Navigating the complexities of career development can be particularly challenging for working adult learners. Recognizing this, the University of Phoenix has introduced Career Navigator Tools, a comprehensive platform designed to empower students and alumni in their career journeys. This innovative platform consolidates a suite of career-focused resources into an accessible, user-friendly interface, ensuring individuals have the necessary support to define, plan, and achieve their professional aspirations.
Sandip Bhakta, Vice President of Career Services and Support at University of Phoenix, emphasizes the platform’s core mission: “University of Phoenix is career-focused for working adult learners, and this platform was built to help our students and alumni take charge of their career goals.” Career Navigator Tools expands upon the university’s existing Career Services for Life® commitment, placing career planning at the forefront and enabling users to forge personalized career pathways.
Key Components of Career Navigator Tools
The platform offers a range of integrated tools, each designed to address specific aspects of career development:
Skills Profile: Understand and Leverage Your Strengths
The Skills Profile tool provides a centralized view of both demonstrated and self-attested skills acquired through University of Phoenix programs. This feature allows users to recognize the value of their skill set and track their development throughout their academic journey. By clearly outlining their competencies, individuals can effectively communicate their strengths to potential employers and identify areas for further growth.
Career Explorer: Discover Career Paths and Industry Insights
Career Explorer empowers users to delve into diverse career options and gain critical insights into various industries. This tool offers comparative data on crucial factors such as job growth projections, typical daily responsibilities, required skills, and salary ranges. Furthermore, it presents job titles relevant to different experience levels within each career path, facilitating a deeper understanding of job market trends and career progression opportunities.
Career Planner: Strategize Your Career Goals
The Career Planner tool enables users to save preferred career paths and job titles, fostering a structured approach to career goal setting. By visualizing their aspirations, individuals can identify potential skills gaps that may need addressing. This proactive planning tool provides clarity on how acquired skills directly contribute to career readiness and facilitates informed decision-making regarding professional development.
Job Explorer: Streamline Your Job Search
Job Explorer simplifies the job search process by aggregating job postings from multiple online job boards into a single, convenient location. Job listings are curated based on the user’s program of study and preferred geographic location. The platform intelligently ranks job openings based on the alignment of required skills with those listed in the user’s Skills Profile, prioritizing opportunities that are most relevant to their qualifications and location preferences. Users can further refine search results based on specific criteria such as remote work options and experience level, ensuring a highly personalized and efficient job search experience.
Development and User-Centric Approach
The Career Navigator Tools platform is the result of collaborative efforts by the Career Accelerator Team, employing a user-centric product methodology. Francisco Contreras, Senior Product Manager, explains the platform’s development: “Previously, a career hub and job explorer/skills profile existed in individual locations. Career Navigator combines these separate sets of tools into a single authenticated experience, allowing students and alumni to seamlessly navigate between all the sets of tools from career exploration, goal setting, skills, tracking and browsing potential job opportunities.”
The design process prioritized student and alumni feedback. Jack Gannon, Senior Designer, UX/UI Marketing, highlights the importance of this approach: “Our customer interview process informed initial design decision which is so critical in the field of careers.” Continuous student feedback ensures the platform remains relevant and effective in meeting the evolving needs of working adult learners.
Maria Millentree, a University of Phoenix student, shared her positive experience: “With the help of the navigator tool, I was able to identify both the skills that I have developed as well as the ones that I already possess… I was able to quickly and easily identify what I needed to focus on to enhance my skills and understand existing skills.” She further noted how Career Navigator Tools broadened her career perspectives, enabling her to “connect with potential jobs that I would not have considered applying for otherwise.”
Integration and Enhanced Functionality
Career Navigator Tools builds upon University of Phoenix’s commitment to skills-mapped curriculum, where 100% of associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs are now fully skills-mapped. This alignment ensures that the platform seamlessly integrates with the university’s academic offerings, providing a cohesive and career-focused learning environment. Future enhancements are planned, promising even greater functionality and value for users.
Conclusion
University of Phoenix’s Career Navigator Tools represent a significant advancement in career support for working adult learners. By integrating essential resources into a single, intuitive platform, these tools empower individuals to take control of their career paths, develop essential skills, and confidently navigate the job market. For University of Phoenix students and alumni, Career Navigator Tools is an invaluable asset for unlocking their full career potential.
