Our mission is to inspire and prepare all graduates to create lives of opportunity aligned with their purpose and values.
Career Support
The Center for Career Readiness (CCR) provides career and engagement opportunities to students of all years and majors throughout their time at the University of Arizona. From career exploration to a full-time job search, our team has the expertise and resources to support your Wildcat in creating a life of opportunity.
Your Wildcat will be in great hands as we help them navigate their career journey and prepare for what’s next after graduation.
Our website is designed to empower undergraduate students to find the resources and support to find and apply for experiential learning opportunities, on-campus jobs, internships and a future full-time career. Students can set career interests – like Career Exploration, Internship Preparation, Resume Tips, etc. – to receive automatic updates and resources via email.
Start at LifeLab
CCR has a wide variety of resources and programming to support your student. We can help with career exploration, a job or internship search, building in-demand transferable and functional skills, and preparing for a career after graduation. Our services are provided at no charge, starting on your student’s first day as a Wildcat. To set them up for success in college and at graduation, please encourage your student to take full advantage of our website, events and programming early in their Wildcat Journey.
We recommend students begin their journey at LifeLab.
LifeLab is our front door. It’s a friendly place where students can drop in at their convenience to better understand the resources and support available to them on campus and through the Center for Career Readiness. Students can meet one-on-one with a peer guide to surface their goals and answer their questions. LifeLab can help with getting involved on campus, exploring possible career paths, committing to the next step for the future, and building career momentum – one step at a time. Students can visit LifeLab as many times at they need for support with on-campus employment, a part-time job search, internship search, resume support and more.
Students can meet with a LifeLab guide in person or on Zoom.
LifeLab drop-in hours are 12-5pm, Monday through Friday in Bear Down Building room 264. If students are unable to meet in person, students can connect on Zoom during drop-in hours. Students can also submit questions and inquiries after hours via email at lifelab@arizona.edu.
Hands-On Experiences
Experiential Learning
The Center for Career Readiness connects students with resources, programs and events that provide opportunities for hands-on experiences that build skills like communication, collaboration, critical thinking and leadership. These experiences compliment and expand upon what they learn in the classroom and build in-demand skills applicable to any career.
Experiential Learning Programs offer Wildcats the opportunity to work in a team and become workforce ready.
Preparation for a Paid Internship
All Wildcats are encouraged to make a plan to complete at least one paid internship or research experience during their time at the University of Arizona. To support them, we’ve developed The Big 7 – seven actionable steps to prepare for a paid internship or research experience. Many students wait to think about an internship “until they’re ready”. The Big 7 empowers students, with or without a career in mind, to build skills and the confidence to apply when the time is right.
Internships have a significant impact on future success.
Career and Internship Advising
Our website provides students with helpful resources to explore careers, create and maintain a resume, build interviewing skills, make professional connections and design and execute an effective internship or job search on their own time and at their own pace.
For personalized career support at any stage, Wildcats can schedule one-on-one appointments, with a peer coach (an experienced student) or a Career Educator for help with skill building, resume review and suggestions, mock interviews, and to discuss their next steps in college or after graduation. Students are encouraged to make an appointment if they are unsure about their career path, for with advice on resumes, cover letters, and for their internship or job search. The Career Education team also provides coaching for making connections with employers, so students can practice networking and learn how to build community and make strong connections.
Career Fairs and Networking Events
The Center for Career Readiness hosts career events each fall and spring where students can make connections with local, regional and national organizations. These events are open to all students and alumni and are highly encouraged. To prepare, students can drop into LifeLab for help with their resume, self-introduction and online profiles.
Handshake – The Free Career Hub
Handshake, the free career hub at the University of Arizona, is designed for college students to connect with employers and find career events on campus. Every registered Wildcat has an account. To activate, students log in at arizona.joinhandshake.com with their NetID and complete. Handshake is where your student can search for on-campus jobs, internships, and full-time roles as well as register for career workshops and make appointments with us for career advice.
It’s Never Too Early to Start
Thinking about a career path and searching for a job can be overwhelming for your student. Many Wildcats delay a visit to LifeLab or avoid registering for career workshops or fairs because they think they need to have everything figured out first. We hope you’ll encourage your student to pay us a visit early. Let them know it’s okay to say “I don’t know what I’m doing or how to begin”.
The CCR team is here to provide guidance for every step of your student’s Wildcat Journey. The sooner they begin taking The Big 7 steps the more confident they’ll be when it’s the right time to apply for internships and jobs.
“As a senior, I find CCR to be extremely helpful. They have so many resources that a lot of students don’t know about. I wish I had come in sooner!”
As Wildcats embark on their academic and career journeys, we recommend three important things they should do right away:
Please urge your Wildcat to take these steps and if they need extra support, we are here to help them. For questions, we can be reached in our office, Monday through Friday, 9am – 5pm, or via email at career@arizona.edu.
