One of the cornerstones of a Marymount education is how students are offered pathways to fulfilling careers in high-demand fields. To make this possible, the University’s Center for Career Development is focused on building partnerships that match students with high-level employers. A recent example of these efforts in action is the Center’s relationship with Serco, a company that specializes in the delivery of public services, and the career opportunities that are becoming a reality for Marymount students.
“Our new relationship with Serco has resulted in two success stories,” said Adrienne Mitchell, Director of Career Development at Marymount University. “Just since the spring semester began, we’ve had two graduate-level students from the School of Business and Technology (SBT) receive offers from Serco, both for full-time positions.”
These two success stories led to new career opportunities for Marymount students Rashmi Shikha and Amaka Oghenekaro.
“One of those hires was thanks to a virtual job fair that SBT and the Center for Career Development hosted in April that was attended by Serco and other employers, the first virtual job fair for Marymount,” Mitchell added. “They were then connected with the student, and it led to further interviews and they landed the position. For the other hire, we had been talking with Serco about their needs and the positions they needed to fill, specifically mid-level roles. We sent a communication about those possibilities to our students, and it led to that particular student getting through the door.”
Shikha, who accepted a role in Software Quality Assurance with Serco, expressed excitement for the growing opportunities available to Marymount students through the University’s relationships with employers.
“This partnership with Marymount will better inform the students about the opportunities in demand, which will then encourage more and more students to upskill themselves accordingly and they’ll be ready for the job market,” she explained. “With Serco, students will get the desired confidence, insight and direction to grow in their career.”
Serco is headquartered in Herndon, Va., not far from the many government positions in Washington, D.C. The government consulting organization employs over 8,000 people across the U.S., Canada and 13 other countries, and operates in three sectors for public services – defense, citizen services and transportation.
Serco partners with various federal contracts across the U.S., but takes on other forms of consulting as well. There are many career opportunities for students, especially in majors such as Business, IT, Cybersecurity and Project Management.
“Right now, we’re taking the initiative to build employer relationships in D.C., Virginia and Maryland,” Mitchell said. “We’re consistently having calls with potential partners who are offering more opportunities for our students, including paid positions for internships.”
Mitchell also discussed how the Center for Career Development is increasing its work on alumni engagement, and is reaching out to potential partners who are Marymount graduates and are working with companies that are seeking interns and/or applicants for full-time positions. To connect with the Center, send an email or follow its page on LinkedIn.
