Six academic advisers from UCF’s College of Business Administration will be laid off to make way for new professional development coaches as part of several changes the college is undergoing.
What was known as the Undergraduate Student Services Office will soon become the Office of Professional Development and advising staff will be replaced by professional development coaches who will handle advising duties as well as career planning, resume development and other areas.
The new Professional Development center aims to help students better prepare for professional employment by bridging the gap between academic advising and career services, said Dr. Paul Jarley, dean at the UCF College of Business Administration.
“These new services will focus on getting students to better understand the career and life-style choices they are making, the demands and expectations of their chosen profession within business, and the co-curricular activities and work-related experiences they should get now to position themselves for a great job,” Jarley said.
While the the professional development coaches won’t be in place for another month, Jarley hopes the new services will help students be competitive by improving their skills to navigate and manage their career as it develops over time.
“The new center will also help students better articulate how the skills they have acquired at UCF relate to the specific job they are applying for with a given employer,” Jarley said. “It is our goal to make our students more competitive and career-ready, as well as give them better skills to navigate and manage their career as it develops over time.”
The transition will take place over the next few weeks, and the service is expected to evolve over the next two years. Service to students will not be interrupted,” a spokesperson for UCF said.
