New Name and Expanded Mission: Career Advising & Professional Development
Changes are afoot in Global Education and Career Development, with Global Education changing reporting lines to the newly reconfigured Office of Experiential Learning and the remaining “career development” organization adding Distinguished Fellowships and expanding to include professional development. In recognition of the latter changes, the office has a new name: Career Advising & Professional Development (CAPD).
The new office will continue its strong focus on helping all students, as well as recent alumni and postdocs, with self-discovery, finding career paths, and connecting to opportunities through our dedicated career services, prehealth advising, and distinguished fellowships teams. Adding professional development—which can be defined as the continuous process of developing skills and competencies, preparing students for personal and professional success while at MIT and beyond—is a natural extension to our work and will help enhance MIT student preparation for the next phase of their lives.
Two working groups are doing great work in developing a competency framework for both undergraduates and graduate students, cataloging current professional development activities within MIT, and reviewing what’s working well and where the gaps are. You can help this effort by contacting Career and Professional Development Specialist Sue Acton to provide feedback on the professional development needs of MIT students. Also, please let us know about any programs you offer that enhance student professional skills.
—Melanie Parker, Career Advising & Professional Development