In Age of COVID-19, UVA Rolls Out New Opportunities, Career Resources for Students

Find the latest information on the University’s response to the coronavirus here.

Newly announced, paid virtual summer internships. A free, fun, project-based skills course. Résumé-building help. Long-term career planning strategies and support.

These are just a few of the offerings, many new, from the University of Virginia’s Career Center, which has quickly created several opportunities to support students whose summer employment and internship plans have been upended by COVID-19.

The center, along with UVA’s Center for Politics and the College of Arts & Sciences, have all recently rolled out new opportunities to help students keep their résumés fresh.

Last month, the center held two popular virtual town halls – one with parents, the other with students – to get word out that the center will be working harder than ever this summer to help students plot their futures.

The center’s overarching message is this: Students should use their time off from school and work to continue to learn new skills and network with alumni and businesses, because although it may not feel like it right now, businesses will return to hiring once the pandemic settles.

Another important thing to bear in mind is that employers understand this is an uncertain time and will appreciate résumés that reflect that a person has found creative ways to remain engaged and grow.

To get started, students should schedule a virtual or phone appointment. Everette Fortner, associate vice president of career and professional development, said the center recently experienced its highest-ever single day of appointments, with 60 students connecting with career counselors. Once exams are over, he said he expects students will resume engaging with the center.

“Upon spring break, we converted to virtual, one-on-one appointments, with an open office from 12 to 5 p.m. every day,” he said. “Students can go onto Handshake [the virtual student engagement tool] or call and get an appointment within an hour.”

Fortner said a “huge” set of students interested in health care have been asking how medical schools will handle the credit and no-credit options made available to students because of distance learning.

Students have reached out because of other scenarios as well, like their full-time job offer being rescinded or delayed. Counselors offer a listening ear and try to give a least one concrete task to help students get started, because, as Fortner said, a sense of paralysis can set in because of the shelter-in-place orders in effect around the country and world.

One obvious place to start is with a résumé. UVA recently acquired an online résumé-scanning tool called “VMock,” available 24-7. It uses data science, machine learning and natural language processing to give users immediate feedback.

The Career Center has another handy online tool called “PathwayU.”

“That is a self-assessment tool that assesses your value, skills interests and work preferences and then matches you to jobs,” Fortner said. “It goes all the way to Handshake and matches you with jobs that are in Handshake.

“It’s one of those ways to help you get started,” he said. “It matches you with three to five professions, not just one. So that it will help you really explore and get started.”

Fortner said networking should not stop because of the pandemic; hundreds of alumni are within virtual reach, just waiting to help current students. The Virginia Alumni Mentoring network offers a one-on-one, structured relationship that helps students develop visions for the future. The Career Center is also encouraging employers, other alumni and parents to help students with virtual internships and skill development.

Newly Announced, Paid Virtual Internships and Skill-Building Opportunities

Thanks to new partnerships with local companies, UVA students now have the opportunity to apply for one of 48 virtual internships, with pay ranging from $500 to $1,500, depending on the complexity of the project.

Companies including Rohvi, Commonhealth Botanicals, Hexagon Energy, Yay Lunch, BEATDiabetes, and Scanoptix are offering 10-week internships this summer.

“Students can find details in Handshake and can apply for a maximum of three opportunities,” Fortner said. “The host employer conducts the phone screens and ranks students based on preference. We then match students to employers.”

The Career Center is also issuing a second round of grants that are supported by the UVA Parents Fund. Students can learn about those requirements and apply here. The deadline is May 8 and students will be notified about a week later. The award is $3,000.

To help students build new skills, the Career Center has just created a program called “Propel.” The 10-week, project-based learning program, which begins June 1, will enroll about 300 students to work with real-world companies to gain experience working in teams and connect to alumni. There will also be employers and mentors from leading consulting firms like McKinsey, Accenture and EY. Students can participate in up to five real-world projects and top teams receive prize money. The program will run thru Aug. 7 and is free and open to all majors.

Fortner said Propel is a perfect way for students to learn new skills, network and build their résumés.

Sample projects include assessing how “nano influencers,” social media influencers of a niche product who do not possess a large following, can be leveraged to influence consumer behavior and drive the marketing strategy for targeted brands. Students can also analyze a consumer data set for a local start-up looking to establish a new online presence and corresponding digital marketing strategy.

If you are still searching for opportunities, Fortner suggests attending two virtual programs offered in the next few weeks by the Career Center. “Designing Your Life and Career in Covid-19,” a six-hour, two-day program is for those who want to step back and explore what opportunities might be the best fit. “Hoos in Your Network?” is a two-hour program designed to demystify networking, understand how virtual platforms can help market students’ personal brands, and how to identify, connect and engage with partners, be they alumni, employers, faculty, staff or others on platforms like LinkedIn and the Virginia Alumni Mentoring network.

“If we had additional funding, we could award even more startup grants and propel grants and public service internship grants,” Fortner said.

The Center for Politics just announced a new virtual internship program to help students who have lost their public sector summer jobs and internships because of COVID-19. The privately funded five-week program will provide a $2,000 stipend for up to 50 students. Each student will be assigned to one of four public-sector units in the University that includes the Center for Politics, the Miller Center’s Democracy Initiative, the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and the Weldon Cooper Center.

And, the College of Arts & Sciences just announced Launchpad, which offers academic opportunities and career training.

Fortner is hoping students remember that their journey to employment is a marathon and not a sprint.

“Different pieces of research say that students are going to have between 12 and 20 careers in their lifetime. So, this first job, while important, is just the beginning,” he said. “And it's going to be another opportunity to learn and you're going to learn more about what you are good at and what you like. And that'll take you toward the next opportunity.”