Bridging The Gap: How To Prepare College Graduates For The Workforce

"The transition from college graduation to the working world has always been difficult, but current trends show that the preparedness gap may be widening. Nationwide, college graduates are struggling to land their first job and businesses are struggling to manage them. A recent Resume.org survey shows that the majority of hiring managers believe that recent college graduates are unprepared for the workforce."

"These concerns are compounded for students from marginalized communities, such as first-generation college graduates - students who are the first in their families to obtain a bachelor's degree. "First-generation youth don't usually have access to professional networks, models for expected workplace behavior, or the resources to pursue unpaid internships," says Tamara Craver, CEO of Reality Changers, an organization that serves first-generation college students."

"Reality Changers is about to launch their third year of collaboration with Tinuiti. Tinuiti is the largest independent full-funnel marketing agency in the U.S. across the media that matters most, with $4 billion in digital media under management and more than 1,200 employees. Since 2023, Tinuiti, Sony Electronics, and Amazon Advertising have come together to create immersive digital marketing career days for Reality Changers students."

College graduates face growing difficulty transitioning into the workforce as many struggle to secure first jobs and meet employer expectations. Hiring managers commonly report that recent graduates arrive unprepared for workplace demands. First-generation students frequently lack access to professional networks, models for workplace behavior, and resources for unpaid internships. Reality Changers serves underrepresented first-generation students and builds partnerships to strengthen career readiness and competitiveness. Tinuiti, Sony Electronics, and Amazon Advertising deliver immersive digital marketing career days that teach advertising concepts and include team-based media pitch competitions to provide practical experience and industry exposure.

Read at Forbes