Institutions do important work preparing students with relevant skills for the workforce, yet many students still struggle to gain access to professional opportunities. In a job market increasingly shaped by automation and AI-driven tools, students can apply more efficiently, but not necessarily more effectively. Access to opportunity continues to rely heavily on confidence, relationships, and social capital, areas that are often assumed rather than explicitly taught.
This interactive session explores the gap between workforce preparation and workforce access, focusing on how faculty and staff across roles can help students navigate uncertainty and enter professional spaces more confidently. Drawing from an academic career development perspective, the session invites participants to examine how relationships shaped their own career pathways—and how similar access is (or is not) made visible to students.
Through guided reflection and small-group activities, participants will explore the limitations of telling students "just network" without modeling it or providing opportunities to practice alongside them. Attendees will leave with practical, low-lift strategies they can embed into everyday teaching and interactions to help students translate skill development into real access and economic mobility.
