Pan-Atlantic University Enhances Career Services with Education Workshop

At the forefront of enhancing graduate employability, Pan-Atlantic University has revitalized its career services following participation in the 2023 Education Collaborative Career Strategy Workshop. The workshop provided vital insights and practical strategies for career development professionals, enabling the university to implement innovative programs and strengthen industry relationships, ultimately better preparing students for the competitive job market.

Held annually, the Education Collaborative Career Strategy Workshop serves as a platform for career services professionals across Africa to develop transformative systems aimed at enhancing graduate employability. According to Abigail Welbeck, director of career services at Ashesi University, “The workshop is a great opportunity for career development professionals to learn practical strategies for creating effective systems that enhance students’ employability outcomes.”

For Nkiru Ukachukwu, director of Pan-Atlantic University’s Careers and Alumni Office, the workshop offered much more than expected. “Our career office runs many programs throughout the year, such as career fairs and internship programs, but we mainly assessed event management. At the 2023 workshop, we learned better ways to assess program impact from both students and industry contacts,” Ukachukwu said.

Inspired by the workshop, Pan-Atlantic University replicated successful practices from other institutions. Among the new initiatives is a CV writing clinic and interview workshop designed to better prepare students for the job market. Additionally, the career services team began using WhatsApp as a student engagement tool, a move that significantly improved responsiveness compared to traditional email communication. The introduction of infographics for event promotion and class-to-class visits by career services staff also heightened student interest and involvement.

Ukachukwu credited the workshop for providing insight into peer-to-peer counseling as an effective solution to managing large student populations, a practice adopted from other universities facing similar challenges.

Since attending the workshop, Pan-Atlantic University has restructured its career services calendar, planning events quarterly and aligning critical engagements with the academic year to help students better track their career progress. The team has also ramped up industry engagement, introducing quarterly newsletters and scheduling industry visits with both staff and students to foster relationships and emphasize the university’s commitment to graduate success.

Ukachukwu concludes, “The Career Strategy Workshop is worth every minute. There are few training programs for career services personnel, and attending this was both timely and pivotal for us.”

Pan-Atlantic University’s participation in the workshop reflects the potential for career services in higher education institutions to continually evolve, providing students with the tools and networks they need to thrive in an ever-changing job market.