Higher education is at a turning point.
The labor market for new graduates is tightening.
Political agendas are reshaping accreditation and institutional priorities.
Rankings are rewarding outcomes, not prestige.
And across the country, states are tying funding to the employability of graduates.
This isn’t an isolated shift—it’s a system-wide realignment.
Career services is no longer a nice-to-have.
It’s a strategic imperative.
1. Student outcomes are under a microscope
The unemployment rate for recent grads has surged to 5.8%—the highest in years, with entry-level jobs vanishing in tech, consulting, and finance.
New data from the NY Fed shows today’s grads are faring worse than any cohort in the past four decades.
2. Accreditation and federal oversight are being redefined
Federal actions aim to restructure accreditation around labor market alignment and eliminate perceived inefficiencies.
3. States are moving fast and cutting deep
Utah has ordered $60.5 million in budget cuts from public institutions—with funding reallocated to high-demand, high-wage programs in just two months.
Indiana and Florida are pushing similar policies tying program funding to employment outcomes and tuition refund guarantees.
4. Career-connected learning is starting earlier
Governors in California, Indiana, Iowa, and Maryland are embedding CTE and apprenticeships in K-12, changing how students and families evaluate college ROI.
5. Rankings and recognition are realigning
The Carnegie Foundation now honors "Opportunity Colleges" based on social mobility and earnings outcomes—not selectivity or reputation.
6. AI and automation are reshaping entry-level work
The very jobs young grads once held—data synthesis, report creation, early-stage analysis—are now being partially automated, requiring faster upskilling and clearer pathways to value.
In this new climate, career services must evolve from a support function to a strategic driver of institutional reputation, student success, and long-term viability.
But here’s the truth: most institutions are not prepared for this shift.
They need a plan—and a partner who can help them build it.
Talk to an expert who’s already helping institutions lead through this moment→
Through consulting and executive coaching we help institutions move from awareness to action with practical, customized strategies that reflect their culture and strengths. Our support includes:
Repositioning career services as a strategic asset—aligned with enrollment, student success, advancement, and institutional priorities
Identifying and communicating the right metrics to influence presidents, provosts, and boards
Developing campus-wide strategies to increase student access to career support and experiential learning
Designing action plans that clarify next steps, assign ownership, and move priority initiatives forward
Strengthening team performance, leading change, and aligning stakeholders
Translating complex trends—like policy changes, rankings, and labor market shifts—into actionable opportunities
Presidents. Provosts. Career center leaders. AVPs. Deans. System leaders. We’ve partnered with large public universities, small liberal arts colleges, and everything in between.
What unites them? A desire to be ahead of the curve—turning disruption into direction.