooms.”
A successful education system goes beyond teachers imparting knowledge to their students, and instead continues to help those educators expand upon their own knowledge. This complex but necessary structure includes educational institutions themselves developing programs to not only examine modern industry demands but also implement a curriculum that keeps both educators and students ahead of the curve.
“It's essential that we're not just conducting research and publishing in our spaces, but that we're also staying on top of current literature—whether that be in gene therapy or best practices in STEM education. One way our faculty does this is by attending several seminars each week with invited speakers who meet with faculty and discuss their research strategies,” says Nathan Fried, associate teaching professor, biology, at Rutgers University Camden and assistant director of the MARC U*RISE Program. “So, it's less formal education, and more so exposure that helps our faculty have a finger on the pulse of industry to help us integrate these topics into the classroom. … The world is changing fast, so our faculty are constantly finding ways of changing with it.”
Rowan College of South Jersey utilizes partnerships with industries, other educational institutions and the community to cultivate opportunities in both education and the workforce. A primary example is its partnership with Inspira Health to address the national nursing shortage by training upcoming medical professionals alongside established industry professionals and connecting them to a career, often with an organization that’s familiar to them. Nursing is a vital profession that helps ensure a region’s overall wellness, and the integration of technology in healthcare necessitates a continuation of learning at any stage in one’s education or career.
“What we've been seeing in the last couple years is that when our students are going out into the workforce as well as going to school for credentials, that they know their pathway. They know where they want to go, what they have to study, and we connect it to the real thing. That's when we see the businesses and industries now are grabbing them and giving them promissory employment upon graduation or completion of certificate. That's the end game: We train for relevance, we place for experience, and then industry and business shape it,” says Dr. Frederick Keating, president of Rowan College of South Jersey.
“The experiential part is the new way, and I think we're building a college now that every student who comes, regardless of certificate or degree, has an opportunity to go out into that work and experience it. That's the investment I think we're looking for,” he adds. “And for [our industry partners], it's a great investment because they're now telling us that they're seeing these individuals while they're in training or in school, recognizing the talent, they're capturing the talent and they become part of that businesses culture—it incentivizes the student to keep going.”
Career experience before securing a position is logically the best way to prepare for it. This is made possible by field experience provided by industry and education partnerships that host on-site experiential learning that often translates to job opportunities. Hands-on, up-close experience has had quite an impact on contemporary learning models in most areas of study.
“This really has been a big change that we've seen since the end of the pandemic. Students are questioning the value of sitting in a lecture after having pre-recorded or virtual lectures for the past several years. To meet that, many of our faculty are finding ways of integrating flipped classrooms that are actually proven better for student learning and retention. The basic format of this is short, pre-recorded lectures that students engage with prior to coming to class, so that the entire class period can be used for larger discussion, workshops, guest speakers, and focusing on the actual learning of complex topics and concepts,” says Fried.
As educational leaders continue to have these vital conversations with local industry powerhouses, the curriculum and degree pathways subsequently adapt to best secure the next stage of each student’s journey, whether they are right out of high school or seeking assistance to obtain their GED as an adult student. Providing equal opportunities regardless of traditional or nontraditional education expands the possibility of finding talented students who are skilled in new and developing fields. The cognizance of giving students a chance to thrive regardless of background and equipping them with tools necessary for success requires a societal and emotional understanding in culmination with academics. It also takes outreach to prospective students who might not know these programs are available or affordable.
Education at all levels has become increasingly conscious of student struggles outside the classroom, and many institutions have been compelled to act accordingly. Educators have always played an integral role in their students’ lives, as almost everyone remembers a special teacher who inspired them or showed them empathy in times of adversity. With the national mental health conversation serving as inspiration, some school officials are additionally training their faculty to be best equipped for handling the emotional needs of their students. Ultimately, addressing students’ wellbeing better encourages academic success and keeps them in attendance.
“Now we're actually bringing the clinician part into our world—in other words, we're setting up wellness centers at the university and the college for the purpose of just that: The behavioral goes first,” affirms Dr. Keating. “And we always had it, but we never had it to the point that the accelerant, with regard to demand, we have a lot of students who are in a last-ditch situation where we recognize that it's a lot more complex than the past. … Now it seems to be a lot more severe, so that it is impacting their ability to go to school. We say our main focus at the college is preparing the student for a career—not a job, a career—so that they look at it differently. This isn't just to go to work and make enough money to sustain [them and their] family, but ‘I have a career. It's something I enjoy doing, I want to do, and I can advance myself with advanced training, learning and experience and have a good quality of life.’”
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Published (and copyrighted) in South Jersey Biz, Volume 14, Issue 7 (July 2024).
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