Connecting Education to Careers
The life design project helps students connect their education to careers using the Stanford Life Design framework.
Program Lead: Career Education, Student Experience
Project Status: Complete
Parr Centre funds allowed us to introduce the Life Design framework and activities through the development of a series of strategies for introducing Life Design principles into existing and new programs.
Created by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans at Stanford University, Life Design encourages the application of design thinking principles to career and life planning. The Life Design framework focuses on core mindsets (e.g. curiosity, bias to action, and radical collaboration) as tools that can help build a life that is meaningful, fulfilling, and uniquely ours. By thinking like a designer, reframing dysfunctional beliefs, and prototyping ideas, we can tackle the ‘wicked problem’ of vocational wayfinding.
Life design programming helps first-year students craft a more fulfilling university experience that encompasses academic interests, experiential learning, co-curricular activities, and volunteer/leadership experiences. It answers the questions: how do I discover everything Western has to offer, make good choices, and graduate feeling satisfied with my student experience?
Life design programming encourages first-year students to build flexibility into their degree planning, ensuring they are ready to adjust to unexpected changes, and can confidently pivot to support new interests as well as changes in the world of work. Understanding how design thinking concepts and tools can support their success in their undergraduate studies will provide a strong foundation upon which future career planning can occur in third and fourth year.
Parr Centre funds helped to kick-start Life Design conversations at Western. Our ultimate goal is for all students to have the tools and support to build a meaningful life and career.
In summary...
- Six Western staff completed formal Life Design facilitator training through Stanford University and are now working to embed strategies within Careers & Experience programming and beyond.
- 500 graduating students and alumni participated in a four-part virtual Life Design Masterclass in May 2021.
- To expand reach, four informational videos were designed and created to explain key Life Design principles in an accessible manner.
- The Faculty of Engineering developed a Career Design workshop in 2021-2022 that was delivered to approx. 700 undergraduate students.
- Life Design was incorporated into the Thriving Foundations programming in the summer 2022 when 675 students participated in Life Design workshops while attending our on-campus summer transition program, Community Connections.
- The Career Education team facilitated 14 workshop/presentation sessions attended by approx. 380 students during the 2021-2022 academic year.
- 45 students participated in the Build a Meaningful Life & Career Virtual Masterclass held over four sessions in March 2022.
