Career services offices are the backbone of student success, connecting thousands of students with meaningful opportunities each year. But managing experiential learning programs, career fairs, internship placements, and first destination data at scale requires more than spreadsheets and good intentions—it requires the right technology.
Universities across the globe are leveraging Symplicity's Career Services Manager (CSM) to streamline operations, save time, and deliver measurable results. Here's how institutions are using CSM's powerful modules to transform their career services operations.
University of Louisville manages over 1,000 placements per year using CSM's Experiential Learning module. The system allows their team to efficiently handle approvals, candidate ranking, offers, and evaluations—all in one centralized platform. The result? Automation and tracking capabilities that save staff and employers more than 500 hours annually. (That's a huge win for staff with a laundry list of to-do's and not enough people to help out.)
For institutions managing high volumes of experiential learning opportunities, CSM eliminates the manual processes that bog down career services teams. Everything from posting positions to tracking student progress happens seamlessly within the system.
Prince George's Community College uses CSM's Pathways module to manage both for-credit and non-credit internships. By outlining the 10 steps students must complete as part of the internship process, they've created clarity and transparency that benefits everyone involved.
The impact? The college saves their staff over 100 hours of time per year while making it significantly easier for students to understand the process and track their progress. When students know exactly what's expected and can monitor their own advancement, career services teams can focus on strategic support rather than fielding administrative questions.
Career fairs represent a significant investment of time and resources. Metropolitan State University of Denver uses CSM's Career Fair module to manage approximately 20 career fairs per year, ranging from large general fairs in Fall and Spring to specialized fairs targeting specific industries or student populations.
Beyond operational efficiency, MSU Denver generates significant revenue from career fairs—enough to pay for their career system many times over. CSM enables them to streamline employer registration, student check-ins, and post-event follow-up, ensuring each fair delivers maximum value for students and employers alike.
Student retention is a critical challenge for universities worldwide. Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná leveraged CSM's campaign functionality to reach out to students who had dropped out of school. Using targeted communications through email, calls, and WhatsApp, they were able to connect with students who might otherwise have been lost.
The results speak for themselves: the university retained 78 students, equivalent to $500,000 in tuition revenue—far exceeding the cost of their career system, similar to MSU Denver. This demonstrates how CSM can serve as more than just a career services tool; it's a student success platform that drives retention and institutional goals.
Understanding where graduates land after graduation is essential for program improvement and accreditation. Mississippi State University uses CSM to collect First Destination data, ensuring all information is aggregated in one system and tied directly to student and employer records.
This centralization enables the university to identify trends and gain actionable insights. With comprehensive data in one place, Mississippi State achieved an impressive 75% knowledge rate and a 95% successful career outcomes rate. When current and historical data live in a single platform, institutions can tell compelling stories about student success and make data-driven decisions about programming.
Across these diverse use cases—from experiential learning to career fairs to retention campaigns—a common theme emerges. Symplicity CSM empowers career services teams to:
Whether you're managing 20 career fairs or 1,000 experiential learning placements, CSM provides the infrastructure to scale your operations while maintaining the personalized touch students need.
If these outcomes resonate with your institution's goals, it might be time to explore how Symplicity CSM can transform your career services operations. From powerful modules designed for specific use cases to comprehensive data management capabilities, CSM is built to help you work smarter, not harder.
Ready to learn more about how CSM can support your institution's unique needs? Contact our team to schedule a personalized demonstration.