The University of Virginia is partnering with several companies to create a new guaranteed interview program for certificate students, designed to improve the talent pipeline for both employers and job seekers in high-demand fields.
The new program comes from an agreement between UVA’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies – which offers part-time, online programs for adult students – and several private employers, including some founded by UVA alumni.
Nationally, the labor market has been historically tight in recent months, with more openings than applicants for positions in many sectors, especially in technology. Guaranteed interviews will help address this need by connecting employers with highly trained prospects while giving students a leg up in job searches, said Hollie Lee, director of certificate programs at the School of Continuing and Professional Studies.
“Many students come to our certificate programs looking for a way to gain new skills, switch careers, or level-up in some way,” Lee said. “These guaranteed interviews can help students get where they want to go professionally while supplying a steady pipeline of talent from UVA to firms in need of new, well-trained employees.”
Through the program, students from certain certificate programs at the School of Continuing and Professional Studies can sign up for a job interview with a partner company. The employers choose which certificate programs qualify for the guaranteed interviews.
The program is also open to recent certificate graduates, Lee said.
For example, Alpha Omega Integration, one of the program’s initial partners, is offering guaranteed interviews to students in cloud computing, cybersecurity, information technology, and project management.
