A CLR-based approach to career development for higher education

Higher education institutions are facing a major challenge: declining enrollment rates and the looming enrollment cliff. As a result, universities need to prioritize their career services departments to help students find the best-fit job opportunities. This is where the comprehensive learner record (CLR) comes in. A CLR is a digital record of a student’s academic and non-academic achievements, including skills, experiences, and credentials that align with the needs and expectations of employers.

A Holistic View – More Than a Diploma and a Transcript

In today’s job market, graduating students need more than just a diploma and a transcript. Employers are looking for candidates with a combination of technical and soft skills, relevant work experience, and a demonstrated ability to apply their knowledge in real-world settings. A CLR can provide all of this information in a concise and accessible format, helping students stand out from other applicants.

CLR-based career development is a new approach to helping students develop a professional identity and the skills necessary to succeed in the job market. With a CLR, students can see how their academic coursework, extracurricular activities, and work experiences are connected and contribute to their overall career goals. This type of self-reflection and intentional career planning is critical for students who want to pursue meaningful and rewarding careers.

The LifeJourney toolkit from Territorium is an industry-leading solution that helps universities create and manage comprehensive learner records for their students. LifeJourney takes into account everything that a student learns and can do, and turns it into a CLR that students can use to find the best-fit job options with employers. LifeJourney provides universities with the tools to gather, track, and analyze student data to create meaningful and relevant career development programs.

A CLR-based Approach to Career Development

First, it can help students understand the relevance of their academic coursework and how it applies to their desired career path. This can increase student engagement and motivation, leading to better academic performance and higher retention rates.

Second, a CLR can help students identify gaps in their skills and experiences and create a plan to fill those gaps. This can include internships, co-curricular activities, or other experiences that will enhance their resume and make them more competitive in the job market.

Third, a CLR can help career services departments provide more targeted and personalized career advice to students. Instead of relying on generic advice, career advisors can use a student’s CLR to provide tailored guidance on career paths, job search strategies, and interview preparation. This can lead to positive outcomes for students, including higher job placement rates and better-starting salaries.

Skills and Abilities

Plus, a CLR can benefit employers by providing them with a more complete picture of a candidate’s skills and experiences. This can help them make more informed hiring decisions and identify candidates who are the best fit for their organization. In a competitive job market, employers are looking for candidates who can demonstrate that they have the skills and experiences necessary to succeed in the job.

Comprehensive learner records are an essential tool for universities looking to improve student employability and prepare them for success in the job market. By using a CLR-based approach to career development, universities can help students understand the relevance of their academic coursework, identify gaps in their skills and experiences, and provide targeted and personalized career advice.

Additionally, employers can benefit from a more complete picture of a candidate’s skills and experiences, leading to better hiring decisions and a more competitive workforce.

Investing in Student Success

By investing in a CLR-based approach to career development, universities can help their students succeed in the job market and build a better future for themselves and their communities.