Choosing the right major for you

Student Ambassador Leila walking up the stairs in the Parr CenterAre you still figuring out your major decision– which program of study to choose? Your education can line up with your career plans, and Career Services is here to help.

Review the new “Choosing a Program of Study” webpage, with lots of resources to help you explore your choices for your major. There you will find videos from students who are also deciding, different assessment tools to help you narrow down all of Central Piedmont’s options, and tips for making sure you have found the right one.

Need more help? The webpage also has information if you’re planning to transfer, and contact information for our career counselors if you need some one-on-one guidance.

Central Piedmont wants to make sure you have a compass and a map to chart your education to your career. Take advantage of all the resources available to you so you can save time and money in school by making sure you’re on the right path.

Don’t Sleep on Career Prep this Summer

Career Counselor talks with a student.Career Services is open this summer, and is ready with many different resources to help you map out your job search game plan. We can help students and graduates polish their résumés, practice interview skills, and learn job search strategies!

Take these steps to build your career:

Handshake Student and Graduate Job Board

  • Complete your profile, and you are five times more likely to be contacted by an employer! Did you know Handshake is the #1 way college students find jobs?

Career Guide
  • Check out the sample resumes, cover letters, interview tips and more.

Big Interview
  • Get ready to rock your interview with this practice program.

Career Coach
  • Discover the salary you’ll make in your chosen career.

Appointments Available!
  • Log into Handshake and click “Career Center” to request an appointment virtually, by phone, or in-person.

Join “Empower Hour” to jump start your career

Join Student Engagement and Career Services at Cato Campus as we help you jump start your job search or applications for transferring to a four-year university.

We’ll have information about internships, volunteer opportunities that develop employable skills and so much more! Don’t miss out on this interactive opportunity that includes a catered lunch and free t-shirt.

  • develop your confidence
  • improve your résumé writing
  • translate your Central Piedmont experience into a powerful job application

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Wednesday and Thursday, April 19-20
Cato Campus, Cato III, Room 024

Register with this link to save your spot!

For more information contact Emma Cartwright at emma.cartwright@cpcc.edu.

Career Conversations: A Panel Discussion with Bank of America

Bank of America logo with a group of young diverse people.Join Bank of America Leaders as they discuss ways to pre­pare you for your job search, the skills that employers value, and share career stories to help motivate you to take your next position!

Tuesday, April 4, 2 p.m.
Central Campus, Parr Center Room 1010
Networking and Refreshments immediately after!
Register on Handshake (encouraged, but not required)

Panelists include:

  • Seth Christopher, Sr. Benefits Consultant
  • Justin Foxx, Financial Center Manager
  • Amy Gurley, Academy Design Manager
  • Rick Knafelz, Managing Director Global Technology
  • David Wallace, Financial Center Manager

Questions about this event? Contact Career Services 704.330.6551, career.services@cpcc.edu.

Train for a high-demand career in Nondestructive Examination

For pipes, bridges, airplanes, energy production, and for so many manufacturing parts, infrastructure must be examined for cracks, leaks, and problems before they occur. The industry that carefully examines this critical infrastructure is called nondestructive examination (NDE), because it uses testing methods like ultrasound, magnetic particles, and x-rays to see inside components for problems, without destroying or damaging the piece.

This career is only growing with aging infrastructure in the US, and skills you learn can be applied across many industries with a median salary of $65,236.

Central Piedmont is one of only a handful of schools in the nation that offers an associate degree in nondestructive examination, and our program teaches six different testing techniques. Graduates from Central Piedmont have more than a 90% employment rate in the industry. 

Central Piedmont’s nondestructive examination technology program will train you to be a valuable asset in both product manufacturer and service inspection industries through hands-on learning in both classroom and lab settings. 

Learn more about the NDE program from one of our students:

Learn the In’s and Out’s of Networking Feb. 20

Chris Cathcart, man in suit, shakes hands with a student on stage.85% of jobs come from your network! Your network is made of your career connections through organizations, online groups, people you know, clubs and more. Everyone has a network, you just need to learn how to use it. Both talkative and more private people can be amazing networkers. Join Student Engagement and Career Services for a lively and fun session to level up your networking skills.

Date

Time

Title

Location

2/20

2- 3:30 p.m.

In’s and Out’s of Networking

Central Campus in Parr 0060 – ground floor across from Navigator Desk

Career Services has your back if you need help. If you have questions, please get in touch with us.

Looking for a job? On campus recruiting for spring is here!

Employers are coming to Central Piedmont to hire!

Date

Time

Company

Looking for

Location

Jan. 18

10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Aptive Environmental

Sales/Marketing Internship (Paid)

First Floor of Parr Center (Central Campus), next to the Information Desk

Remember, even if you can not attend the recruiting event, there are hundreds of opportunities on our job board Handshake – including paid internships, on-campus, part time, full time and seasonal positions.  Check “events” to learn about employers visiting campus for recruiting.  Employers will visit additional campuses through the semester, and more employers will be coming to Central Campus too.

Want to prepare your résumé?  Résumés are not required to attend the recruiting event; however, here are some resources to help if you want to work on yours and get a competitive edge!

Review the Career Guide – full color flip book with sample résumés, cover letters, interview tips and more.

Resume Video – learn the résumé basics in 10 minutes!

Schedule a meeting with a Career Counselor.

Employers coming to campus in October

Looking for a job? These recruiters will be coming to Central Campus on Wednesdays in October.

Date

Company

Looking for:

Wed, Oct. 12

Panera Bread

Retail and sandwich/ salad maker positions

Wed, Oct. 19

Spoiled Rotten Scholars

Lead and assistant teachers, floaters

Wed, Oct. 26

Shake Shack

Team members, and shift and restaurant managers

  • Central Campus
  • Parr Center (first floor, Quad side, next to the Information Desk)
  • 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Remember, even if you can not attend the recruiting events, there are hundreds of opportunities on our job board Handshake – including on-campus, part time, full time and seasonal positions. Check “events” to learn more about the employers coming to campus.  Resumes are not required to attend.

Career Services is here to help with your job search! We want to help polish your resume, practice interview skills, and with your job search strategy. Meet with a Career Counselor.

On campus career recruiting launches for fall semester

Looking for a job? Career Services invites you to come meet employers on campus who want to recruit you. Bank of America kicks things off, with other employers coming soon!

Bank of America recruiting table:

  • Wednesday, Oct. 5, 11 a.m.- 2 p.m.
  • Central Campus, Parr Center first floor, next to the Welcome Center

To research and apply for Bank of America’s open positions, view the event on Handshake. Bank of America is hiring for a variety of positions, because Charlotte is their corporate headquarters.

Remember, even if you can not attend the recruiting event, there are hundreds of opportunities on our job board Handshake – including on-campus, part time, full time, paid internships and seasonal positions. Check “events” to learn about employers hiring Central Piedmont students. We hope to have employers on campus most remaining Wednesdays during the fall semester to recruit.

Want to prepare your resume?  Resumes are not required to attend the recruiting event; however, here are some resources to help if you want to work on yours and get a competitive edge:

Still searching for a major for your career?

Teacher sketching with class of students drawing

Third day of classes, Levine Campus, August 17th, 2022

You are taking classes at Central Piedmont but have you narrowed down your choices so your major matches your career? Central Piedmont has created a new toolkit to help you choose a program of study that fits your skills and interests.

This guide is designed to help you think through your options and provide you with information and resources to help you decide on a program of study.

You can take assessments, explore our types of degrees, figure out what you can do with your intended major, and learn about different work environments, salary ranges and more.

Career Services offers many resources to find your ideal in-demand career. You can also meet with a career counselor, find jobs on our job board and practice for an interview.

It’s Official – The 2020 Career Fair is Here

We are one day away from the college’s largest recruiting event – The Career Fair. This event is happening Thursday, March 5 in Worrell Gym from 11 a.m.- 2 p.m.

Check out the trailer to see how this event will work.

Connect with Career Services and elevate your career:

  • Drop-Ins for students needing quick job search help (resume, cover letter, interviewing, etc.):
  • Central Campus – Wednesdays, Central High 122, 1- 3 p.m.
  • Levine Campus – Tuesdays, Levine Student Success Desk, 2-4 p.m.

For an appointment, contact ext. 6433 or career.services@cpcc.edu

Visit cpcc.edu/career to learn more.

Career and College Promise

A CPCC college student holding her college textbooks

Effective January 1, 2012, the Career and College Promise program will replace all existing concurrent enrollment programs for high school students.

Career and College Promise provides seamless dual enrollment educational opportunities for eligible North Carolina high school students in order to accelerate completion of college certificates, diplomas and associate degrees that lead to college transfer or provide entry-level job skills.  North Carolina community colleges may offer the following Career and College Promise pathways aligned with the K-12 curriculum and career and college ready standards adopted by the State Board of Education:

  1. a Core 44 College Transfer Pathway leading to a minimum of 30 hours of college transfer credit
  2. a Career and Technical Education Pathway leading to a certificate, diploma or degree
  3. a Cooperative Innovative High School Pathway (the Current Cato Middle College)

Enrollment for Career and Promise students at CPCC will begin on November 21. For more information visit: https://www.cpcc.edu/hsprograms/career-college-promise.