Building Career Preparation into Undergraduate Programs

In many undergraduate physics departments, the primary focus is on preparing students for graduate study. While these efforts are important, only about one in three degree recipients will go on to graduate school in physics. And while others will go to graduate school in other fields, a large percentage will immediately enter the workforce. With the need for physics teachers stronger than ever, this poster will outline how departments can provide and improve on the skills and resources students need for a broad distribution of destinations and career pathways. How to build topics such as overcoming obstacles, skills assessment, mental health, teaching as a profession, networking, and professional skills into existing courses will be discussed. Special attention is given to empowering students to manage their careers and informing them about teaching as a profession.