University Career Development Center Changes Name to Offices of Career Connections

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The career services unit of the University of Arkansas has a new name: Offices of Career Connections. Along with career centers across the country, the department is evolving to better meet the current career education needs of students and alumni by weaving lifelong career confidence and readiness into all aspects of the college experience and beyond.   

The new name was selected after an extensive campus community feedback process. Career Connections signals the U of A's dedication to serve students and consult with the campus community to develop connections with people, ideas, and opportunities. "It emphasizes the value of connecting coursework, experiences, insights & reflections to learn about, explore, prepare, and adapt to the ever-evolving workforce and career options," explains Erica Estes, the executive director of the Offices of Career Connections.

Career Connections will focus on: 

• Emphasizing the value of self and world-of-work exploration and curiosity. 
• Coordinating opportunities for students to practice actively engaging in all experiences, which will expose career insights. 
• Teach career and self-development skills and practices, increasing students' ability to identify, build and articulate their self-awareness, career competencies, navigate the world of work, and advocate for themselves.  
• Collaborate with skill developers, such as faculty, employers, organization leaders, etc. 

Two examples of the Offices of Career Connections' evolution are Career Launch and the faculty and staff-focused Career Everywhere Conference. The purchased Career Launch four-week curriculum is designed to be embedded into classes and programs to teach students how to build their social capital, develop networking skills using an 8-step guide, and gain a better understanding of career pathway options and opportunities.  

The Career Everywhere Conference, scheduled for Oct. 6 this coming fall, will help faculty add value to their academic area by intentionally embedding career education and readiness into the student experience.  

The Offices of Career Connections will continue to offer career education services, such as career coaching, tips for developing a professional reputation and interviewing for new opportunities, assistance with application materials, events, resources to practice networking, career exploration, and search strategies, to name a few. Appointments can be found on Handshake. Students are encouraged to drop into the Career Studio on the first floor of the Cordia Harrington Center for Excellence to receive career assistance from a trained Career Peer Mentor.