Here’s What Fortune 500 Companies Are Looking for in College Grads

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Last January, Amazon put forth a job initiative that involved hiring 100,000 new employees, from entry-level workers to software engineers. With news of a new headquarter city and the job opportunities included, this growth is projected to continue through the new year and beyond. And Amazon isn’t the only major corporation looking for graduates to fill new roles. Technology, experiential marketing and healthcare industries all over the country are flourishing thanks to the new business class of entrepreneurs, developers and innovators.

Here are four crucial differentiators the right university can provide students to help them secure a coveted position at a Fortune 500 company in today’s shifting workforce.

A diverse educational background
Students need an academic model that will fully prepare them to meet the broad challenges of the workforce. At  Drexel University, they can choose from up to three real-world personalized cooperative education program (co-op) experiences, and split their time between on-the-job preparation and in-classroom education. As a comprehensive research university, students are able to work with faculty across all disciplines — including law, business and science — who teach evidence-based curricula designed to get students hired.

Real-life work experience
Aside from living, learning and working in one of the nation’s largest cities, Drexel co-op provides students with the opportunity to leave campus and work for some of the area’s most sought-after employers, including Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Comcast, Johnson & Johnson (and yes, Amazon.com). Having hands-on experience at some of these major global organizations will boost your child’s résumé, provide working experience and help them build the problem-solving skills that are necessary — and revered —  in any workplace.

An entrepreneurial spirit
One of the most effective ways to strengthen an entrepreneurial spirit is to test it. Drexel’s co-op allows students to work for some of the industry’s top business leaders, giving them access to mentors within their fields and beyond. With multiple on-campus incubators and accelerator spaces, students can connect with like-minded creative thinkers and the resources they need to build their innovative ideas before they graduate.

Access to mentors
In an op-ed for the Forbes Leadership Forum, Louise Pentland explains the importance of the mentors who helped her move from an entry-level position at PayPal to become the company’s Senior Vice President. “You won’t always know who your sponsors are, but they are people who will advocate for you in the workplace when you need to be more visible,” she says. By earning an entry-level position at a Fortune 500 company, your child can gain access to those sponsors — their managers and executives — that can help them get to the next level of their career.

For more information on Drexel University’s co-op program and curriculum, visit drexel.edu/AmbitionCantWait.