How Integrating Work-Based Learning into Career Services Boosts Employment Outcomes

To cope with the change in the current job landscape, learners and educators alike are shifting priorities to skills-based learning and clear career trajectories. A recent Salesforce report revealed that nearly half of learners select educational institutions based on career prospects, yet only 11% feel prepared for the workforce. We gather insights from over 700 remote internship intern-supervisor pairings to address this challenge in our latest report, 'Unlocking Career Readiness'. This report covers qualities employers seek in career-ready talent and solutions to bridge employability gaps.

Download the Report Here 

Fostering Career-Ready Soft Skills

The NACE Job Outlook 2023 highlights that graduates often fall short on most of the eight career readiness competencies. This skill gap leaves graduates feeling unprepared to step into the job market. The research reveals that upon remote internship completion, both interns and supervisors observed improvement in all eight soft skills, with critical thinking and communication showing a significant boost.

Enhancing Learners' Employability

Experience, while valuable, is no longer the sole deciding factor. Hiring managers are recognizing the significance of the right soft skills, highlighting the shift towards a skills-based hiring approach. According to the NACE Job Outlook Report 2023, when two candidates possess similar qualifications, employers often give the edge to the one with previous internship experience. The white paper further explains this, revealing that both interns and supervisors acknowledge the enhancement of all career readiness skills following the completion of remote structured internships. 

Equipping Learners with Employer-Valued Skills

According to the Carnegie Foundation and Stanford Research Center, 85% of job success is attributed to soft skills. However, the NACE report highlights a disparity between the skills that employers deem important such as critical thinking and communication, and the practical proficiency of recent graduates in these domains. According to our research, remote structured internships are proven to bridge the skill gap. These hands-on experiences provide learners with opportunities to gain real-world experience and future-proof skills for career success.

Our "Unlocking Career Readiness" report provides insights into career-ready skills. Conducted surveys and success stories from other higher education institutions and alumni, demonstrating how remote structured internships can enhance employment outcomes.