The results are in! During the Fall Semester of 2017, PathwayU partnered with a number of schools to collect data from student samples to measure how student’s thoughts and feelings related to the career-discernment process changed over time. The results show that PathwayU significantly impacted students’ lives in a positive way, arming them with knowledge and confidence about vocational pathways and career decisions.

Background

We started by collecting baseline measures of students’ career decision-self efficacy, perceived stress in choosing a major or career, as well as variables like self-knowledge, career-path knowledge, and more. After completing this baseline pre-survey at the beginning of their semesters, students completed their PathwayU assessments, used our software to explore their career matches, and used other tools available to them through PathwayU. Instructors encouraged students to revisit their results throughout their classes and programs, while some instructors directly incorporated PathwayU assignments into their curriculum.

Who Participated

Students from courses across five different colleges and universities in Hawaii, Colorado, Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio participated in this study.

Measures

• Stress in choosing a major
• Stress in choosing a career
• Confidence in the career decision-making process
• Satisfaction with career direction
• Self-understanding
• Knowledge of career paths
• Communication of career goals
• Recommendation (post-only)
• Comparison to other tools (post-only)
• Open-ended feedback

 

Significant Findings

Through our analyses, we identified significant statistical increases in the following areas:

Confidence in the career decision-making process

• On average, students’ levels of confidence in their ability to navigate the career decision-making process were higher after they used PathwayU than before using our software.^[1]

Satisfaction with career direction

• On average, students’ satisfaction with their level of clarity with their career direction was higher after they used PathwayU than before using our software.^[2]

Knowledge of career paths

• On average, students had a greater understanding of what career paths fit them best after they used PathwayU than before using our software.^[3]

Communication of career goals

• On average, students’ confidence in their ability to communicate their career goals was higher after they used PathwayU than before using our software.^[4]

Recommendation

• 98% of students recommend PathwayU to students like themselves with minor or no adjustments.^[5]

 

Comparison to other tools

• Students were asked, “Compared to other self-discovery and career guidance tools you’ve used (e.g., MBTI®, Strong Interest Inventory, Focus 2, etc.), how would you rate your overall experience with PathwayU? Of the students who indicated that they have used other career guidance tools in the past, over 50% indicated that their experience with PathwayU was better or much better than their experience with other tools.

 

Open-ended feedback

Students generally indicated that PathwayU encouraged them to rethink their career direction and showed them additional paths they could consider. Students thought more deeply about the alignment between their personal characteristics and potential vocational pathways. For example:

• “The PathwayU site gave me some fairly accurate interest, values, and workplace preferences; this was the part of the site that surprised me because I did not expect such accurate results. I feel that the website was very accurate and surprised me because it gave me suggestions that I would not have considered; yet they fit me very well. I enjoyed taking these assessments and viewing the results.”
• “PathwayU has influenced the way I think about my education/ career because I learned that I enjoy hands on activities and I like to be helping others. From what I learned I found a job that would work best with what I enjoy”
• “I have been able to analyze the careers and educational paths that best suit me!”
• “[PathwayU] made me think about other job opportunities that are available to me.”
• “Through these assessments, I have learned that I am pursuing a major and career choice that PathwayU [suggested for me]. It made me feel better that the assessment lined up with what I want to do with my life.”
• “[PathwayU] Made me feel more confident in what I thought I wanted to do.”
• “[PathwayU] has shown me a variety of career options that I didn’t consider or know of that would best suit me.

 

Demonstrating Impact in 2018

The results from our data studies have helped schools who adopt jobZology on a small scale demonstrate evidence of impact and develop a case for wider implementation of jobZology across their campuses. PathwayU is continuing to measure our impact on students through the Spring 2018 semester with larger student samples from additional schools across the nation. If you’re considering bringing PathwayU to your campus, talk to one of our Solutions Advocates to discuss the possibility of a pilot program data study at your school to demonstrate concrete outcomes and provide strong evidence for campus-wide roll out of PathwayU.

Footnotes

Differences between pre- and post- assessment were based on matched data for n = 92 students. [1] t(91) = 3.70, p < .01, d = .39;  [2] t(91) = 3.08, p < .01, d = .32; [3] t(91) = 2.95, p < .01, d = .31; [4] t(91) = 3.15, p < .01, d = .33; [5] Analysis based on n = 104 respondents across five schools in response to the following question: “Would you recommend jobZology^® to other students like yourself?”