Many American families view college as an investment in their children’s future. But with so many variables in both higher education and the labor market, how can they navigate these risks to maximize their returns?
The answer at Florida Atlantic University is simple: university career services.
In a 2024 employment report by the Burning Glass Institute and Strada Institute for the Future of Work, a startling 52% of college graduates reported being underemployed one year after receiving their bachelor’s degree. Underemployment – which refers to individuals working in jobs that do not utilize their education or training – also remains a challenge over time, as 45% of graduates reported being underemployed a decade after receiving their degree.
These findings underscore an increasing concern among students, parents, policymakers and higher education institutions alike: that a degree will not automatically lead to employment in a college-level job. For first-generation and low-income students especially, the combination of student debt and underemployment may come with a substantial financial burden.
On the bright side, the Future of Work data highlight a positive connection between college-level employment and career services. Across majors, graduates who had at least one internship were 48.5% less likely to become underemployed. Additionally, 79% of graduates who began a college-level job upon receiving their degree remained so after five years, revealing the importance of career services in helping students secure immediate positions for lasting career outcomes.
“With the Career Center’s guidance, I secured an internship that turned into a full-time role after graduation, and I’m still with that company nearly seven years later as a senior account director,” said Casey Blomberg ’19, who received a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the College of Business. “It didn’t just help me start my career – it helped shape my future.”
At Florida Atlantic – where more than 30% of undergraduates are first-generation college students and nearly 40% are from low-income homes – student success is inseparable from career success, and 83% of low-income graduates move up at least one income bracket within a year of graduating.
“Through innovative, industry-aligned strategies, the Career Center has played a central role in Florida Atlantic’s rise as a leader in social mobility and a driver of workforce readiness,” said then-Interim FAU President Stacy Volnick. “The job market is constantly changing, and the Career Center continues to implement the best programs and platforms to prepare our students for life after college.”
Career Centric from the Start
When it opened in 1964, Florida Atlantic served only upperclassmen who transferred from junior colleges. Given this limited and critical time before graduation, the University emphasized the importance of preparing students for college-level employment.
This began in 1965, when the Placement Office was established to provide career assistance. The office helped students arrange on-campus interviews and access resources like an
occupational directory. In 1967, the scope of its services widened to include career planning and a cooperative education program, allowing students to gain practical experience in supervised work environments.
As the student body grew, so did the demand for career services. In 1971, the Placement Office moved to a prime location in the University’s Student Center, where its growth continued into the early 2000s. In 2015, the office was officially re-introduced as the Career Center, located in the Student Support Services building. Its name and location were updated to more accurately reflect the wide range of services designed to support student success.
Present Day Impact
Today, the Career Center serves more than 23,000 students each year across all six of Florida Atlantic’s campuses. Students benefit from individual career coaching, resume writing, interview preparation spaces, headshots, a professional clothing closet and more.
Students also engage with the Career Center virtually. In fact, 97% of incoming students participate in its award-winning Canvas module, Kick Off Your Future. This program supports students at every step of their career journey, from analyzing the earning potential of each major to developing an individualized career action plan. Once students establish this early connection with the Career Center, more than 80% of undergraduates continue to engage via the virtual platform, workshops, career and internship fairs, or career coaching.
“At Florida Atlantic, we are redefining the student experience by embedding career readiness into every facet of campus life,” said Brian Montalvo, assistant vice president of career services. “This transformative approach ensures that every student graduates equipped to lead, innovate and make meaningful contributions in a rapidly evolving world.”
Much like its early days in facilitating job placements, the Career Center still assists with on-campus interviews, now bringing more than 1,000 companies to campus each academic year. It also hosts at least 15 career fairs annually and connects thousands of students and alumni with a network of more than 6,000 active employers.
Recognizing the immense influence that internships have on shaping long-term career outcomes, the Career Center staff dedicates a significant amount of time and resources to providing these opportunities for students. Each year, the Career Center helps students attain about 10,000 internships that pave the way for longstanding success in their chosen fields. In 2017, the Career Center’s exceptional internship programs were recognized with a Best Practice Award from the national Cooperative Education &Internship Association.
“With the help of my career advisor, I secured a medical assistant internship that kickstarted my career in the health care field,” said Liana Fleming ’24, who received a bachelor’s degree in general studies from the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. “This helped me grow into my current role as an urgent care office manager and has prepared me for greater opportunities in the future.”
To enhance the awareness and impact of its offerings, the Career Center has developed strong collaborations with each of Florida Atlantic’s 10 colleges – and its network of more than 400 faculty members infuse career readiness into their curricula in various ways. These include listing the Career Center as a resource in syllabi, scheduling class presentations about career services, notifying students about upcoming career fairs, and assigning optional modules for practical career skills. As a result of these unified efforts, career readiness has become firmly integrated into the academic experience and students are more actively engaged with the University’s career resources.
To strengthen its bridge from academia to industry, the Career Center introduced the innovative Industry to Campus Lab in fall 2024, which provides a space for faculty members and industry professionals to exchange insights and foster meaningful partnerships.
According to a 2024 workforce report by YouScience, 90% of employers believe stronger partnerships with postsecondary institutions would improve their long-term talent pipelines. Additionally, aligning educational outcomes with market needs was among their top recommendations for better preparing students to enter the workforce. The Industry to Campus Lab addresses both of these concerns.
The space is modeled after business think tanks, and faculty members use it to meet with industry representatives to learn about the skills they are seeking from new talent. In turn, Florida Atlantic ensures that the education and experiences students receive align with employer expectations. Ultimately, this mutually beneficial dynamic prepares students to enter college-level jobs upon graduation and provides employers with access to a highly qualified pool of candidates that have been trained to meet current industry requirements.
“Florida Atlantic’s reputation for increasing social mobility while producing career-ready students for a growing Florida economy requires us to be trendsetters in career education and readiness,” said Larry Faerman, Ph.D., vice president for student affairs. “We have the opportunity, but more meaningfully, the privilege of creating and maintaining a synergistic environment for students, faculty and industry to converge.”
To continue its impact at the University and across major industries, the Career Center plans to build on the Industry to Campus Lab’s momentum. Its growth will include additional opportunities for students, faculty members and industry professionals to co-create programs and curricula that will prepare students for the workforce of tomorrow.
Vision 2030: A New Era of Workforce Readiness
Looking ahead, the Career Center will pursue a bold strategic plan called Vision 2030, with the goal of making Florida Atlantic the most career-centric university in the nation. At the core of this
vision is a straightforward principle that career readiness is not just a service, but a culture. To ensure all students are workforce ready, the Career Center is committed to expanding, enhancing and integrating its resources throughout the University. This cultural transformation will make career preparation an intrinsic part of the student experience.
“By leveraging innovation, collaboration and cutting-edge technology, we are not just preparing students for their first job – we are equipping them to thrive in a future where adaptability, purpose and impact define success,” Montalvo said.
In the rapidly changing world of business and technology, standing still is not an option. The Career Center staff understands this reality and is not only willing to adapt but is also prepared to lead the charge. As Vision 2030 takes shape, major renovations will be bolstered by the implementation of cutting-edge technologies and digital tools that will scale and enhance students’ career planning experiences. This includes the construction of a new Career Lab and a complementary Career 360 program.
The Career Lab will serve as the technological epicenter of Florida Atlantic’s career readiness efforts, providing access to state- of-the-art tools and resources that will prepare students for an evolving workforce. As its name implies, Career 360 will provide a full scope of digital tools that cater to a student’s entire career journey within one program. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) will further enhance their experiences while providing real-time insights and enabling alignment with the latest industry standards. Best of all, the tech-driven design of the Career Lab will increase career coaching stations by 150%, allowing the Career Center to serve an additional 168 students each day.
In its mission to address skills gaps and anticipate future workforce demands, Vision 2030 also aims to increase employer partnerships and strengthen industry collaborations. To that end, the Career Center renovation plans include dynamic, high- tech spaces to accommodate employer information sessions,
networking events, recruiting activities, workshops and other engagement opportunities. For global partners, remote and hybrid capabilities will enable flexible communication in a professional setting. Regularly scheduled events will bring together industry leaders and the university community to discuss workforce demands and create academic strategies related to emerging fields such as data science, AI, cybersecurity and sustainable technologies. Along with the institutional culture of career readiness, preparing students to thrive in these budding industries will position them for success in high-demand careers.
For the past 60 years, Florida Atlantic has not only supported the career readiness of its students, but it has actively addressed workforce demands. By adapting to industry trends and fostering strategic partnerships, the Career Center continues
to position the University as a leader in preparing students for successful, lasting careers. As it moves forward with Vision 2030, Florida Atlantic will strengthen the bridge it has created between academia and industry, ensuring future generations are equipped to navigate an ever-changing global workforce – and that the value of their degree reflects a substantial return on their investment.
For more information, email dorcommunications@fau.edu to connect with the Research Communication team.
2025-08-23 10:04:00