Appalachian State University joined a pilot program this past spring aimed at helping first-year students explore potential career paths and connect their academic studies with real-world experiences. The initiative, known as Career Discovery, is a for-credit course developed by Podium Education that provides hands-on projects with industry partners, designed to enhance career readiness and student retention.
One Appalachian State student, sophomore Katherine Rose, participated in the program after questioning her initial plans to become a speech pathologist. After taking introductory courses, Rose realized she needed a different direction. Her experience with Career Discovery projects, which included tasks like interviewing students about consumer preferences for L'Oréal and completing marketing-related assignments, helped her identify a strong enjoyment for the communication and social aspects of work. Now a communication sciences and disorders major, Rose is also considering internships in human resources and marketing, indicating increased comfort with her chosen major and college experience after the program.
Neva Specht, executive vice chancellor and provost at Appalachian State University, underscored the value of introducing career exploration before students' senior year. Specht noted that the program broadened students' perspectives on available career types, encouraging them to look beyond traditional career paths associated with their majors. She highlighted the particular importance of this exploration as artificial intelligence continues to reshape the labor market, emphasizing the opportunity for students to learn about various careers and start thinking about their future earlier. Specht also stressed the importance of gaining real insight into careers and meeting professionals.
The Career Discovery course integrates classroom learning with practical workplace experiences through projects developed collaboratively with various companies. These experiences allow first-year students to reflect on their academic interests and future career goals. The program, piloted at eight universities including Appalachian State, seeks to answer a broader question facing higher education: whether structured, early career exploration can strengthen not only career readiness but also student motivation to stay enrolled and complete their degrees.
Podium Education, the educational technology company behind Career Discovery, announced that the program has expanded to two additional institutions this fall, bringing the total number of participating universities to 10. Chris Parrish, co-founder and president of Podium Education, stated the program was developed in response to growing concerns about the return on investment of a college degree. He emphasized the importance of making career exploration a priority earlier for students, especially for Pell recipients and first-generation students who may not have prior experience with corporate environments. Parrish added that the program offers students "a seat at the table and to feel out what they like."
Early findings from end-of-course student surveys indicate promising outcomes. Students’ self-reported clarity about their strengths and interests more than doubled after participating in Career Discovery. Additionally, 80 percent of students reported greater career confidence, and the share of students who intended to persist in college increased by 15 percentage points. These results suggest the program effectively aids students in connecting their academic interests to potential career paths with greater certainty.
The Career Discovery initiative aligns with a broader trend in higher education to link academic experiences with career opportunities. Recent research from the DeBruce Foundation found that individuals with higher levels of career literacy—the ability to understand, plan, and navigate potential career avenues—tended to explore a wider range of job opportunities and reported greater employment security. Institutions like the University of Delaware and City University of New York are also working to integrate career exploration earlier into the undergraduate experience. Heather Shipley, provost at the University of Texas at San Antonio, another pilot university, explained that early career exposure helps students, many of whom are first-generation or Pell eligible and balancing work with studies, recognize how their experiences translate into professional skills. This, she added, prepares them for future internships and strengthens their motivation toward graduation.
For students like Katherine Rose at Appalachian State, the early exploration through Career Discovery has provided valuable clarity. Parrish expressed hope that students would choose their academic paths and majors with greater certainty after the experience, by helping them visualize themselves within different organizations and understand the professional world earlier. Specht reinforced this, noting that students are better prepared and more confident about their career readiness upon graduation.
