Career Advocate Program
The Career Development Center (CDC) is excited to invite you to participate in our Career Advocate Program. A Career Advocate supports students in achieving their career goals by providing them with career resources, tools, and guidance to make informed decisions in their career journey.
This program is a four-part comprehensive training series designed to advance staff and faculty learning on how to apply our "Plan Your Future" Models, CDC services, and employment preparation resources to help address career-related inquiries from students.
If you are in a student-facing role or supervise student assistants, this program would be a great series to further your learning and equip you in supporting the career development of your students.
Program Benefits
After completing the program, you will earn:
A certificate of completion signed by both Vice President Beth Lesen and Career Development Center Director Erin Booth-Caro
A digital badge that signifies advocacy to share on various platforms such as email signature and LinkedIn
Requirements
Be a current staff or faculty member of CSULB and complete the following 4 training sessions through one of two tracks:
Live Training Track
Participate in scheduled virtual training sessions throughout the academic year. Engage in real-time discussions, activities, and learning with fellow participants.
Training 1: Becoming a Career Advocate
In this first meeting, you will learn more about the Career Advocate program and be introduced to our "Plan Your Future" Models, receive an overview of CDC services, and learn how to effectively navigate CareerLINK.
- Friday, November 13, 2026, 11:00 - 12:00 P.M.
- Zoom Registration
Training 2: Adopting “Plan Your Future” Models: DREAM & BECOME
Learn how to use the DREAM and BECOME Models to support your students with career exploration and preparation for their chosen career field.
- Friday, February 5, 2027, 11:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.
- Zoom Registration
Training 3: AI in Recruitment: How Artificial Intelligence Is Changing the Hiring Game
Recruiters today rely on a range of technologies, including Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and AI-based screening tools, to filter and evaluate job candidates. In this session, we’ll walk through how these systems work, how they impact job applications, and what candidates can do to stand out.
- Friday, February 26, 2027, 11:00 - 12:00 P.M.
- Zoom Registration
Training 4: Adopting "Plan Your Future" Models: SUCCEED
Learn how the SUCCEED Model and corresponding online career tools can help your students feel confident in all aspects of their job search, including resume writing, interviewing and more.
- Friday, March 19, 2027, 11:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.
- Zoom Registration
Self-Paced Training Track
Complete all four training sessions listed above in a self-paced format on Canvas. Work through each module on your own schedule for greater flexibility.
Recognition Ceremony
Recognition Ceremony (Optional)
Enjoy a reception and recognition ceremony for completing the Career Advocate Program!
- Friday, April 30, 2027, 11:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.
- In-Person – Location TBD
Star Advocates
Each year, the Career Development Center grants Star Advocate Awards to faculty and staff who have used what they’ve learned through the Career Advocate Program to make an impact.
2026 Star Advocates
Dr. Ebony Utley
Professor of Communication Studies
Associate Director, CSULB Institute for Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Dr. Utley developed a Career Readiness Unit for her COMM 334: Communication in the Workplace class, creating the following assignments based on Career Development Center tools:
- Beach Nexus: Persuasive Request for Informational Interviews
- Jobscan: LinkedIn Review
- Interstride: Career Readiness Assessment
Additionally, Dr. Utley integrated the Plan Your Future Models into one-on-one sessions with students in her role as a Faculty Advisor.
Carole Nicholson
E-Advising Project Lead & Trainer
University Center for Undergraduate Advising
Carole created Career Connections Alerts in Beach Connect built around the Plan Your Future Models. Academic advisors across campus can issue these alerts to connect students in need of career support to the appropriate Plan Your Future model checklist and corresponding Career Development Center services.
2025 Star Advocate
Miyuki Nishimura
Academic Advisor
College of Health & Human Services
Miyuki created a video for the College of Health and Human Services website to introduce CHHS students to Career Development Center services and the Plan Your Future Models. She also made a "Career Resources at CSULB" handout to connect CHHS students to career services and events.
Share Your Success Story!
Have you had a proud moment while supporting a student’s career journey? Perhaps your takeaways from the program have contributed to an inspiring career achievement that deserves recognition? If you’d like to share a success story and be considered for the Star Advocate Award, please fill out this form.
- Nominations are open now until March 26, 2027 for both previous cohorts and those currently completing the Career Advocate Program
- Winner(s) will be recognized at our Career Advocate Recognition Ceremony on April 30, 2027
Participant Feedback
- "This was probably the most useful training I’ve done in 17 years on this campus.”
- “Best training I’ve had at LBSU in 19 years.”
- “I have already started telling everybody about this course and I am so very grateful for this program!”
- “Loved the format! Really engaging and well organized. Didn’t feel like ‘busy work’ at all.”
- “Always check for a resource, CDC is a wealth! I don’t need to reinvent the wheel :)”
- “The AI session was scary and insightful.”
- “Being an empowering career advocate is an ongoing process of support and staying on top of new resources! In addition to this, I learned how nuanced and comprehensive the Career Development Center’s website is, and will direct students to the site. This program being so interactive was also helpful - learning from other folks and disciplines on campus was helpful!”
We are confident that the University Staff and Faculty Career Advocate Program will have a meaningful impact on your professional development while encouraging a campus environment that invites career conversations. Thank you for your continued dedication to CSULB's commitment to excellence.
For further information and inquiries, please contact: Maryann Nguyen at Maryann.Nguyen@csulb.edu.
