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Supporting Young Alumni in Their Transition to the Workforce
As an institution, you are naturally interested in the professional success of your alumni. While many graduates can find their own way or may even prefer to do so, it is important to have a robust system in place to ensure young alumni can start out on the right foot.
Young Alumni in a Changing Job Market
First, it is important to understand the unique situation that the young alumni and fresh graduates of today find themselves in. In the post-COVID job market, remote and hybrid work models have become more of a norm than ever before, yet many large businesses that had overhired during the pandemic have started to cut down, saturating the job searching market massively. This is just one example of a unique challenge that young alumni have to face today.
How Can Institutions Help Alumni Kick-start Their Careers?
At the end of the day, communication and goodwill alone won’t give your new batch of alumni the desired transition to a professional career if you don’t have the right resources and programs in place. Thankfully, the past decade has taught us valuable lessons in terms of options that institutions can take. Here’s a brief look at some of the commonly employed strategies:
1. Establishing online alumni communities
Establishing connections and bringing awareness to opportunities have always been major hurdles for graduates who are only just beginning to explore their field on a professional level. Online alumni communities allow younger alumni to connect with peers and staff easily. Today, the best alumni networks also provide a unique opportunity for international alumni to stay involved and find opportunities that they may have otherwise missed out on. If you need some inspiration, check out how Punahou School built a global alumni community!
2. Organizing alumni events
In the past, alumni events were synonymous with simple reunion dinners or fundraisers. Nowadays, it is a much more flexible and interactive affair. The best institutions create value for both young and older alumni through enjoyable activities. These events can range from conventions, creative luncheons, or even a rubber duck race! What matters is that young alumni, donors, and parents get a chance to socialize and form connections with both the institution and their peers.
3. Mentorship programs
Mentorship programs allow young alumni to learn from fellow alumni who have gathered expertise in a specific field. As young alumni gather more experience, it also gives them an opportunity to give back by becoming mentors themselves and cultivating their relationship with their alma mater. If you are wondering how to set up the right mentorship program for your institution, make sure to check out this blog to help you out.
4. Career opportunity systems
The most straightforward way to help young alumni get started on their professional career is to have career opportunity systems put in place. Job placements, internship invitations, and facilitating campus drives from attractive employers are just some of the more popular ways. It also allows alumni to give back by creating opportunities. These systems can be made flexible depending on the resources available and willingness of employers and alumni alike.
5. Workshops and training before graduation
It is also important to consider the next batch of young alumni who will soon graduate. You can tap into your network of employers or businesspeople to host workshops, lectures, and training events at your institution. Successful alumni are an excellent source of inspiration as they have the required expertise as well as a personal connection to their alma mater, making it easier for audiences and staff to connect with them.
Looking Ahead
At the end of the day, what truly matters is that the institution feels like a supportive entity for young alumni at a very crucial and often uncertain time for them. From an institution’s perspective, this can be seen as the last step for a successful graduate as well as the first for a satisfied and promising alumni. It is also crucial to keep in mind the unique needs and circumstances of your institution. Keep in mind your budget, current alumni pool, specialized fields, etc., to find the right way to connect both your current and new generation of alumni.
Need some help getting started or leveling up your young alumni relation efforts? Book a demo or reach out to us. We’re always happy to help!
As an institution, you are naturally interested in the professional success of your alumni. While many graduates can find their own way or may even prefer to do so, it is important to have a robust system in place to ensure young alumni can start out on the right foot.
Young Alumni in a Changing Job Market
First, it is important to understand the unique situation that the young alumni and fresh graduates of today find themselves in. In the post-COVID job market, remote and hybrid work models have become more of a norm than ever before, yet many large businesses that had overhired during the pandemic have started to cut down, saturating the job searching market massively. This is just one example of a unique challenge that young alumni have to face today.
How Can Institutions Help Alumni Kick-start Their Careers?
At the end of the day, communication and goodwill alone won’t give your new batch of alumni the desired transition to a professional career if you don’t have the right resources and programs in place. Thankfully, the past decade has taught us valuable lessons in terms of options that institutions can take. Here’s a brief look at some of the commonly employed strategies:
1. Establishing online alumni communities
Establishing connections and bringing awareness to opportunities have always been major hurdles for graduates who are only just beginning to explore their field on a professional level. Online alumni communities allow younger alumni to connect with peers and staff easily. Today, the best alumni networks also provide a unique opportunity for international alumni to stay involved and find opportunities that they may have otherwise missed out on. If you need some inspiration, check out how Punahou School built a global alumni community!
2. Organizing alumni events
In the past, alumni events were synonymous with simple reunion dinners or fundraisers. Nowadays, it is a much more flexible and interactive affair. The best institutions create value for both young and older alumni through enjoyable activities. These events can range from conventions, creative luncheons, or even a rubber duck race! What matters is that young alumni, donors, and parents get a chance to socialize and form connections with both the institution and their peers.
3. Mentorship programs
Mentorship programs allow young alumni to learn from fellow alumni who have gathered expertise in a specific field. As young alumni gather more experience, it also gives them an opportunity to give back by becoming mentors themselves and cultivating their relationship with their alma mater. If you are wondering how to set up the right mentorship program for your institution, make sure to check out this blog to help you out.
4. Career opportunity systems
The most straightforward way to help young alumni get started on their professional career is to have career opportunity systems put in place. Job placements, internship invitations, and facilitating campus drives from attractive employers are just some of the more popular ways. It also allows alumni to give back by creating opportunities. These systems can be made flexible depending on the resources available and willingness of employers and alumni alike.
5. Workshops and training before graduation
It is also important to consider the next batch of young alumni who will soon graduate. You can tap into your network of employers or businesspeople to host workshops, lectures, and training events at your institution. Successful alumni are an excellent source of inspiration as they have the required expertise as well as a personal connection to their alma mater, making it easier for audiences and staff to connect with them.
Looking Ahead
At the end of the day, what truly matters is that the institution feels like a supportive entity for young alumni at a very crucial and often uncertain time for them. From an institution’s perspective, this can be seen as the last step for a successful graduate as well as the first for a satisfied and promising alumni. It is also crucial to keep in mind the unique needs and circumstances of your institution. Keep in mind your budget, current alumni pool, specialized fields, etc., to find the right way to connect both your current and new generation of alumni.
Need some help getting started or leveling up your young alumni relation efforts? Book a demo or reach out to us. We’re always happy to help!
Blackbaud, the leading provider of software for powering social impact, and Almabase, the digital-first alumni engagement solution, have announced the expansion of their partnership to the education sectors of Canada and the United Kingdom. The partnership will provide institutions with a modern, digital-first solution to improve constituent data, drive self-serve engagement, and boost event participation.
A Unified Vision
The partnership aligns with Blackbaud’s commitment to customer-centric innovation across digital engagement, Advancement CRM, and financials.
“Partners bring integrated capabilities that extend capabilities and outcomes for Blackbaud customers. We are thrilled that Almabase’s offering, integrated with Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT® and leveraging Blackbaud’s best-in-class payment solution, Blackbaud Merchant Services™, is now available to even more of our customers around the world.”
- Liz Price, Sr. Director of Global Partners at Blackbaud
