Placements

We understand how important it is for employers to build their future workforce with the right people with all the right backgrounds and education levels. We also recognize how some students are ready to start their working careers right out of high school versus pursuing a postsecondary education.

Placements address both of these needs – at the same time.

Employers: How to Offer a Placement

Students: How to Apply for Placement

How a Placement works

When a student asks us to connect them with employers through our matching and consent process, one of our first questions is if they want to start working right after graduation or if they want to pursue a postsecondary degree. Our team reviews their profile, visits with them about their career goals and plans, and then actively seeks to match them with one of our participating employers. We assist the student through the application and interview process and stay connected with the student through their first six months of employment, making sure everything is going well and providing tips for success.

Benefits of a Placement

Not all students want to pursue a postsecondary degree and not all employers require them. In fact, a lot of employers now offer their own training programs or partner with an organization or college on providing continuing education for their staff. While a Sponsorship can help a student pay for their postsecondary education and connect with an employer where that degree is required, a Placement offers the same matching service but for the student that wants to get started in their career right away. Like a Sponsorship, it’s a win-win for the student and the employer. Additionally, our connection with the student after starting the job will help lead to better outcomes, lower attrition, and more satisfaction in their role.

Golden Path also supports employers throughout the Placement process, keeping them informed of possible student matches, learning key details about the job that aid in finding the right candidate, and taking on the heavy lifting of filling the position.

Placements in Compass

Placements are also connected with Career Profiles in Compass, our online career exploration and development too. Career Profiles that are eligible for this service have “Available Now” as the offering type, meaning someone can take the role immediately, usually upon graduation. Students can filter by this option, then by industry, by career cluster, by distance, etc.

Employers: How to Offer a Placement

Get Started with a Career Profile

Helping students find Placement opportunities is easy. Just build a Career Profile with us and choose the Connections Package. We’ll introduce you to students who have provided consent and have the skills you’re looking for. If you decide they’re a good fit, we’ll facilitate a contract and work with you on incentives and touch points for that first six months of their time with you, helping ensure the outcome is great for the student and for your organization. We can also work with you on ways to fund that first six months of work if appropriate, whether that be through upskilling grants, WIOA (the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), or similar programs.

Employers: Steps for Offering a Placement

Here’s how to get started offering a Placement at your company:

1. Create a Compass account with at least one Career Profile.

(You can offer Placements for more than one!) You use this Career Profile to offer your Placement within Compass.

2. Decide if you want Golden Path to manage the process.

Golden Path can manage the Placement process for students. With our agreement process, we’ll stay in touch with your student during their first six months of work, providing them tips, coaching, and other services that will help make sure both parties are happy.

3. Students follow a consent process in Compass.

This lets us know they are interested in a connection and a Placement. Students or their parents approve of sharing profile information with employers like you.

4. Golden Path then contacts these students.

We reach out and learn more about them, including their future plans and interest in a connection, including whether or not the student wants to start working right away, or pursue a postsecondary education. When we find a good match for you, we request their permission for an introduction.

5. Golden Path reaches out to you.

We send you a brief overview of the student, their skills, background, and future goals. From there, you can decide if you want to meet.

6. If Golden Path is managing the Placement:

We arrange a meeting and give both parties a chance to learn about each other. If it’s a good match, we facilitate a contract signing process with everyone involved. We help the student with their application. We help you find programs that might help cover that first six months of wages.

7. If Golden Path isn’t managing the Placement :

You work directly with the student to complete the process after we introduce you to them.

Students: How to Apply for a Placement

Start Your Career Right After Graduation

If you want to start your career right after graduation, we can help get you connected to an employer that needs your skills, right away. More and more companies are not requiring postsecondary degrees for roles at their organizations, and many of these roles have as much opportunity for growth and income as any other career. We’re also seeing more organizations providing education opportunities for their employees as part of their job, so a Placement is a great way to get started with an organization and explore paths within their company.

How to Learn about Placement Opportunities

How to Opt in to the Placement Process:

1. Create your Compass account and update your profile.

Use your school-specific Compass URL from your teacher, counselor, or work-based learning coordinator to create your Compass account. Update your profile with your classes, activities, hobbies and interests, and personality assessment results.

2. Set “Connect Me to Employers” to YES.

To be connected with an employer, you must set this option in Compass to YES. This will enable Golden Path to view your profile and connect you with employers offering opportunities for Placement. If you are under 18, you must follow the consent process that pops up in Compass.

3. Browse Career Profiles that are “Available Now”.

Compass will match you with suggested careers and opportunities based on your student profile information. Use the filter options in Compass to browse Career Profiles that include Available Now as the Offering. Show your interested in these profiles by selecting the “checkmark.”

4. Stay in touch with us.

The Golden Path team will view your profile and reach out to you directly with any placement opportunities that look like a good match. We will ask for your permission to share your information with the employers and begin introductions. Please watch your email for messages from Golden Path or Compass and stay in touch. You can also download the new Compass mobile app to receive notifications of new opportunities.

5. Meet with an employer about a placement.

If selected for an interview, you will meet with an employer to discuss the opportunity and your qualifications. Dress professionally, show up on time, prepare a short list of questions, and be able to speak about your skills, career goals, and education plans. Thank them for their time. We’ll help you with this process.

6. If you get the job, sign a work agreement.

If you are awarded a position and you agree to it, you will sign a work agreement and discuss any final details (including any incentives over the first year, training requirements, etc.). We can help support you throughout this process. Follow up your agreement with a thank you note by mail or email to the employer.