York University’s Career Centre has won a National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Excellence Award for its development of the Career Cyberguide – a multimedia resource that gives students access to career information when and where they need it. Donna Robbins, director of the Career Centre, accepted the Excellence Award for Educational Programming at the NACE National Conference in Orlando, Florida, on June 3, 2004.
Right: From left, Marilyn Mackes, Executive Director, NACE; Donna Robbins, York Career Centre; and Dan Guaglianone, President, Board of Directors, NACE
The conference attracted over 1,600 representatives from colleges, universities, employers and service organizations from across North America. The NACE Excellence Award for Educational Programming recognizes the best educational programs related to career development or employment targeted to students or career centre/college recruiting staff.
Cyberguide is revolutionary because it does not require significant increases in human or capital resources. The multimedia resource addresses many of the needs that career centres across North America face by increasing access to career information, maximizing the value of human and technical resources, and enhancing the quality of students' learning experience.
As a Web resource, Cyberguide uses a unique approach to the 'just-in-time' learning needs of students. It facilitates on-demand learning through the Internet so students have easy access to a broad range of information when they need it. By covering the general information online that is typically presented in York’s Career Centre workshops, the Cyberguide allows Career Centre staff to use one-on-one time with students more effectively. Students who need more assistance in applying the concepts they've learned through the virtual learning environment of the Cyberguide can gain personalized coaching or get more intensive help through one-on-one advising, résumé critiques and interview practice sessions. In this way, the high-tech approach of the Cyberguide facilitates closer and more meaningful "high touch" student contact.
Plans for expansion of the Cyberguide over the next year include sections about networking, on campus jobs and careers & majors. The Career Cyberguide is available online at http://www.yorku.ca/careers/cyberguide/index.html.
For more information about the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), click here.
This article was submitted to YFile by Julie Rahmer, manager, communications and Web resources for York University's Career Centre.