I’m Anna Victoria Rondon, rocking the role of an Industry Specialist at the CIS department of BMCC. I partner up with employers to launch paid gigs for our whiz kids in Computer Information Systems and related fields.
Now, let’s talk shop about something close to my educator’s heart: career readiness. It’s our backstage pass to boosting our students’ professional growth. And it’s super crucial for our students of color and those being the first in their families to hit the college books.
Many of our kids battle through low-income challenges and schools that couldn’t give them the career-prep arsenal they deserved. But here’s the kicker: we can do something about it. Yep, we’ve got the power to prep our tech talents for the big, bold workforce.
Dialing in the Curriculum to the Beat of Tech’s Drum
Our playground? The curriculum. It’s our chance to tune it to the rhythm of the tech world’s ever-spinning turntable. I’m all for us getting down with tech pros to make sure our syllabus does the tango with industry standards. Staying in sync with industry trends and skills needs means our students will strut out with a curriculum that’s as street-smart as it is book-smart.
Teamwork makes the dream work, right? Faculty-industry collabs can mean setting up interdisciplinary projects, case studies, and all those real-world tasks that give our students a taste of the tech life.
Inviting the Pros to the Classroom Party
How about we roll out the red carpet in our classrooms for some industry hotshots? Imagine the gems they’ll drop on our students about nailing a tech job and steering through the professional maze.
But wait, there’s more. Why not turn these visits into resume workshops, mock interviews, and all that jazz to make our students interview-ready rock stars?
Career Readiness 101: Making It a Thing
Academic smarts are great, but what about the “get that job” smarts? We need a career readiness crash course in the mix, to school our students on the job-hunt hustle—from crafting killer resumes to acing interviews.
Internships & Apprenticeships: The Real Deal
Experience is the best teacher, they say. So, let’s nudge our students towards internships and apprenticeships. It’s their ticket to the inside scoop on the tech world, networking nirvana, and, let’s be honest, a glittering line on their resumes.
Tech Bootcamps & Certifications: Level Up!
Tech bootcamps? They’re the fast lane to coding coolness, while certifications are like the power-ups in our students’ skill games. Investing in these will help our students glow up in the job market.
Building Bridges for Paid Internship Gold
Reality check: Unpaid internships are so last season. Let’s get our students paid while they learn the ropes. Teaming up with industry pals to set up these opportunities will make sure our students aren’t just career-ready, but career-rocking!
So, what do you say? Ready to gear up our students with the tools, tricks, and ties to jump into their careers with both feet? Let’s do this!
‘Til next time, keep inspiring!
Hi Anna,
I really appreciated your post! How about we organize 2-3 guest speakers from CIS classes with a strong career focus? Similarly, the Business department is interested in hosting 2-3 speakers per semester. We could establish a new norm where faculty feature one of their industry guest speakers in an ‘open-door’ session, sharing career insights more broadly.
Often, these valuable industry insights remain confined within individual classrooms or departments. I believe we have an opportunity to broaden the impact. Let’s consider initiating a “Careers Across the Curricula Open Series” each semester, effectively breaking down the silos and making expert career advice more accessible across departments.
Shane
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Hi Shane!
Thank you so very much for appreciating my post! I welcome the opportunity for cross departmental collaboration. Are you available next week to discuss more on collaborating??