Library sees positive impact of Career Pathing

The B.D. Owens Library at Northwest has been involved in the University's student employment Career Pathing Program since the pilot initiative began in spring 2005.

Glenn Morrow, the Owens staff member charged with hiring student workers to augment the library's professional team of librarians, believes that involvement is bearing productive fruit in terms of both student development and improved customer service.

About 20 students work as library aides in any given trimester, Morrow said, and as many as a third of those choose to participate in the Career Pathing Program.

Participation means students must attend at least three of eight career workshops offered each trimester and earn positive evaluations from supervisors. Those who do so move up a pay and promotions ladder that embraces five steps: student employee, student assistant, student associate, student manager and student trainer.

Students earn $7.85 an hour as level-one workers, and each subsequent promotion includes a 25-cent-per-hour increase, except for student trainer, which carries a 50-cent increase. Students who reach the top of the pay scale earn $9.10 an hour.

More than providing money to pay for college, however, Morrow said the program allows student workers to acquire strategies and skills that carry over into their careers following graduation.

"I've had a number tell me that they participate because of the knowledge they gain and what it does for their resume," he said.

Giving students professional training and setting an expectation for professional performance is especially important at the library, Morrow said, because Owens depends completely on student staff to serve patrons between 9 p.m. and midnight.

"They learn to respect the position," he said, "and they learn that their first responsibility is to students using the library. They are often the first staff members patrons see when they walk in."

Library Aide Jarin Adcock, a senior from Carrollton, has been part of the Career Pathing Program since its inception. He said the pay increases alone make participation worthwhile, but that he has discovered other advantages as well.

"I feel that the Career Pathing Program has given me a sense of leadership," Adcock said. "I have taken many of the principles I've learned and applied them to my library job and even introduced them to my workplaces at home. I'm a marketing and management major, and I believe these skills will help me become a manager my employees will look up to as I look up to my supervisors here."

For his part, Morrow said Career Pathing teaches young people how to serve customers and respond to their needs.

"I think it helps our student workers realize how important they are to the overall operation of the library," he said.

Anyone seeking more information about the Career Pathing Program at Northwest can contact Paula McClain, coordinator of student employment, at 660.562.1140 or pmclain@nwmissouri.edu. Northwest's Career Pathing Program Web site is located at www.nwmissouri.edu/HR/student/aboutcareerpathing.htm.

For more information, please contact:

Anthony Brown,
News Bureau Manager
E-Mail: abrown@nwmissouri.edu
Phone (660) 562-1704
Fax (660) 562-1900

Northwest Missouri State University
219 Administration Building,
800 University Drive
Maryville, MO 64468

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