UBC Reports | Vol. 48 | No. 1 | Jan. 10, 2002

Students learn to chart career course thanks to new program

Lifelong skills focus of Career Services' offering

What kind of job can you do with an Arts or Science degree? With the introduction of an innovative career development pilot program, UBC Career Services hopes to get students looking for some answers while they're still in school.

Future Mapping is an initiative aimed at helping Arts and Science students build careers related to their interests, skills and values, develop creative self-marketing tools and strategies, and hone their professional skills.

"Today's labour market calls for a more entrepreneurial approach to work-search," says the program's project manager Keira McPhee. "We want to teach students how to uncover work opportunities, including those in the unadvertised job market, as well as how to market themselves to match those opportunities."

Although it used to be anathema to equate universities with career development, McPhee says the Arts and Sciences faculties saw a clear need for career programming targeted at their students. The program has also received funding from the Office of the Vice-President, Academic.

"Many Arts and Science students look for a direct link between their major and future career," McPhee says. "For example, they think history major equals historian, but the experience of UBC Arts and Science alumni proves the range of options is very diverse.

"In Future Mapping, participants are encouraged to look beyond traditional career categories to understand the constantly shifting nature of today's labour market, and its many different options."

The 40-hour program is broken down into six modules delivered through a combination of interactive online and in-class sessions. Topics include assessing career interests, values and skills, tracking future job trends, practicing networking, and creating effective self-marketing tools.

The program concludes with an introduction to skills for successfully managing a career such as communication, conflict management, team building, and workplace ethics.

"Future Mapping is a comprehensive career development program that goes beyond career testing and resumé writing," says Career Services' Carol Naylor, the lead author of Future Mapping.

"The Web units feature video interviews with UBC alumni, on-line discussions and information exchanges. In class, participants will have the opportunity to hone and practise their professional skills with employers."

Naylor says the program is designed to give students a lifelong set of career guiding principles and skills. The first session of Future Mapping starts tomorrow for Arts or Science students. The cost is $218.

For more information call 604-822-4011 or visit www.careers.ubc.ca/futuremapping.