At Dallas College Brookhaven Campus, students are not left to figure out their futures alone. The Career and Transfer Skills Development program offers students the tools and guidance to smoothly transition from community college to a four-year college or directly into the workforce.

“We call it our Completion Hub,” Tim McDuffie, associate dean of transfer and development skills, said.  “Whether students are earning certificates, associate degrees or planning to transfer, we’re here to help them get to their next.”

Transfer specialists

Career and Transfer Services staff provide one-on-one assistance to students helping them explore career paths or transfer options. Career and Transfer specialists guide students through the process from researching potential transfer institutions and desired majors to understanding cost, work-study and creating a resume and cover letter.

If a student is unsure about their career path, they can schedule an appointment and take an interest assessment on Lightcast, which takes about 10-15 minutes. A Career and Transfer specialist will review them with the student and explain which industries align with them and are more geared toward their results.

“We actually have a conversation with them,” Traci Nickleberry, a Career and Transfer specialist, said. “We find out what they’re interested in verbally – not just on paper – and discuss how much they’re  eally interested in it.”  

Next steps

The Career and Transfer Services prepare students for real-world careers by offering a variety of workshops designed to help them develop job-ready skills. 

Career and Transfer recently held The Next Steps workshop, which helped students prepare for transfer to a university or workforce, covering financial and career planning, as well as transcript submission. Workshops were held April 28 through May 1 across all campuses. 

“I think the Career and Transfer Services are helpful, especially for a student like me who needs a lot of help and isn’t …  really involved in the world,” Lesley Balderas, a Dallas College student, said. Balderas shared that she was  nfamiliar with many parts of the workforce and the real world, but the Career and Transfer services provided her with helping resources and a clearer understanding, including exposure to career paths she hadn’t known about before.  

Find the best fit

Students receive help identifying the best transfer institution based on academic goals, living references, scholarships and affordability. Career and Transfer specialists guide students through every step, from selecting a university to meeting priority deadlines and researching scholarship opportunities.

Dallas College hosted a Transfer Signing Day, an event to celebrate students who are transferring to a university. The event was held May 2 at the West Dallas Center in Room W157, ending The Next  Steps celebration. The first 300 students who registered and attended received a free cap and gown.

Beyond Brookhaven

Dallas College recently signed a concurrent enrollment agreement with Texas State University for a business management program. Students can now take Texas State classes at Dallas College prices, saving up to $20,000 total. 

“It helps students get on a transfer pathway in business to a four-year institution,” McDuffie said. “It creates a seamless process where students won’t lose credits when they transfer, and they’ll already have credits completed at the four-year school. That saves them time and money. It also gives them access to Texas State facilities.”

In addition, transfer collaborative partnerships with East Texas A&M, Texas Woman’s University and University of North Texas at Dallas provide a Transfer Hub tool that shows students how their
current credits apply to degree plans with partner colleges.

McDuffie advises students to ask about scholarship deadlines, resume building tips and mock interviews when visiting the center.

Here to help

“Come in and talk to us,” Nickleberry said. “You know everything is not going to be perfect, but we want to make sure that your transition to either a career, a job or to your next university is as close to perfect or seamless a transition as possible.”

Please email [email protected] for assistance from the Career and Transfer Skills Development office.