For the second year, the School of Professional Studies will offer the Career and Communication Accelerator (CCA) as a summer program for graduate students whose first language is not English. The course provides these newly admitted students the strategies and perspective they need to understand, stand out, and succeed in the U.S. job market. Because internship deadlines happen during the fall, those seeking an internship in the U.S. need to be interview-ready the summer before their degree begins. CCA incorporates advanced level English language instruction to help students gain fluency and accuracy in their professional communication. In addition, one student admitted to the Applied Analytics M.S. program and one student admitted to the Enterprise Risk Management M.S. program each will be selected to receive a fellowship to cover the cost of the course. The fellowship application is available here.
“The U.S. job market is unique; it’s not like any other country, and it’s very competitive. To stand out, you need to be able to articulate what value you’re bringing to the table. And for that you need preparation, understanding, and also knowing the target audience. You cannot know this unless someone tells you,” says Samreen Afzal, a Sustainability Management student who completed the course last year.
For example, the personal pitch, reviewed in the program, is a common technique used in various settings and stages of the job search process, including networking events, academic conferences, career fairs, and interviews. Professionals in the U.S. often use the personal pitch to introduce themselves in a clear, concise, and compelling way. To get a preview of what the CCA program offers, on April 19 instructors from Columbia’s Career Design Lab and the American Language Program (ALP) will provide a sample lesson on this technique to prospective students. Registration for the CCA Demonstration Class: Perfecting Your Personal Pitch is available here. There will be a general information session for the course on May 10.
This four-week online course will be offered from June 20 through July 15. The course combines live classes and asynchronous content. Live classes take place Monday to Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET. Asynchronous content will require an additional one to two hours each day. Students who’ve completed the course will receive a Certificate of Completion and a LinkedIn Badge. Tap or click here to learn more about the course and eligibility requirements, and reserve your spot today. The course registration deadline is May 15, 2022.