NACE 2019 just got over. These four days have been well spent on networking, learning, brainstorming, and focusing on outcomes. Career Services professionals, thought-leaders and ace-speakers have shared their ideas, thoughts, and findings. While these ideas and findings are thought-provoking, we are glad that the industry is thinking in the right direction and giving significant importance to technology. In general, Career services professionals are becoming more and more interested in keeping up-to-speed with latest technology available for them in the market
Here are our takes on ‘much-discussed’ topics in Nace19 –
- Future of Work: While discussing the future of work, speakers have emphasized new technology uses and serving students.
As a career services management organization, we understand and acknowledge these points. However, we are very optimistic about the ‘future of work’ in the career services industry. The new technologies: AI and ML are going to join our hand in success. These technologies are going to diminish the mundane and boring jobs and would let us focus on more productive and futuristic work. Several schools acknowledged the fact that students are not using the CSM systems as much as they should be using probably because of their existing systems being cumbersome to use. A more personalized user experience is what would interest the students.
- Mental health and anxiety among student: Speakers have also revealed that students are in pressing the need for a tool or institute that touches on mental health.
Yes, it is commendable that they are coming up openly and quite comfortable to talk about it. But at the same time, it is quite alarming that our new generation is under tremendous stress.
This subject needs a lot more attention from career services community. At Cynaptx, we have already taken few steps to encourage this movement. Cynaptx’s smart features help both staff and student to become a better version of him or her. Cynaptx’s AI infused job search system helps the student to save valuable time while searching for jobs. It also intuitively recommends new skills for students based on their profile. It manages the student’s calendar, interview, and schedules. By doing so, we are not only assuring organized career management for students but also promising extra ‘free time’ for the students. Students can utilize this extra free-time to meditate, exercise, meet their loved ones. Basically, a step towards a balanced and stress-free life.
- Magic of leadership: At Nace19, speakers have vouched for leadership qualities like – lead by example, explain the why and embrace vulnerability while speaking on leadership.
We hail these traits too. Our career service platform is a combination of all. As one of the emerging career service platform, Cynaptx is using the latest technologies to solve customer problems and always learning from real-time feedback.
- Neuro Diversity: One of the most discussed topics at NACE 19 is ‘neurodiversity’. Neurodiversity is a relatively new term that refers to people who have dyslexia, autism, ADHD, dyspraxia and other neurological conditions. Statistics shows that Neuro-diverse students are equally intelligent compared to their regular peers. But they get ignored in the hiring process. This is a situation not only with the organization but with the entire society. Society treats them as alien and as a part of society, our colleges, students, and organizations also treat similarly.
To make this place, safer and livable for neuro-diverse tribes, we first must start with the society we live. As a first few steps, we can start with –
- Work along with activist to understand them the neurodiverse folks better and have ‘workshops’ around them
- Implement ADA Act in all social platforms. The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public.
- “One size fits all” not working anymore: It was evident in the discussions that Career Centers are realizing the need for customizable career center solutions which can be tailor-made for the unique needs of each institute. Several Career Services professionals at NACE 2019 were of the view that either they have an over-engineered solution with several features which they do not need( but still pays for it) OR they are stuck with applications that are deficient in certain areas. Customizable CSM platforms can make their lives easier and deliver value for money.
- Data Analytics gaining importance in CSM: Career Centers are giving greater emphasis on using data analytics for identifying trends and decision making. They need applications which could do more than just data visualization and give them reports and analytical dashboards that compare multiple parameters real-time delivering meaningful inferences which could help them in course correction and decision making.
It’s a long way to go and we are very excited the future.