Students face difficulties transitioning from school to work due to a lack of financial literacy and real-world skills training. While schools prepare students academically, they often do not teach practical workplace skills or connect students to available resources and jobs. The student population has also become more diverse, with non-traditional students juggling families and jobs while pursuing education, making the transition even harder. There is a need for schools and employers to better understand student needs and skills required in the workforce to help students transition more smoothly. Academic advisors are well-positioned to help address these issues and connect students to useful resources.

1. Description of Stakeholder Say/Do (from the Stakeholder)
Think/Feel Inferences (Educated guesses about how
the Stakeholder feels/thinks) Insight(s) Problem(s) Problem Statement
34-year-old university graduate who
worked in both a corporate and
start up environment for 5+ years.
"If students are on financial aid, they
become dependent on it."
"This makes the transition from school to
work difficult because not only are they
not getting financial aid, they also have
to start paying it back."
* Difficult to teach students about financial matters, eg
saving, paying back loans, etc
* Lack of effective resources to teach students how to
pay back loans in time
* Lack of widespread/well-known resources to teach
students about loans
* Need for more scholarships (that students don't have
to pay back)
* Need for longer payback time for loans
* Need for less interest on loans
Students don't know
about all the resources
that are available to
them at schools and
online.
Students need a way to
understand resources
available for their transition
into the workplace
Schools need a method to
understand and meet the needs
of students who will be
transitioning into the workplace
because there still exists a time
gap between graduation and
attaining a related job.
Had a desire to more concretely
give back to the community, so
because an academic counselor at
the local community college.
"School often times prepares students
academically, but not with proper skill
that are desired in the workplace."
"In other words, many students don't
graduate with the skills that are in
demand, which means there's little need
for the skills the students come out of
college with."
* Lack of courses on "real-world" skills
* Need for "real world scenario" courses in the
education program/degree
* Lack of communication (of skills needed) between
colleges and businesses
* Need for restructure/reorganization of current
educational requirements
Students graduate
without much preparaion
for the skills needed in a
work setting.
Education systems need
to have a method to
understand the skills
needed in the workplace,
and to address those skills
in their curriculum.
Meets with students regularly to aid
in registration, course
selection/scheduling, and transition
to work
"These days, many students are non-
traditional, meaning they are married,
have children, or already working 2-3
part-time jobs."
"In order to transition effectively to the
workplace, they have to at least
complete a certificate or degree."
"Often times, this is very challenging to
do while balancing their other priorities."
* Need for resources for students with diverse
backgrounds (eg little/no English skills vs in poverty vs
time constraints, etc)
* Need for a degree/certification that actual does
contribute skills used in the workplace
* Need for stakeholders/board of education to make
getting a certification easier on those who are not
academically adept, but can contribute greatly to
society (eg why does a carpenter need mastery of US
History 101?)
The student body is now
more diverse than ever
before.
Both schools and
workplaces should have a
method to address diverse
student/employee
populations
Involved with local non-profits,
notably the Austin chapter of Room
to Read (which aims to improve
literacy and gender equality in
education)
"Most schools don't teach the skills
needed for effective job searching (ie.
resume writing, interview skills, etc.)."
"Therefore, many students with the
proper skills cannot find or effectively
land jobs that they're qualified for."
* Lack of person-to-person resources for job searching
* Lack of affordable quality resources for job searching
* Lack of education on discovering jobs that students
are qualified for
Students are unaware of
job openings for which
they meet the job
requirements.
There needs to be a easy
way to connect qualified
people with available jobs.
Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of
America) whose father served in
the Air Force and whose parents
are immigrants who attended
college in the US
"Many students today feel entitled."
"They want to make $60,000/year
without having to work their way up the
system."
"They also want strategic jobs, etc. and
few (if any) companies are willing to give
these experienced jobs to people fresh
out of college".
* Lack of internships/coops to expose students to
understanding "the real world"
* Need for instruction/courses on discipline,
responsbility, negotitation, working hard, etc
* Need for positive role models for students to better
understand how to get jobs they desire (eg mentors, a
big brother/sister for graduates)
The "real world"
unfortunately comes as
a surprise to many
students.
Realistic information
needs to be conveyed to
students and upcoming
graduates somehow.
Do: Has a lot fo say about both college
requirements, student feedback, views
from an employer, etc.
* Clearly very passionate about the education system in
the US, as well as the transition of students into the
workplace.
There are stakeholders
already in the education
system who would aid in
development of
programs for school-to-
work transition
Do: Calm demeanor, but succinct and
well versed.
* Must be patient when dealing with students and the
education system.
Academic advisors could
be one of the intial
points of contact for
students who want
information about how to
tranition into the
workplace
Do: Enjoys using hand gestures to
emphasize points.
* Excited to discuss issues in the school to work
transition
Academic advisors may
be great for relaying
problems in the school
system to students,
schools, and businesses
Do: Answers questions from walk-ins
and well as responds to student emails
during downtime
* Open to learning new resources that can address
student concerns
Roles of those in the
education system could
be even more diversified