GALESBURG — Dressed in business attire a few weeks before graduating in May, students in Carl Sandburg College’s dental hygiene program were peppered with questions about their strengths and weaknesses, why they chose this profession and what makes them a good fit in the workplace.
But these were no ordinary job interviews. The students were participating in a mock interview as part of Sandburg’s Employability Skills Academy (ESA), a soft-skills training program devoted to helping students gain and retain employment once they graduate.
At an advisory board meeting for Sandburg’s dental hygiene program a few years ago, one dentist remarked that they were concerned about the level of professionalism of incoming hygienists to their office. That sparked the idea for the ESA to be included as an option for students.
“We have a lot of dentists now that look for that,” said Stacy Kosier, coordinator of the dental hygiene program. “I've had some call and actually tell me that they can tell a difference in our students who have graduated from that program and that they do look for that on their resume.”
The 16-hour program is led by Tracy Engstrom, Sandburg’s coordinator of career development. Students are schooled on resumes, cover letters and customer service while also evaluating their skills in communication, listening, teamwork, problem-solving and leadership. After completing the program — which starts during their second semester in the dental hygiene program and runs through the end of their fourth and final semester — students receive a certificate they can include in their portfolio as well as a badge for their resume.
Engstrom said it’s not uncommon for students to start the ESA wondering why they should be there or thinking that it’s a waste of time. By the end of the last session, they’ve often made a 180, saying they found it enjoyable, interactive and informative.
“They knew they had the technical skills to do the job. They had the knowledge to do the job. But then they were lacking with a soft skill, those minor things employers are looking for,” Engstrom said. “Employers knowing that this is occurring on this campus, they're starting to look for that certificate of completion, which is pretty awesome.”
Because Sandburg has an accredited dental hygiene program, it couldn’t add or remove courses from its curriculum to make room for the ESA, so students are not required to participate. However, many do because it could mean the difference between a classmate getting a job and them not.
“That is one question I always throw out to them,” Engstrom said. “You’ve been to school together, you’ve forged these friendships, you’re all going to have the same degree. What makes you stand out differently than your peers?”
Vanessa Gibbs, who will be a second-year dental hygiene student this fall, said the ESA already has been more in-depth and valuable than she anticipated. She was surprised to learn how important body language and facial expressions are, and she was fascinated to learn how much people can remember in 7 seconds. She’s even applied some of the things she’s learned to the jobs she’s holding while attending Sandburg, sharing lessons with co-workers and family members.
“This will help me in the future and has already helped me as we speak,” Gibbs said. “I have learned to be more empathetic to my patients, really listen and understand and try to build a rapport with my patients. We want our patients to come back, and if I can show I am a great employee, (employers) will love to have me on their team as an asset.”
The program is highlighted at the end with students taking part in a mock job interview with a Sandburg employee who evaluates them on their presentation, posture, body language and responses. When the interview is over, the employee gives the student immediate feedback, with Kosier and Engstrom following up as well.
“Some have never had a job interview, and this is their first one,” Kosier said. “It's great that they can sit down, do that and then they get feedback. Then they know then what to fix before the real thing.”