About Building a Career-Ready Campus
Rutgers is advancing a career-ready campus through a shared vision, clear strategic priorities, and a common framework and shared language for career readiness. Together, these elements align academic and co-curricular experiences to support students in developing skills, gaining experience, and successfully pursuing their post-graduation goals.
Our Vision for a Career-Ready Campus
Rutgers’ commitment to building a career-ready campus is grounded in a strategic vision to ensure every student connects their experiences to meaningful career outcomes.
The Career Journey Model and Career Readiness Competencies provide the shared framework that advances this vision across the university.
Strategic Priorities in Action
Rutgers is advancing a career-ready campus through the following strategic priorities:
First-Year Career Integration
Integrating career and self-discovery into first-year courses through career assessments and guided reflection. The CES First-Year Interest Group Seminars (FIGS) model currently engages more than 2,000 first-year students annually, with plans to expand to 3,000+ students while extending into additional first-year transition courses to maximize reach across first-year students.
Scarlet Career Mentoring Community
Expanding connections between students and industry professionals while advancing a coordinated approach to career mentoring across Rutgers. Across CES mentoring programs, the goal is to support 1,200 mentoring connections annually, while increasing awareness and alignment with additional mentoring programs across campus.
Student Employee Enrichment (SEE)
Embedding career readiness into on-campus employment by helping student employees develop and articulate key competencies. The program is currently piloting with approximately 400 federal work-study students, with the goal of expanding to all first-year federal work-study students.
Career Journey Model: How Students Progress
The Career Journey Model outlines how students progress from exploration to post-graduation outcomes. Use this framework to help students connect experiences, build career readiness competencies, and make informed decisions.
About the Career Journey Model
A four-phase model that guides how students progress—from discovery to post-graduation outcomes.
Discover Yourself
Begin by understanding interests, values, and strengths.
Explore Careers & Pathways
Then connect interests to majors, careers, and opportunities.
Develop Skills & Competencies
Build and apply skills through hands-on experiences.
Pursue Your Goals
Prepare for and secure post-graduation opportunities.
Career Readiness Competencies: Skills Employers Value
Developed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), these eight competencies define the skills students need for career success and lifelong learning. They are developed across each stage of the Career Journey Model and provide a shared language for how students build, reflect on, and communicate their skills.
About Career Readiness Competencies
Eight core competencies developed by NACE that define the skills students build across the Career Journey Model.
Career & Self-Development
Continuously develop yourself through reflection and lifelong learning.
Communication
Clearly and effectively exchange ideas, information, and perspectives.
Critical Thinking
Analyze information and make informed decisions to solve problems.
Equity & Inclusion
Engage and collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
Leadership
Recognize strengths and guide others toward shared goals.
Professionalism
Act with integrity, accountability, and awareness of workplace expectations.
Teamwork
Collaborate effectively with others to achieve common goals.
Technology
Use technology strategically and ethically to enhance your work.