CASE STUDY:
PROJECT LEADERSHIP
TECHNOLOGY USED
ABOUT PROJECT LEADERSHIP
Project Leadership is a non-profit organization which works with high-school students to prepare them for the workforce and postsecondary educational opportunities needed a way to connect students with internship opportunities, educate students in the area of career development, track student progress in their career development program, and acquire data for mandatory state reporting.
THE SITUATION
An Indiana non-profit organization, Project Leadership, was working with high school students to prepare them for life after high school. The organization was creating a large amount of print material to keep track of internships, educational experiences, and other activities. In addition, the organization was using programs like spreadsheets to maintain databases for mandatory reporting, such as FAFSA completion rates.
One of the biggest challenges was managing the internship application process. Students often began without a sense of which opportunity was best for them, and would struggle with selecting an internship. Educational opportunities were provided in-person at the school location to aid students, and tracking of student information was done through traditional paper-pencil questionnaires which were often transferred to spreadsheets to track cohorts of students and individual student information. Internship applications were also completed using the paper-pencil method and files were manually maintained. Communication between internship locations, students, and the organization was maintained through traditional methods as well, via phone calls and emails.
The career development process was conducted in schools in much the same way, utilizing traditional methods. The organization kept files of student information such as the results of career development questionnaires, contact forms, and FAFSA completions. Some school sites utilized available softwares or other electronic resources on the web, but there was not centralized hub allowing students to proceed through a career development plan from start to finish.
THE SOLUTION
Solutions Afoot created a multi-use portal allowing students, administrators, school personnel, and job sites to exchange necessary information. This portal allows students to search for and find information about career development and internships. It also enables them to connect with representatives at the job site in a safe way, with school and administration oversight. The portal allows job sites to collect information from students about the quality of the experience. Administrators and school personnel are able to manage the process and produce a high quality environment for students.
Solutions Afoot worked with Project Leadership collaboratively to create a student dashboard that clearly lays out the career development and internship application process from beginning to end. The site connects via API with the O*NET database, a US Government site with publicly available career development information. Students are able to take the Interest Profiler in a student-friendly format, and view information about their personal preferences and how those match with possible careers.
Students are able to view internships, “like” the internships they are interested in, and then apply for internships. Students are also able to take mini-courses and demonstrate specific job-skills. Based on student information, an algorithm matched students with the best fitting internships and suggested those internships first to the students.
An internal messaging system allows students to communicate with job sites and ask questions or demonstrate their interest. Internship sites are able to respond, and administrators and school personnel are able to provide monitoring and oversight. Notifications indicate to the user that new messages are available.
Reporting dashboards are available to school and administrators of the site that provide a variety of reports. For school personnel, this is particularly helpful as they are able to track students and provide information for their own mandatory reporting.
An external website provides Project Leadership with a front-facing view allowing fundraising and spreading information about the organization. Solutions Afoot worked with Project Leadership to create a branding guide to be used across the organization as well as on the portal and website. Solutions Afoot staff developed marketing materials, images, animations, and other components to complete a modern, sleek website design.
THE RESULT
Solutions Afoot provided a full solution for Project Leadership, including marketing materials, branding kit, and a website. The student, admin, school, and job site portal provides a comprehensive system for student career development, internship application, reporting, and maintaining student information. These implementations bring Project Leadership a modern solution that saves time and money, increases efficiency, and encourages institutional growth.
