CJPC awarded for creating connections

Employer and student at a job fair Published December 19, 2023

Digital tools help College of Lake County (CLC) students looking to “spark” their career. The Career and Job Placement Center (CJPC) at CLC has been recognized as one of the top career centers for connecting students and employers, winning the 2023 Career Spark Award for employer engagement.

CLC’s LancerJobLink, powered by Handshake, is one of the biggest reasons for the success. LancerJobLink is an online career portal that connects students and alumni to employers and CJPC staff. Students can find jobs, internships, employer profiles, career workshops and more.

“The CJPC Workforce and Career Services teams and I talk often about students beginning their college journey with their career in mind,” said Workforce Manager Dr. Regina Smith. “LancerJobLink is such a robust tool and has been a game changer for students to engage with employers. From job posts, virtual career fairs, online interviews and events, LancerJobLink has elevated employer engagement and outcomes."

CJPC was one of 31 institutions to win the award this year, one of 12 community colleges on the list. The award can be won in three categories: student engagement, employer engagement and reporting and analytics.

“Partnering with the Career and Job Placement Center team at CLC allows us to cast a broad net across the institution,” said AbbVie Information Research Academic Partnerships Manager Jerome Ng. “It enables us to conveniently point not only students, but faculty and academic advisors, to opportunities we have available. Through this partnership, we can present to students the breadth of opportunities available through our firm.”

So far in 2023, 232 unique employers have engaged with CJPC on LancerJobLink.