Skills Infusion Program
Aurora University invites full-time faculty members to participate in a paid training and collaboration experience during the academic year. This initiative aims to enhance students' ability to articulate transferable skills gained through coursework and provide a gap analysis tool for students to identify and reflect on skills they have yet to develop.
This professional development experience spans one semester and consists of three required large group workshops. The focus is to align current academic coursework with the skills employers seek by reviewing course syllabi, mapping course outcomes to the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ (NACE) workplace competencies, and engaging in reflection with input from Career Services and employer/alumni partners. Upon completing the Skills Infusion Program, faculty will see clear connections between the skills taught in their classrooms and their applicability across various colleges and industries.
The program is also expanding to include individuals involved in co-curricular activities across the university. This expansion aims to share strategies for incorporating these skills into student organizations, leadership and training programs, campus events, courses, and student employment opportunities.
Resources
Responsibilities
- Deans will identify candidates for Faculty Fellows.
- Faculty Fellows (2) will receive a $750 stipend.
- Faculty Fellows will be a consistent faculty voice and liaise between the faculty, the college, and the Career Services staff.
- Faculty Fellows will be expected to coordinate, lead, and complete no more than two individual meetings in between workshops with faculty to accomplish the given tasks. They will also facilitate conversations at workshops.
- Faculty Fellows are responsible for collecting, approving, and submitting completed deliverables to the Skills Infusion Coordinator for all participating faculty within their assigned college(s).
The Skills Infusion Program is limited to one semester and includes three required large group workshops and no more than two independent meetings with their Faculty Fellow throughout the semester.
Workshop #1 (2-3 hours)
Overview of Purpose and NACE Competencies
Time to complete worksheets and collaborate with colleagues
Workshop #2 (1.5 hours)
Alumni/Industry breakfast
Workshop #3 (1-1.5 hours)
Reflections
The expectation is that within one semester a Faculty Participant will:
- Provide an updated syllabus, outlining course outcomes mapped to NACE competencies.
- Show examples of course activities that help students articulate transferrable skills and support mapping worksheets.
Once documentation is received and reviewed by the Faculty Fellows, the Skills Infusion Coordinator will coordinate stipend paperwork.
The Skills Infusion Program is limited to one semester and includes three required large group workshops and optional independent meetings with their Career Services liaison throughout the semester.
Workshop #1 (1 hour)
Overview of Purpose and NACE Competencies
Time to complete worksheets and collaborate with colleagues
Workshop #2 (1.5 hours)
Alumni/Industry Breakfast
Workshop #3 (1-1.5 hours)
Reflections
The expectation is that the Co-curricular Cohort will:
- Submit updated job descriptions for the on-campus student jobs in their department with outcomes mapped to NACE competencies.
- Show examples of events/activities and courses mapped to NACE competencies that help students articulate the skills demonstrated .