Career Readiness

Are YOU Career Ready?

Career Readiness is the attainment and demonstration of competencies that prepare you for a successful transition into the workplace. Employers are looking for Westchester Community College graduates to be “Career Ready”. They want to recruit and hire students who can articulate their skills, talents, interests and strengths. Mastering these Career Readiness Competencies will make you a competitive candidate for future employment!

Competencies for a Career-Ready Workforce

Critical Thinking/Problem Solving:

Exercise sound reasoning to analyze issues, make decisions, and overcome problems. Obtain, interpret, and use knowledge, facts, and data, & demonstrate originality and inventiveness. Developed in: group projects, research papers, Service-Learning

Oral/Written Communications:

Articulate thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively to a variety of individuals.  This includes public speaking, expressing ideas to others, and writing, editing e-mails, letters and technical reports. Developed in: ENG 101/102, COMM 109, student organizations, papers/projects

Teamwork/Collaboration:

Build collaborative relationships with colleagues and customers representing diverse cultures, races, ages, genders, religions, lifestyles, and viewpoints. Able to work within a team structure; negotiate and manage conflict. Developed in: student group projects, clubs and organizations

Leadership:

Leverage the strengths of others to achieve common goals, and use interpersonal skills to coach and develop others. Assess and manage your emotions; use empathetic skills to guide and motivate. Organize, prioritize, and delegate. Developed in: group projects and student clubs organizations

Career Management:

Identify and articulate your skills, strengths, knowledge, and experiences; identify areas for professional growth.  Navigate and explore job options, take the steps necessary to pursue opportunities, and self-advocate in the workplace. Developed in: completing Career Assessments, visiting Career Services, Internships, Career Fairs & networking events

Professionalism/Work Ethic:

Demonstrate accountability and effective work habits (ex. Punctuality, time management) and understand the importance of a professional work image. Demonstrate integrity and ethical behavior, act responsibly and learn from mistakes. Developed in: class attendance, completing assignments/projects on time and follow-through on commitments made

Digital Technology:

Select and use appropriate technology to accomplish a given task.  Apply computing skills to solve problems. Demonstrate effective adaptability to new and emerging technologies. Developed in:  Group Projects, research, flyer creation, papers, computer class

Global /Intercultural Fluency:

Values, respects and learns from diverse cultures, races, ages, genders, sexual orientations, and religions. Developed in: Humanities courses, clubs, cultural events