51������

Learning the principles of tax accounting. Applying concepts in business data mining. Developing the art of advanced selling strategies. No matter what you choose to major in at the Haworth College of Business, your professors will help prepare you for your future career by guiding you through courses that are foundational to your success. But how do you apply those classroom theories in real-life situations? How do you interview without saying something awkward, or act as a team player while still being seen as a leader?

Danielle Field, program manager for the college’s Student Professional Readiness Series (SPuRS), helps take business education beyond the books by preparing students with career readiness skills that employers seek. Through SPuRS, a co-curricular graduation requirement for business, students earn their degrees with core competencies defined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. They include:

• Critical thinking and problem solving
• Oral and written communications
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Digital technology
• Leadership
• Professionalism and work ethic
• Career management
• Global and intercultural fluency

“These competencies are nationally recognized as essential human capabilities and technical skills required for the world of work,” Field says. “With the SPuRS requirement in place, business students graduate with increased career readiness, reducing barriers that they may experience in their professional development. With a menu-like format to create their own completion plan, students gain the confidence to build an agile mindset, navigate the unfamiliar and deal with ambiguity. The program encourages resourcefulness, curiosity and a hunger for lifelong learning, connecting the dots between student experiences and career readiness.”

AN IMMERSIVE MENU

The SPuRS menu allows students to choose from a range of immersive experiences tailored to their academic and career interests. These include lecture series, employer site visits, resume workshops, case competitions and more. With the current COVID-19 pandemic, many of these experiences are being offered online. 

“Virtual and self-guided experiences have always been represented in SPuRS, but COVID-19 has made that need more pronounced,” Field says. “Many new self-guided SPuRS activities have been added to the program this summer. Some examples include the Art of Negotiation video series, an advanced company research activity, competency specific TED Talk reflections, The Jungle Podcast review and reflection, and the Best Practices of Interviewing video series. These additions provide students with more flexibility in selecting activities that meet their current professional development needs.”

DIGGING IN

Students begin the program by engaging in six foundational level experiences, which Field says are exploratory in nature. “Foundational level activities help students pursue their purpose and identify what they like and don’t like about the world of work. They get a sense of how their career interests and aspirations will impact their academic decisions, and they start to build strong connections with the Haworth College of Business community.”

Once completed, students move on to advanced level experiences. This is where students begin to make specific industry connections, join student organizations, study abroad, gain internship experience and craft their professional brand.

By completing the minimum requirements, students earn their bronze-level SPuRS, but many choose to go beyond the minimum and earn the optional silver- or gold-level designation. “Students who push themselves to earn these levels truly communicate that they have the ambition, work ethic and go-getter professional attitude to be a value-added member on any team,” Field says.

CAREER READY

No matter which designation they choose to complete, students resoundingly indicate that SPuRS prepares them with the career readiness competencies outlined by NACE. In fact, 95% of students who completed Business Professionalism, the capstone course for the SPuRS program, believed that they received the appropriate content needed for preparation in the eight competencies.

“When I started at 51������, I was not prepared for what businesses were looking for,” says Luca Dossena. “Because of the SPuRS program, I have improved my career readiness in many ways and I am now interviewing with many different companies. Through these interviews I am able to reflect on the skills I have gained through SPuRS and the college’s career development activities.”

“SPuRS has helped me in more ways than I could have ever imagined,” adds Adam Orr. “I went to a community college and transferred to Western the first year SPuRS became a requirement. After going through this program, I have learned a lot of useful information. This program pushes students outside of their comfort zones in ways that most would not explore on their own. It creates friendships and connections that otherwise may have been missed. I am grateful for these opportunities, and I have seen my professional growth flourish over the years.”