Two years ago, the UAB Career Center launched a Canvas course that collected its most popular resources for students — including resume-building, internships and interview skills — in an online format that students could complete at their own pace. The course also included quizzes to let students check their comprehension.
“We have had great success with the course,” said Dino Martinez, assistant director of the Career Center. “To date, it has engaged more than 16,400 participants, there have been more than 6,750 quizzes taken, and course modules have been integrated into 117 academic courses all across campus.”
Introducing Badge Rewards
This month, the UAB Career Center is adding another piece to the program — digital badges “to provide students who complete course content with tangible credentials that can be highlighted for future employers,” Martinez said.
The new program, Career Center Badge Rewards, is an initiative between the UAB Career Center and UAB eLearning. It uses the Badgr platform, a “digital credential network” that has been adopted by a number of organizations, including Microsoft, Walmart and Starbucks, as well as higher-ed institutions such as Virginia Tech and Arizona State University. “Our interest in badging came from the increasing literature on using gamification to enhance student learning and engagement,” Martinez said.
Badges highlight career readiness
The badges can be downloaded and used on LinkedIn (in the optional Licenses & Certifications section), online portfolios, websites and other locations. “Each badge comes with a link that potential employers and others can use to explore exactly what the student has accomplished to earn the badge,” Martinez said. “Our goal is for these badges to be used as a mechanism to highlight career readiness when our Blazers engage with employers.”
Leveraging LinkedIn
Learn more about how to use LinkedIn for career building and networking from Career Center Director Brandon Wright in Leveraging LinkedIn: Build Your Personal Brand & Network, 6:30 p.m. April 28 on Zoom. Register online.
More than 2,600 badges will be sent out in the coming days to more than 2,200 UAB students who have already met course completion criteria for the various badges. (See examples of badges and criteria below.) “Moving forward, badges will be awarded automatically through Canvas and Badgr for completing requirements within the course,” Martinez said.
Add a Career Center module to your class — or sign up if you are a student
Faculty can learn more about the Career Center course modules and request a Canvas module within their course on the UAB Career Center site here.
Students who do not currently have access to the course but would like to gain access can request to be added through the UAB Career Center’s student Canvas page.
Alumni who sign up for the course will maintain access for two years. Alumni can request access to the course through the UAB Career Center’s student Canvas page.
Badges of honor
A selection of awards available through the Canvas Course Badge Rewards Program
Hiking
Students who have completed the Introduction to the Career Center module are starting on their path to career readiness and earning this badge.
Summit
By completing the Professional Brand module, students show they know to start charting their journey to the top of their chosen profession.
Thru-Hiker
Just like a walk the length of the Appalachian Trail, completing this badge requires determination. Students who earn it have completed the eight original Career Center Canvas Course modules: Introduction to the Career Center, Self- and Career Exploration, Career Planning and Gaining Experience, Resume Building, Interview Skills, Career Launch, Networking, and Professional Brand.
