By Stevi Smith/reporter
Students having trouble finding a job in today’s tough economic times have a resource on campus that can help bridge the gap between them and future employers.
Career and employment centers are located on every TCC campus with career advisers who use a variety of techniques such as career assessment, résumé revision and practice interviews, all free.
Students can set up an appointment by phone or walk in to speak with an adviser and begin the job search process.
Students will then register with College Central Network, a website that builds connections by working directly with employers.
MyPlan, another website, assesses a student’s personality type, strengths and interests and matches the information with careers best suited for the student.
Students can also find on-campus jobs through the centers.
NE Campus has the only career center with two full-time employees that hold bachelor’s degrees and certifications as Global Career Development Facilitators, senior office assistant Vicki McCleary said.
“Our main focus is using necessary activities that contribute to student and alumni success,” she said. “We also follow the correct guidelines that best benefit students, employers, agencies and district polices.”
To stay current, the center schedules on-campus recruitment with employers and keeps up with career-related publications.
The NE Center has job and agency/volunteer opportunity fairs planned for the fall semester.
The employment centers on NE and SE campuses coordinate service learning, a program that gives students an opportunity to experience volunteer services via classroom activity instructed by faculty.
“Students who have completed the service learning program will receive a certificate of appreciation, personally signed by our campus president, which looks great on a résumé,” McCleary said.
SE assistant coordinator Gina Maloy explained the importance of service learning and its impact on gaining skills for employment.
“With the help of an instructor, students can volunteer in an area that relates to their major,” she said. “They gain experience beyond the classroom by seeing what a job in their field of study looks like firsthand.”
Maloy founded the Service Learning Intercollegiate Council, which has a conference planned for Nov. 11. The event will feature a collaboration of North Texas college directors, coordinators, faculty and community agencies with a combined goal of enhancing service learning, she said.
Speakers will include Nadinne Cruz of Cruz Consulting and Mary Prentice, New Mexico State University education associate professor.
The SE career center also has an event unique to its campus planned for early October.
“Our pre-job fair will feature a panel of employers who will talk to students about what they are looking for in potential job candidates and are open to answer any questions that students may have concerning the hiring process,” Maloy said.
The TR career center uses interactive activities to facilitate a student’s search for employment.
“We go the extra mile to assist students in reaching out to employers, building connections and giving them more access to jobs that they may have not even been aware of,” coordinator of employment services Kristin Vinson Wright said.
Like some of the other centers, TR career advisers use MyPlan, conduct mock interviewing and help with résumé writing.
This center also has a career closet with a choice of suits students can borrow to look presentable for a job interview, Wright said.
This fall, the TR center has a job fair and a speakers series on its agenda.
Student assistants also work at the career centers and, to qualify, must be enrolled in at least six credit hours for the spring and fall semesters or three credit hours for summer I and summer II.
Yvonne Quevedo, NE student assistant, said she likes helping other students find employment while getting a paycheck.
“I like working as a student assistant because I get to help other students with their résumés and show them to how to create their online profile on CCN,” she said. “I’m also given the flexibility to study when it’s not busy.”
Students can find out more information on TCC’s career and employment centers, including specific locations and hours of operation, by visiting www.tccd.edu/student services/career.html.
