Career Treks: Engaging Employers in the Career Exploration P rocess

Career Treks: Engaging Employers in the Career Exploration Process University of California, Davis * Western Growers* Cal poly Pomona Thursday, December 13th Mpace

Agenda • Intro • Purpose • Types of treks • Careers In Agriculture program • Trek planning process

Learning Outcomes • Participants will be able to articulate the planning and execution processes of career treks from the employer and university perspective. • Participants will be able to identify key stakeholders who may benefit from career treks. • Participants will identify next steps and a timeline for their planning process

About Us Dr. Lisa Kessler Leslie Peek Stephanie Metzinger

Purpose of Treks • Career Exploration • Treks allow students to practice their skills • Networking opportunities • Fill Ag workforce gap

Considerations for Students • Treks connect to the employer • Learn how to become the best candidate • Understand how to best market their skills to the needs of the employers Treks help students network, explore new opportunities, and market their skills

Considerations for Employers • Market themselves to a specific talent pool • Increase awareness of opportunities unknown to students • Expand exposure for companies located in rural areas

On Campus Treks UC Davis

On Campus Treks • Aggie Job Walk • Series of tours of on-camps employment • Library Walk • Single department with over 100 student employees • Career Discovery Group Trips • Course for first year students

On Campus Treks

Special Populations serving students with specific career-related needs

Student Athletes • Collaboration with Intercollegiate Athletics to provide additional career and professional development for student athletes • 6 athletes attended • Two days with tour, networking, and case studies

Regional Treks To explore opportunities in a prioritized location

Central Valley Trek • Group of approximately 25 students to learn about jobs in the Central Valley • Employer tour, mini career fair/speed networking, and additional employer • ICC, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and employers fund together • Third annual event will be March 2019

Employer-Initiated Treks To connect students to particular stakeholders

Clorox • Approached UC Davis to help increase their applicants for Sales and Business positions • 12 students applied to attend, screened resumes for class standing and fit • Overview of organization and positions, case studies and education on sales positions in general, networking opportunity with VPs and CFO, lunch provided

Careers in Ag Program Western growers

CIA program https://youtu.be/fkutrF5ksVM

CIA Program Overview • Launched in summer 2016 • Tour: • 3-day tour, 10 – 15 companies, ~30 students • Monterey County, Coachella Valley and Yuma • Introduced to STEM-related careers, connect with C-level executives, learn about ag • Topics: engineering, tech, plant/crop science, food safety, ag business

CIA Program Goals • Fill ag workforce gap • Dispel misconceptions about degrees in ag • 2 Goals: • Encourage STEM students to pursue career in ag • Facilitate career, internship placement

CIA Program Development • PRE-TOUR • Partner w/ institutions to recruit students • Identify WG members to host • Connect w/students (LinkedIn Pre-Requirement) • TOUR • Manage time (1.5 hours each farm) • Survey • POST-TOUR • Bi-annual check up

Cal Poly Pomona Recruitment Strategy • Market trek to students interested in Ag-related careers • Students must submit application with demographic questions and 2 essays • Interview includes overview of trip and review of conduct during trip • Linked In profile and connect with WG

CPP Selection Criteria • Positive attitude • Interest in trip and possible AG career • GPA (above 2.4) • Responses to both essay and interview questions

UC Davis Recruitment Strategy • Open recruitment on Aggie Job Link • Submit resume and cover letter • Interview • Attend a networking workshop • Meet with Career Advisor • Post-trek gathering (new 2019)

CIA Analytics • 6 Tours • 150 student participants • As a direct result of the program: • 1 student has been placed in an internship with Taylor Farms • 2 students graduated with a career in agriculture • 8 students in midst of receiving internship/job in agriculture • Most students are still attending university but plan to pursue a career in agriculture

General Career Trek Analytics (UCD) • Approximately 30 treks completed since Fall 2016 • Approximately 600 student participants • Majority of students indicate they are informative • Almost all students indicate that they now consider career paththey hadn’t previously considered • Most employers appreciate students coming to the site • Most employers say it is a good use of staff time • Both employers and students enjoy the networking opportunities • Almost all say they would participate in future Treks

Logistics Step-by-step planning

Step 1: My goal is • Identify the goal or intended outcome for your company or institution • What is the need that this trek might fulfill? • Where might you start?

Step 2: Potential collaborators are • Who are you looking to partner with? • What are your areas of interest and departmental needs? • Who is already within your network ?

Step 3: Possible sources of funding are • What are your untapped resources? • Where can this fit in the budget that is already structured? • What can you make happen for no or low cost? • Who may be willing to sponsor?

Step 4: Potential challenges may be • What are some of the hesitations? • Where might this get “blocked”? • What are possible solutions to those challenges?

Step 5: My timeline is • What is your first task? Timeframe? • What is your second task? • What support do you need to adhere to that timeline?

How-to Step 6 • How will you assess your project? • What will success look like?

Leslie Peek- UC Davis lpeek@ucdavis.edu Stephanie Metzinger- Western Growers smetzinger@ucdavis.edu Thank you!!

Career Treks: Engaging Employers in the Career Exploration P rocess