Future Workforce Coordinator College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies UTK

The College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies (CECS) at the University of Tennessee Knoxville is one of the Universitys fastest growing and most innovative colleges built to respond to emerging technologies evolving industries and a workforce that is changing faster than ever before.

At the center of that mission the CECS Future Workforce Coordinator will work at the intersection of emerging technology industry education and the future of work. This forward-thinking learner-facing position will keep up to date on where the workforce is headed and translate those changes into meaningful opportunities for CECS learners. As technology transforms existing occupations and creates entirely new possibilities the Future Workforce Coordinator will help learners understand what is next develop the skills and experiences needed to get there and connect their academic preparation to internships experiential learning and rapidly evolving employment opportunities.

Reporting to the Director of Advising the Future Workforce Coordinator will collaborate closely with the CECS Advising team Partnership and Economic Development team Student Success and Engagement team and the Universitys Center for Career Development and Academic Exploration (CCDAE). A primary focus will be connecting learners with internships apprenticeships experiential learning professional development and employment opportunities that align with their interests capabilities and future career potential. The Coordinator will develop and manage learner-facing placement processes while maintaining strong engagement with learners and liaising with industry partners to support successful outcomes.

We are looking for someone who is curious innovative adaptable and energized by possibility. The successful candidate will be comfortable working in a space where technologies are evolving industries are transforming and career pathways are still being defined. This individual will understand emerging workforce trends build meaningful connections between learners and industry and develop creative approaches to preparing CECS graduates for an increasingly dynamic and technology-driven world of work.

This is an opportunity to do more than prepare learners for the jobs that exist today it is an opportunity to help define pathways to the careers of tomorrow.

Future of Work and Emerging Career Pathways

• Stay current and up to date on emerging technologies occupations workforce trends and competencies shaping the future of work.
• Develop and define experiential learning pathways in emerging fields where traditional career trajectories may not yet exist.
• Translate industry needs into actionable career pathways professional competencies and workforce preparation for CECS learners.
• Connect CECS learner capabilities with evolving industry and workforce opportunities.

Industry Partnerships and Experiential Learning

• Collaborate with the CECS Advising team to assess CECS learners competencies and interests.
• Collaborate with CECS Advising team on administrative procedures and learner tracking of all internships and applied experience programs.
• Collaborate with the CECS Partnerships and Economic Development team to identify employer partnerships talent needs and workforce opportunities by establishing the internships and other applied experiences programs for CECS learners.
• Collaborate with the CECS Student Success and Engagement team to assess and match qualified learners with internships apprenticeships externships service learning research and other workforce-connected opportunities.
• Develop and implement onboarding participation documentation and completion processes.
• Maintain learner and employer engagement to address barriers and strengthen experiential learning outcomes.

Career Readiness and Workforce Placement

• Prepare learners for emerging careers through resume development interviewing networking professional communication and workplace readiness in collaboration with CECS teams and CCDAE.
• Implement workforce-readiness milestones that prepare learners for internships and employment.
• Lead CECS learner workforce development programming including CECSs unique RISE pathway and RISE Summit Showcase programs and coordinate learner-facing engagements with industry professionals mentors and employers.
• Connect career-ready learners with employment opportunities and support their transition from college into meaningful gainful employment upon graduation.
• Create and maintain CECS Alumni database to keep current on the statuses of all CECS alumni.

Workforce Assessment and Continuous Improvement

• Track and assess learner internship trends learner readiness experiential learning participation placement and employment outcomes.
• Track data on learner performance during their time in CECS and upon graduation.
• Analyze learner and pathways data to identify gaps barriers and emerging opportunities.
• Develop reports and recommendations on CECS learners experiences to inform CECS leadership on future workforce development strategy and program improvement.
• Continuously adapt career pathways and workforce development programming as technologies industries and employment opportunities evolve.

Learner Success Engagement & Progression

• Provide individualized learner development and success support focused on goal setting time management learning strategies problem-solving resource navigation and other competencies that strengthen persistence and progression toward graduation.
• Maintain proactive sustained engagement with learners through individual meetings electronic communication outreach programming and student-facing events providing targeted intervention when barriers arise.
• Review progress and relevant learner information to identify needs inform individualized strategies and connect learners with appropriate CECS and University resources and opportunities.
• Maintain comprehensive knowledge of University academic policies procedures resources and student support systems to help learners navigate academic decisions and successfully progress toward degree completion.
• Support intervention and early-alert initiatives through proactive outreach learner engagement documentation referrals and follow-up.
• Engage prospective and current learners through new student orientation open houses recruitment activities admissions programs and other college and University events.
• Utilize student success and case-management systems including Banner and related technologies to document learner engagement monitor progression coordinate interventions and support data-informed decision-making.
• Contribute to the development implementation and assessment of learner success initiatives using outcomes and learner needs to inform continuous program improvement.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Masters Degree with a preference for backgrounds in a technical field.
• Experience: Experience in workforce development career development experiential learning industry engagement talent development or related field.
• Knowledge Skills and Abilities:
  • Strong ability to translate complex or evolving workforce needs into actionable programs and career pathways.
  • Excellent interpersonal relationship-building written and oral communication skills.
  • Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
  • Exceptional attention to detail initiative and follow-through.
  • Demonstrated adaptability curiosity initiative and comfort working in a rapidly changing fast-paced environment.
  • Ability to work in a collaborative team-oriented academic environment across academic industry and organizational boundaries and build effective relationships with campus and multiple stakeholders.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and CRM technology supporting student workforce and professional development programs.
  • Experience with data tracking and outcome measurement.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment-basedvisa status.

Preferred Qualifications

• Industry work experience in a related field to CECS programs.
• Demonstrated proven ability to understand and communicate emerging workforce technology and industry trends through former work experience.
• Experience coordinating internships experiential learning workforce development programs or student-industry engagement.

Work Location

• Location: Knoxville TN UTK Campus

• Onsite

Compensation and Benefits

• Find more information on the UT Market Range structurehere

• Find more information on UT Benefitshere

Application Instructions

To express interest please submit an application with the noted below attachments:

• Resume

• Cover Letter

About the College:

The College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies (CECS) at the University of Tennessee Knoxville is at the forefront of changing the future of higher education. It is a first-of-its-kind college created to meet the needs of students seeking a customizable degree path in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and data science that leads to rewarding careers upon graduation. CECS offers timely innovative student-centric degrees minors and stackable certificates at both undergraduate and graduate levels that address the future talent gap and expose students to experts and disciplines from across campus through a cross-cutting curriculum. CECS utilizes strong industry partnerships to ensure students gain relevant skills and real-world experience offering for-credit internships and multi-disciplinary projects. CECS emphasizes the cohort experience where students learn and interact with fellow students from across campus and disciplines allowing them to learn from one another and work together to solve real-world problems.

Who We Are:

We are a small team of energetic adaptable and hardworking individuals committed to educational initiatives that will lead to meaningful careers for our students and a positive impact on society. Every member of our team is a valuable collaborator driven entrepreneur and proficient multi-tasker dedicated to working together to find innovative approaches to achieving our shared goals. We are fast-moving and growing. Our work is constantly evolving to meet changing needs.