Coaching Students in

Creating a Professional

Development Strategy

Bio-Link Regional Development Conference

Southern California Biotechnology Center

January 14, 2011 Gloria Rodriguez Bañuelos, Ph.D.

EdREAP

Overview

Biotechnology Certification Program at

San Diego City College

Collaboration

Biotech Essentials Course

Lessons Learned

If I were a community college professor

who worked with students in a

Biotechnology Program…

• Biotechnology Principles

• STEM proficiency

• Laboratory Technical Skills

Biology 109

• Real-world Application

• Scientific Literacy

• Workplace Readiness

Biology 206

• Certificate of Performance in Biotechnology

• Opportunities via networking in Biology 206

Internship/Employment

Biotechnology Program at

San Diego City College

Collaboration

Support for students in Biology 109

Novice level of science background

Recent high school graduates

New to the college experience

Balance home life, work, and education

Limited access to technology and

resources

Tier 1: Personal Effectiveness

Tier 2: Academic Competency

Tier 3: Workplace Competency

Tier 4: Industry-Wide Technical

Competency

Tier 5: Industry Sector Technical

Competencies

Tier 6: Occupation Specific

Knowledge

Tier 7: Occupation Specific Technical

Competencies

Tier 8: Occupation Specific

Requirements

Tier 9: Management Competencies

US Department of Labor, 2008

Biotech Essentials

Personal Effectiveness ◦ interpersonal skills; integrity, professionalism,

initiative, dependability & reliability, lifelong learning

Academic Competency ◦ reading, writing, mathematics, science, communication

(listening & speaking), critical & analytical thinking,& basic

computer skills

Career Readiness ◦ teamwork, planning & organizing, innovative thinking,

problem solving & decision making, working with

tools & technology, checking, examining, and

recording, & business fundamentals.

Professional Identity

Personality Testing for Teamwork

◦ Meyer’s Briggs

Branding Statement for Résumé

◦ Integrates personal and professional

Bragologue for Interview

◦ Story about professional challenges and

growth

Business Cards for Networking

Professionalism

Electronic Email Etiquette

Voicemail

Telephone Conversations

Attire and Presentation

Résumé, Cover Letters, and Job Hunting

Informational Interview

Thank You Cards

Profession Mobility

Self-Advocacy

Taking risks

Engagement

Resourcefulness

World beyond the

classroom walls.

Scientific Seminars

Science trade-journals

Professional

organizations

Student organizations

at 4-year universities

Lessons Learned Variation in student participation and

motivation.

Providing resources is sometimes not

enough.

One-on-one sessions are a must.

Asking students to explain actions or

behavior provides information that can guide

individual learning plan.

Most successful students are those whose

goals are in line with those of the program.

IF I WERE A COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROFESSOR…

Student Collaboration: Internet and

Web-based Tools

Facebook

◦ Student Driven

Apps

◦ DropBox

◦ Google Docs

◦ Templates for Résumé

Skype

◦ Mentorship

Leverage Community Resources

Specific resources available on campus

Public Library

Scientific Organizations

◦ Biocom

◦ San Diego Career Centers

Other Biotech Programs

◦ Community Colleges

◦ 4-year universities

Instructional Practices

Limit the amount of time I speak in the

classroom.

What do I have to offer that students

cannot get on the internet?

Set-up a system by which students can

provide feedback on a regular basis.

References

Klaus, Peggy. (2008). The Hard Truth About

Soft Skills—Workplace Lessons Smart People

Wish They’d Learned Sooner. Collins.

Klaus, Peggy (2003). BRAG! The Art of

Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It.

Warner Business Books.

Funding Sources

Senate Bill 70

San Diego Workforce Collaborative

Acknowledgements

Roya Lahijani-SD City College

Dave Singer-SD City College

Jane Harrington-University of California San Diego, Eckmann Laboratory

Karen Overklift-Biocom

Nancy Taylor-San Diego Science Alliance

Lavar Watkins-South Metro Career Centers

Mike Greig-Pfizer

Maryam Azad-Green Solutions

Judi Heitz-Grossmont Unified School District

Sandy Slivka-Southern California Biotechnology Center

Questions,

Thoughts,

Comments