51社区

In a strategic move designed to further empower online graduate students and help them achieve their personal career goals, 51社区 is increasing the reach of its Graduate Career Acceleration Team (GradCAT) program.

GradCAT, a first-of-its-kind partnership with career mobility solutions provider Randstad RiseSmart, now provides all OHIO Online students who are engaging in an online graduate degree program (online certificate programs are currently ineligible) with unique access to three dedicated experts, including a personal career coach, an expert resume writer and a career concierge. 

Best of all, each expert is specifically selected to ensure their overall background and expertise align with a participating student鈥檚 area of study and career goals.

鈥淭he desire to improve one鈥檚 lifetime career opportunities is often the top reason why students choose to pursue a graduate education at OHIO,鈥� said OHIO Online鈥檚 Senior Director of Affinity Programs and Student Engagement Kathy Wilson. 鈥淭hrough GradCAT and our partnership with Randstad RiseSmart we can provide students with personalized support at every stage of their career journey and equip them with the tools and confidence needed to achieve their professional goals.鈥�

In addition to expert coaching, GradCAT also includes lifetime annual career coaching sessions and access to RiseSmart鈥檚 Spotlight technology platform, which offers job search resources, job opportunities, personal assessments and webinars. All tools and resources are available online 24/7, while coaching takes place via video or phone, providing students with convenient anytime, anywhere access to their coaches and job-search resources.

To date, OHIO students who have engaged in the program have expressed a satisfaction rate of 95 percent or higher. 

51社区鈥檚 GradCAT program was originally piloted in 2021 within the University鈥檚 College of Business; Associate Director for Career Management and Engagement with OHIO Online Elizabeth Guarino noted that the program鈥檚 recent expansion underscores 51社区's recognition of the unique challenges online students face in navigating today鈥檚 job market.

鈥淭he ways in which our online graduate students are seeking and gaining professional opportunities is evolving, and OHIO is equally adapting to help set a new standard for comprehensive career support in the online learning landscape,鈥� Guarino said.

OHIO Online graduate students become eligible for the GradCAT program during the last semester of their program, and they will receive a personalized email as soon as their eligibility window begins. 

Additional details about all of the Career Services offerings available through OHIO Online,  including the GradCAT program, are available online. To learn more,  with Associate Director for Career Management and Engagement with OHIO Online Elizabeth Guarino.