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Forbes
a day ago
- Automotive
- Forbes
Kettering University Aligns College And Work To Maximize ROI
Emphasizing light, transparency, and interconnected learning spaces, the Kettering University ... More Learning Commons building fosters creativity, community, and hands-on collaboration—skills that students rely upon for success in coursework and co-ops. A 2024 study from the Strada Institute for the Future of Work paints a bleak picture of college graduates. Over half are underemployed one year after college, and almost half remain in the same situation ten years later. Underemployment often arises because students graduate with theoretical knowledge but lack the practical skills directly relevant to employers' needs. For the past 100 years, Kettering University, through its unique co-op program, has had the solution to this problem, evidenced by the fact that 99% of its students are fully employed within one year after graduation. With the average student loan debt exceeding $38,000 and the average time to pay off student loans now exceeding 20 years, and with students increasingly questioning the notion that college is the best path to a secure future, the time has come to take a closer look at an alternative that works. Kettering University's Unique Approach Kettering University believes it has the answer in its co-op program. An engineering school founded in 1919 as 'General Motors Institute' to serve the budding automotive industry, Kettering has a unique 50% workplace/50% classroom model that provides clear answers to questions of return on investment and employability after college. Dr. Robert K. McMahan, President of Kettering University, describes their approach in his advice to undergraduates: 'Don't focus on the college experience. Focus instead on likely outcomes ten years out.' He goes on to stress that 'at Kettering, we partner with over 500 companies to coordinate highly rigorous academics with mentored, hands-on work in each student's area of professional interest.' The secret of Kettering's academic model is this commitment to 'hands-on work' enshrined in its co-op program, considered the most robust in the country. Kettering students begin co-oping with employers early in their first year and spend an equal amount of time over five years in the classroom and the workplace, graduating with a full two and a half years of meaningful job experience, and having earned as much as $100,000 during their studies. For instance, a mechanical engineering student at Kettering might alternate academic semesters with paid, hands-on roles at General Motors, acquiring direct experience in automotive design, manufacturing processes, and project management. By focusing on the long-term goal of creating future employees who are not just ready to work but ready to excel, Kettering has developed a model that produces graduates prepared to contribute as valuable employees on their first day of full-time work. In fact, by graduation, many have advanced beyond entry-level roles, finding themselves fast-tracked toward higher positions while their inexperienced peers from other schools face 12 to 18 months of training. 'It's a workforce supply-chain issue,' says McMahan, a successful venture capitalist as well as a renowned astrophysicist. 'We see industry as the client and students as the product, which may sound impersonal, but it's good for both parties. The extent to which higher education fails to understand itself as part of the workforce supply-chain is the extent to which it will continue to drift into irrelevance.' McMahan also emphasizes that Kettering's combination of rigorous academics and mentored employment focuses on a specific goal: mastery, meaning that students don't merely learn theory—they repeatedly apply skills in real-world settings until they demonstrate consistent, superior competence. 'Our graduates succeed because they have gained a level of mastery in their chosen professional discipline. Mastery is critical to their employability.' Kettering University Delivers Significant ROI Kettering is clearly meeting this goal. A 2017 study showed that Kettering University was having significant success in categories like economic mobility and starting salaries. Most intriguingly, it was the top performer among 71 highly selective private universities when it came to moving students entering university in the bottom quintile of household wealth to being in the top quintile at age 34. In regard to return on investment, the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce ranked Kettering University 22nd among all private non-profit universities, placing it ahead of many more expensive, more highly selective institutions. According to Kettering University graduates realize an 8% annualized return on their educational investment. Kettering University Graduates Ascend The Ranks Not surprisingly, a remarkable number of Kettering graduates have reached positions in Fortune 500 C-suites, including some of the top executive roles. Kettering alumni have held president or CEO roles at General Motors, Yamaha Motor Corporation, Reuters, Valvoline, Caesars Entertainment, Inc., Climate Impact Partners, PHINIA, REC Foundation, Masco, SAE International, Singer Vehicle Design, Kuhmute, and CNext. In recent years, Kettering alumni have also led at Merrill-Lynch, Delphi, BorgWarner, Continental Airlines, Benchmark Capital (early investor in eBay, Snap, Red Hat, Jamba Juice, etc.), Gibson Guitars, Greyhound, LG Energy Solutions Michigan, and more. Significant results for a school with only 2,400 students. But Will Kettering University Ascend The Rankings? With such success, prospective students and their families should focus more on substantial ranking factors related to a student's academic experience or future success, rather than traditional ranking criteria that emphasize an institution's reputation or the publication and citation records of its faculty. If the goal of education is a successful career and a meaningful life, individual attention and hands-on mentoring will matter much more than the size of the endowment or the selectivity of admissions, which are often included in common ratings. As dissatisfaction with the current state of undergraduate education continues to grow, the need for new ranking systems with criteria more relevant to families will increase. Whether this results in changes to existing methodologies or the development of new ones remains to be seen. Kettering University Provides A Way Forward Kettering University has a proven model of success with a 100-year track record. As many begin to question the value of a college education, institutions like Kettering University clearly demonstrate that the value is there, but only if the goals are clear. By keeping the focus on developing students with actual skills and meaningful experience, Kettering University provides a clear model for how it can be done. Whether other institutions can shift to a true student orientation remains to be seen.
Forbes
17-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Are Recent Grads Getting Hired? How Two Launched Strong Careers
Over the past two months, young people all across the country have been graduating from college. It's a time of huge accomplishment. It's also, for many recent and soon-to-be-graduates, a time of huge uncertainty. While some students have a strong first job set up, others don't yet have their next steps mapped out. Right now, 70% of the 1.4 million first-generation and low-income students who enroll in college each year aren't yet graduating with a strong first job or path to graduate school. That's about a million students who need to find their path forward to launch their careers. It doesn't have to be this way. Throughout my own career, I've gotten to work with thousands of young people who remind me that the path to a strong career always involves hard work and some smart networking, and often holds real challenges–but that finding that strong first job is possible with the right supports. Asare Bampoe-Parry and Josephine D'Angelo are two young people who remind me of this–they're recent graduates stepping into roles they're thrilled about. It's worth acknowledging the steep climb young people face today–the statistics are sobering when it comes to seniors and recent grads launching their careers. The Strada Institute recently reported that just roughly half of bachelor's degree holders are in a job that requires that degree a year after graduation. The other half are 'underemployed,' likely making less money and using fewer of the skills they worked so hard to earn. And those lower early salaries have a lasting impact on people's earnings over time. Some employers are reluctant to hire Gen Z workers at all; a survey by General Assembly found that more than a quarter of executives wouldn't hire an entry-level employee right now, with many citing a lack of 'soft skills.' Aneesh Raman, the Chief Economic Opportunities Officer at LinkedIn, recently wrote an op-ed about the tough landscape for entry-level workers; he notes that LinkedIn surveys found that Gen Z is more pessimistic about their future than any other age group, and that the majority of 3,000 executives LinkedIn surveyed felt AI will eventually take on some of the tasks that entry-level staff do today. Importantly, though, those same LinkedIn executives said that entry-level staff bring fresh ideas and new thinking to the workplace. And despite the challenges, I have thousands of reasons to be hopeful–all the young people I get the privilege of working with through my nonprofit, Braven. For over the past decade, Braven has helped college students, who we call Fellows, launch their careers. Together with our partners in higher education, we offer a three year experience that starts with a credit-bearing course and is followed by individualized post course support. The course explicitly teaches the skills and competencies young people need to figure out their next steps after college. Essentially, we ensure they learn the 'unwritten rules' of the job hunt and give them the chance to practice and prepare for their own journey. In collaboration with faculty, the course is facilitated by volunteer professionals, expanding Fellows' networks as they learn. We also partner with employers—they judge our Fellows' final projects, recruit from Braven's alumni, and volunteer to guide Fellows through Braven's course and mentor them in the post course afterwards. The Braven experience really works–up against all those tough statistics, last year's graduating Fellows earned a strong job or graduate school at a rate 18 percentage points higher than their peers nationwide (61% vs 43%). Asare Bampoe-Parry is one of this year's Fellows. Bampoe-Parry graduated last month from Rutgers University-Newark with a degree in Economics, with a minor in Africana Studies. At Rugers, he started to lean into his passion for art and creativity, and developed big dreams for creating his own fashion line, but he wasn't totally sure of his path. He was pursuing mechanical engineering at first and realized quickly it wasn't what he wanted, but he wasn't sure how to move forward. He also wanted to find a way to keep his dreams of making art and fashion alive. He signed up for Braven's course, hoping it would help him chart his path forward. In the course, Bampoe-Parry learned key skills, like how to create a strong resume, and how to ace a job interview. He also learned about the importance of pre-career experiences, like internships, leadership opportunities, co-ops, apprenticeships, and work-study jobs. Braven encourages students to take paid internships; they not only make students more competitive candidates for jobs, but they're associated with future earnings. Students who take paid internships tend to make more later on. Bampoe-Parry took Braven's advice seriously. He had just changed his major to economics, and he secured an internship at an insurance company, Chubb. He was in a project management role and found he loved it. 'There was so much room to learn,' he said. 'I was working with so many departments throughout the company, and that was the beauty of a project manager.' At the end of the internship, the company asked if Bampoe-Parry would be interested in pursuing a full-time role there, and he knew that he did. He ended up applying and, in the fall, secured his role at Chubb for after graduation. 'Once I received that email….I was able to take a deep breath,' he says. 'I screenshotted it and sent it to my family, just like, finally – something to look forward to after school. I won't just be getting a degree, I have something to go into.' While Bampoe-Parry launches his career at Chubb, he'll also be pursuing his future in fashion. Braven helps Fellows 'navigate' their careers, or think through their values, interests, skills, and goals around the job search. As Bampoe-Parry put it, 'They made sure to let me know that it is important to secure a strong first job–but don't lose your passion along the way.' For Bampoe-Parry, that meant applying to graduate school to study the business of fashion. He'll be attending Rutgers-Newark School of Business in the evenings starting this fall. And even though attending graduate school and holding a full-time job requires lots of work, Bamoe-Parry knows he's up to it. Braven helped him see this–the program helps Fellows gain confidence in themselves and in their dreams. The course is led by working or retired professionals, called Leadership Coaches, and Bampoe-Parry knew his Leadership Coach believed in him. His coach had encouraged him to take on challenges, like being a project manager in their final 'Capstone' project, that pushed him to grow outside his comfort zone. 'I'm really thankful for everyone I've met along the way, all the opportunities that I've received and what's come of it,' he says. 'It's like the perfect story in my eyes.' Josephine D'Angelo graduated from National Louis University (NLU) this month. She's held a number of jobs while in school–like a work study role doing marketing and communications for NLU, working at a physical therapy office, an optometrist's, and an advertising agency. Braven's course is highly encouraged on NLU's campus, and D'Angelo was excited to take it–she knew she wanted to represent these experiences powerfully on her resume. Luckily, that's one of the many skills that Braven teaches Fellows. D'Angelo's guide for Braven's course, or her 'Leadership Coach,' did a deep-dive for Fellows on all the pieces and parts of a strong resume. It had an impact on D'Angelo. 'Before coming into Braven, I would just have brief information of what I've done in previous positions. But with my Leadership Coach, he told me how important it is to have results on there, because that's what employers are looking for,' she explains. For D'Angelo, this meant updating her resume to include specifics. The jobs she'd held while in school were important pre-career experiences, just like Bampoe-Parry's internships–she just needed to prove how much she'd learned in them and the impact she had. Instead of simply saying she increased showroom traffic at a car dealership in one prior role, for instance, she provided numbers to back it up. 'What I wrote was that I increased car dealership showroom traffic by 50% weekly…and this turned into 30 plus appointments weekly,' she explains. 'So putting those numbers in, I think that really gave employers an idea of what I actually did in the position.' D'Angelo says that learning to build her network was another key part of her process. At first, this was hard for her. 'Growing up, I used to be like somebody that was very shy,' she explains. 'But Braven pushed me out of my comfort zone to open up as an individual and network with a lot of professionals as well.' She ended up requesting informational interviews with three people who worked at Medline, a healthcare company she'd been dreaming of working for for years. She asked them lots of questions about their experiences at Medline and in their own careers, and tried to get a sense of if the job would really be a good fit for her. 'I just really wanted to know if this was for me,' she says. After those conversations, she felt clear that it was. So D'Angelo used her strong, new resume to apply for the job at Medline. She spoke with a recruiter and interviewed with confidence. She ended up getting the job, and she'll be an Associate Product Manager with Medline starting this summer. 'I think that all my hard work has really paid off over the years,' she explains. 'I think it was the dream role for me.' Whether or not they go through an experience like Braven, young people can take key steps to help them land a strong first job, even in a tough employment landscape. They can seek strong pre-career experiences, like internships, as Bampoe-Parry did. They can bolster their resumes with specifics and practice interview skills, as D'Angelo did. They can seek out supports–whether it's from an experience like Braven's course and post course supports, a program at their university's career services, or through the advice and mentorship of professors or work-study employers. There's also a great deal that those of us who know and care about young people can do. We can volunteer our time to be 'mock interviewers' for students preparing to apply to jobs or internships. We can offer to read over a resume and offer concrete advice. We can encourage our employers to host internships or open up our offices for job shadowing. We can help young people build their leadership skills and grow their confidence. We can expand our networks–answering the email of questions from an undergraduate or saying yes to the coffee chat with someone we don't know. Together, we can be a part of building the bridge from college to career for our nation. The landscape is challenging, but the solution is within reach. That one million students who aren't graduating with a strong job today could be stepping into their careers tomorrow and ensuring our country's competitive advantage remains.
Forbes
06-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How To Succeesfully Navigate The Three Stages Of Your Career
Portrait of three happy coworkers smiling looking at camera in the office. Business concept. getty After graduating college, there is a mixture of exhilaration, and fear. This is not one of the best job markets for young adults. A 2024 report by the Burning Glass Institute and Strada Institute for the Future of Work, titled ' Talent Disrupted ,' found that 52% of recent four-year college graduates are underemployed one year after graduation. This means that they are working in jobs that don't require a bachelor's degree. Don't let this bother you. For many recent college graduates, they'll knock around for a while. Others who are lucky, will be on the fast track. Over the span of years, situations change. The initial hard chargers may burn out. If you keep trying, you'll find your way. A career will span many decades. Therefore, think in terms of visualizing your career developing over the years. It's more of a marathon than a sprint. Consider breaking down your overall career arc into three distinct parts . Each phase presents unique opportunities and challenges. It runs the gamut from launching a career after college to figuring out what to do after you're ready to retire. Early-career workers need to cultivate an array of relevant skills in their field. Mid-career professionals aggressively build their careers. Late-career workers can reinvent themselves through advisory or passion-driven roles. Ultimately, you'll need a financial plan for exiting the workforce, with a cushion of funds to allow you to enjoy your golden years. It may not be easy for some people. We're in a fast moving job market, economy, and workplace. The rapid acceleration of AI, automation, robotics and other technologies can change the game overnight. These tools have both the power to help your career thrive, or you may lose your position due to AI. Workers can't be complacent. Even if you have a good job and a nice compensation package, it doesn't mean it will last. The key is to continually move forward and be able to quickly adapt to changes. This includes getting training, finding a mentor, and learning new things to stay relevant and ahead of the curve. Upskilling is vital. A 2024 LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report found 74% of workers prioritize growth opportunities, and platforms like Udemy offer courses in AI or project management The Early Stages Your early career stage starts after college. Some people graduate in a field such as software engineering with lots of opportunities and large compensation packages. Others may find themselves a little lost. They can't seem to find the right opportunity. Recent graduates face a competitive landscape, with Handshake's 2024 survey of 1,925 Class of 2025 students revealing that 57% feel pessimistic about job prospects due to market tightness and AI's impact. Don't despair. This has happened every generation. Getting the first job is mission critical. It gets your foot in the door. Try to learn as much as possible. Find mentors, coaches and sponsors who can offer advice and guidance. Volunteer for almost everything. You want to be the go-to person in the office. You'll cultivate a reputation for being a team player and delivering on your promises. Also, it shows that you can get along with coworkers, managers and clients, which isn't easy to do. Young professionals, particularly Gen Z, face a tight job market and AI-driven disruptions. To thrive, you'll need to focus on acquiring versatile skills, such as digital literacy and problem-solving, which a 2024 World Economic Forum report identifies as critical for 60% of jobs by 2030. Seek out roles in growing sectors like technology, healthcare, finance or sustainability, even if they require starting at entry-level positions. Your Mid-Career The mid-career stage , often spanning the 15 to 25 year mark, is a period of peak productivity. You've cultivated confidence and the respect of your peers and managers. If you're so inclined, mid-career workers should start working on ways to obtain senior leadership opportunities. As you are climbing the corporate ladder, it's the time when you start making progress and earning some real money. You'll want to start setting aside funds for the future. Look into opening a brokerage account, if you don't have one already. Find out about CD rates, mutual funds, ETFs, and money markets. While you may feel invincible as your mid-career is doing well, don't fall into the trap of overspending to keep up with the neighbors. Always remain mentally prepared. The job market is tough. You could one day find yourself tapped to be laid off. Workers will likely face disruptions, like AI automating roles. After a couple of decades have passed, you might be thinking about a change. It's normal to think about a career pivot or reinvention to stay fresh and motivated. Be Honest With Yourself At each interaction of your career journey, think about if you want to continue doing what you've been doing for so long. Consider thinking about new and different challenges. This is the mid-life career crisis, as you need to figure out what you want to be for the next phase of your work life. It will seem daunting. When you're middle aged and after starting anew, it's not easy. Design a plan of bold action. Think of what you're good at, enjoy doing, have some talent for and the chance to earn a good living. Then, research what it takes to make that leap and do it. Don't procrastinate. Start today, as time quickly flies by. Reinventing or Pivoting Reinventing your career can feel daunting, especially if you're accustomed to a high-paying profession, but lack passion for it. Fear of losing status or financial security often traps people in unfulfilling jobs. Start small and avoid rash decisions. Try embracing Japanese concepts like ikigai (finding purpose) and kaizen (continuous improvement) to guide your pivot. Seek roles aligning with your skills, interests, and acceptable pay to find fulfillment. To move into a new career, create a fresh, compelling narrative. Highlight transferable skills that could make a hiring manager believe you can cross over to this new type of role. Refresh your résumé, LinkedIn profile and social media footprint to show how you have the skills and other attributes that make you a contender for this new adventure. If you like your boss and company, you don't have to leave to make a pivot or reinvention. You can create your own role and reinvent yourself, while remaining at your firm. There is a trend called job crafting. This is the practice of reimagining and changing the nature of your role to fit your needs, wants, desires and ambition. The Third Stage For some, in the late-career stage, typically after 25-30 years of work, the focus shifts to reinvention and winding down. Older workers may face ageism or industries disrupted by technology. There are many who believe that they have meaningful contributions to offer, and rather not retire too early. A 2024 AARP survey found that 57% of workers over 50 plan to work past the traditional retirement age, often in new roles or consulting. Now that you're in the late 40s, 50s, or 60s, you still feel that you have a lot to offer. Rather than slowing down, now may be the time to take your career to the next level. It could lead to your last hurrah. It's now become very common for people to work in their seventies and eighties. After all these years, you may want to finally get that position in the C-suite.
