MCC Helps Students Find Meaningful Career Paths

Middlesex Community College prepares students for the future. The mission of the Career Development Office at Middlesex is to educate students in all phases of their career search with the tools necessary to make important career decisions and to develop and transition successfully into the workforce. By providing skill building and networking opportunities, MCC helps students on their educational and professional paths to set them up for continued success.

As the college has transitioned 95 percent of classes to run online for the Fall semester, many departments are offering online student services and events. The Career Development Office has created several online events throughout the Fall that will provide opportunities for students to hear industry professionals speak on their fields of interest, help them develop skills, and network with alums and other professionals.

Online events include the Diplomat in Residence Series for discussions on working at the U.S. Department of State, STEM career speakers, resume building, information on how industries are handling the pandemic, a writing in the workplace panel, and the 2020 Fall Internship Fair.

MCC’s Career Development Office builds connections with local businesses and organizations to offer students the best job and internship opportunities. Karen James, MCC’s Assistant Director of Career Planning & Placement, and Catherine Cosgrove, MCC’s Coordinator of Career Planning & Placement, believe in teaching students how to use the resources that are available to them so they can be active participants in their job search process.

“Our dedicated staff are experienced professionals who regularly engage with employers to gain relevant industry insights and connections,” they said. “Our staff utilize these employer connections by hosting employer panels, information sessions, internship fairs and career readiness programs, thereby expanding students’ employer networks and industry knowledge.”

According to James and Cosgrove, students who work with the Career Development Office learn how to identify their strengths and interests to match with a potential career path, develop realistic goals, explore life and career options, learn how to use effective job search skills, build and sustain professional relationships, and translate their knowledge to employment skills.

These important professional and life skills help students find jobs that will be meaningful and rewarding for them. MCC offers a new online resource Career Coach that features four essential functions to help students narrow down programs of study to match them with career options.

Career Coach includes an assessment to help students explore their interests, a career component to list current job descriptions broken down into fields of interest, a list of programs MCC offers to match students with a pathway based on their interests and skills, and a resume builder to assist in creating a strong resume to apply for jobs.

The Career Development Office also recently partnered with Handshake – an early talent acquisition recruiting platform – providing students with an online resource designed to find internship and job opportunities.

“Handshake is used by all Mass. four-year schools and Fortune 500 companies,” James and Cosgrove said. “This platform expands the opportunities for all students and provides a seamless transition for their career path upon their completion at MCC or transfer to a four-year school.”

The first event hosted by the Career Development Office is at noon on Wednesday, September 23. Other events will follow throughout the Fall semester.

Visit https://www.middlesex.mass.edu/careerservices/careerevents.aspx for more information, a list of online events, and to register for an event.

There is still time to register for MCC’s Mini-mester II, an accelerated, eight-week session that starts November 2. Visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/registration/ or call 1-800-818-3434 for more information and to register for classes.

Discover your path at Middlesex Community College. As one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in Massachusetts, MCC has been a proven leader in online education for more than 20 years. We educate, engage and empower a diverse community of learners, offering more than 80 degree and certificate programs – plus hundreds of noncredit courses. Middlesex Community College: Student success starts here!