What are the best practices for using technology to support student career readiness?

By Providing access to online resources such as industry-specific blogs, webinars, and online courses. Websites like Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning offer courses that can supplement traditional education. Also, we can organize virtual career fairs and networking events in Zoom, and Microsoft Teams to enable students to connect with potential employers, ask questions, and explore job opportunities.

One thing I found helpful are job requirements and skills listed in job posts of EdTech Specialists and IT Application Support Specialists are the job post that are CompTIA skill certification specific: A+, Networking, or Cyber-security skills based. So this might lend to job and career coaches leaning Employee Candidates towards CompTIA certifications to become more well-rounded and prepared with basic skills inclusive with education instruction experience.

Digital Literacy has become a catch phrase of late. New Literacy Studies theorists might have us thinking about the "hidden discourses" that may exist within a particular setting. Working toward autonomous digital citizenry means to understand not only the skills that students and humans need to navigate the digital world, but also the general practices and ways-of-being associated with this in the workplace. Furthermore, what is so often lost in digital literacy curricula is thought around generational differences - not all team members are going to be hyper digital, less even understand a lot of newer technologies. So how do we prepare digital citizens to navigate landscapes where skills levels can be, surprisingly, very disparate.

This is what has worked for me: - Integrate change management principles into career readiness programs. Teach students how to adapt to changes in the workplace, navigate transitions, and embrace innovation. - Encourage students to subscribe to industry newsletters, podcasts, and online publications to stay informed about the latest developments. This habit ensures they remain proactive in their approach to learning and adapting to changes within their industries. - Encourage them to view learning as a lifelong journey that can and should be iterated, promoting adaptability in the face of evolving scenarios.

La tecnología educativa, al enfocarse en el aprendizaje práctico, potencia la relevancia y aplicación directa de habilidades. Herramientas como simulaciones digitales y plataformas de diseño ofrecen a los estudiantes la oportunidad de aplicar teorías en escenarios reales, mejorando su comprensión y capacidad para resolver problemas complejos. Esto no solo refuerza el conocimiento teórico, sino que también prepara a los estudiantes para desafíos del mundo real. Al integrar proyectos reales y casos de estudio, la tecnología asegura que el aprendizaje sea tangible y directamente aplicable a sus futuras carreras profesionales.

Learning through experimentation promotes an open environment where students feel comfortable to ask questions and make mistakes. It encourages them to think critically and creatively, fostering active learning that allows them to explore and discover new concepts on their own. This approach leads to the development of a wide range of skills essential for any career path, including problem-solving, communication, and collaboration.

In a competitive market, students need to understand how to articulate their digital skill depending on the audience or context. As career guidance specialists assist with job readiness, a focus too should be on what to describe and demonstrate digital ability and fluency levels. Not all industries understand or interpret digital skills in the same way - while one may expect this to be in the global/digital age, reading through job specs for similar roles across different companies clearly demonstrates a lack of standardized terminology application, amongst many things. Job readiness and career guidance should focus efforts on that skills translation aspect, equipping people with the ability to be self-aware toward career purpose.