Importance of Career Readiness Programs

In the 21^st century, a career depicts the ultimate success of an individual. Due to increasing competition and lack of employment availability, students are not able to land in a proper job. Concentrating on academic performance throughout student life, they lack an appropriate skill set right before the beginning of their careers. Acquiring these skill sets and proficiency will not only make them industry ready but also prove to be beneficial in the long run. Career readiness programs help students to obtain necessary skills that will aid them to grow and sustain in a job. Very much important to assist the student in conquering the real-world challenges, these programs incorporate the required soft skills regardless of education and experience. Enriching the students with soft skills such as creativity, communication, teamwork, problem-solving, critical thinking, cultural competency, etiquette, and professionalism the career readiness programs integrate employability skills among the students providing them with a competitive edge during interviews, internships, and jobs.

To understand the significance of career readiness programs and their impact on a student, the below-mentioned topics may prove to be useful:

1. Identifies the caliber: Students at a young age are often not aware of their true potential. Career readiness programs create opportunities that help them to analyze the current scenario of the job market. Gradually they recognize the industry which suits them and they identify the skills required to ace in that industry. Comparing the caliber they require vs. the caliber they posses students can prepare themselves to face the real world.
2. Builds Capacity: Emerged in a theoretic world of bookish knowledge, students never get a glimpse of the real world waiting outside for them. With thorough practice and determination, the students can polish their skills and advance towards the future with more confidence.
3. An Investment for Future: Career readiness programs were quite unheard of until recent days. Critically analyzing the current market scope and skills possessed by the young graduates, these programs are now given the utmost priorities in every education sector. A vision of future, career readiness programs makes students industry ready even before the completion of their graduation.
4. Critical Thinking capacity: Analyzing and interpreting the complexity of a situation to bring out the best is not something that can be easily learned acquired. An important aspect of life in every situation, this trait shapes and molds a student into a professional by enhancing their thinking and problem-solving capacity. Career readiness programs develop logical reasoning skills to synthesize existing connections among various factors to solve problems.
5. Enhance Communication: We are all aware of the fact that with just above-average communication skills we cannot succeed in the interviews. During interviews and sustaining in the job, communication skills are far more than just a medium of transmission of thoughts and expressions. Coming from different regional backgrounds, students often lack proper communication skills which deprive them of their dream job even after the plethora of skills possess by them. Career readiness programs enhance the verbal ability of the students which also boosts their confidence and performance.

Regardless of the profession or industry a student enters, Colleges and Universities should take the pre-requisite steps to make students industry worthy. The ‘one-size-fits-all’ education system has its flaws and gaps which need to be mended by these career readiness programs. By organizing these programs, the students will get opportunities to hone their technical skills and personality to succeed in the future.