The Future of Work: Skills in 2020 and How Career Planning is Preparing Students

Happy New Year! The Office of Career Planning is excited to welcome students back to campus for the spring 2020 semester. As we enter a new semester, new year, and new decade, we recognize that the world of work is rapidly changing, and employers expect college graduates to be equipped with the skills to excel in careers of the future. While the economy has gone digital, employers need candidates who are well-versed in human and business skills, in addition to digital/tech skills; critical thinking, collaboration, communication, data analytics, business processes, and project management are just a few skill sets considered in-demand across industries. In an ever-changing economy where artificial intelligence, contract work, and job-hopping are becoming the norm, job-seekers will need to be able to adapt quickly and welcome ambiguity.

So how are we preparing students for this new world of work? January and February are heavy campus recruiting periods for employers on campus, and we are excited to offer students a variety of high-impact opportunities to connect with professionals, develop these critical skills, and explore ways to gain real-world experience. OCP is committed to providing students with experiential learning opportunities that include practice time with professionals and visits to employer sites to see and experience what the future of work looks like.

Career Week: February 17 – 21

• Feb. 17 | YMCA Info Table/Meet & Greet
• Feb. 17 | Red Hat: Job Search Strategies for International Students
• Feb. 18 | “In Great Company” Networking Night
• Feb. 19 | Spring Career Fair
• Feb. 21 | NetApp Career Trek

The spring version of Angels Suited for Success, our professional development certificate program, kicked off at the end of January, giving students the opportunity to be intentional about their professional development experience. In addition to this and our Career Week events, OCP will host several other employers on campus throughout the semester, including Blue Cross Blue Shield NC, McKinney, MetLife Global Technology, Milliken, and Credit Suisse. Students will also have the opportunity to polish their interviewing skills by practicing with an employer during Mock Interview Week, taking place March 23-27.

All of our programming and employer events are posted via Handshake, our interactive recruiting platform which is open to all Meredith students. Encourage your student to download the Handshake app to stay on top of upcoming career-related events and view job and internship postings. We hope your students will visit OCP early and often! We look forward to helping them navigate options, explore opportunities, and develop the skills needed for the world of work in 2020. To stay up-to-date on our career fairs, events, and opportunities throughout the academic year, we invite you to follow OCP on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.