Following student survey, University announces new career hub

The University sent out an email on Tuesday, Sept. 17, announcing a "Career Hub." The new website is a central place for students, staff, faculty and community members to check out career resources the University is offering.

The Career Hub was recommended by the Student Career & Life Skills Working Group under former Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz. The group consisted of an internal and external committee, which included a variety of people, such as students, staff, faculty, parents, career experts and employers. The Career Hub was part of the recommendations that the working group made to Assistant Vice Chancellor of Career Development James Barricelli. Last November, a smaller committee was established to create the website.

Elizabeth Rieker, an external member of the chancellor’s working group, and a UNC alumni and parent, said that the group surveyed students at the beginning of the 2023-24 academic year about UNC career services. In that process, they received more than 200 responses.

The results showed that there were many divisions of career resources, but students didn’t know how to find them, which caused frustration, she said.

“We realize that rather than a building that you go into when you need help with a resume, students need access to resources and easy access to things that are available to them all the time,” Rieker said.

On the website, there are sections for undergraduate and graduate students, alumni and employers. There is also an events section on the website to showcase career-related seminars occurring throughout the semester.

Within three days of the Career Hub's launch, the website accumulated around 2,250 views, according to the committee.

Associate Provost for Student Leadership Mindy Storrie said that the website includes information from all 34 career units on campus, including University Career Services and campus partners. Searching on the “Find a Career Office” section guides students to resources and a page to schedule appointments. It also directs recruiters and alums to the quickest way to post work opportunities that align with student interests.

“Some students really don’t recognize what all is out there for them,” Storrie said. “I hope every single student sees how many different resources they can take advantage of, and then they can navigate to wherever it’s most comfortable.”

The committee plans to gather feedback from the UNC community, and they said they hope to hear from students, faculty, staff, alums and parents about gaps in the resource.

The committee is planning for future updates in a second version of the Career Hub. According to Barricelli, the updated version aims to include resume guides and templates for students, a tool to aid students in mapping their career and academic interests, an educational program for faculty and staff and other updates based on community feedback. Due to the extensiveness of the updates, it may take the committee through the academic year to implement the updates, he said.

“Part of our mission is to make sure that our graduates are prepared for success after their four years in Chapel Hill," Rieker said. "So it goes on much beyond what you learn in college, and it's our role as a University to continue to shape that and have resources available that help you once you're out too.”