Many years ago in the comic strip series “Pogo”, the main character Pogo says with total confidence to his friend Porkypine “Son, we have met the enemy and he is us”. The visual in the script is even more compelling. It is a yard full of discarded stuff. And for a moment, there is comforting feeling that it is only a comic strip.
But I thought more intently about the possible comparison this comic strip might to the world of career services. The many wonderful ideas that our colleagues dream of to benefit the positive outcome for students and alumni in the form of a first job or an enhanced career path are too often, because of an unintended lack of funding, staff and other resources, left in a pile of discarded stuff. Are we our own worst enemies?
Without a doubt, incredible amounts of creative energy and thought are being wasted and are never used to help our most precious resource…young eager minds that want fulfilling careers so that we are all the better for it. It is time to ask why and it is time to act.
By the way, here is a link to the comic strip…enjoy!
Contributing Author: Melvin J. Scales
Meridian Resources University Solutions Blog 