Regional Employers Share Hiring Priorities
Representatives from hospitality, small business, health services, technology, and community organizations joined QHCC faculty for a workforce roundtable focused on entry-level skills and career preparation.
Participants identified professional communication, reliability, spreadsheet use, customer interaction, data awareness, teamwork, and the ability to learn new systems as common expectations across industries.
Employers were consistent: technical skills matter, but students also need to communicate, follow through, and explain how they approached a problem.
Marcus Bennett, Director of Career Education
Faculty Review Program Outcomes
Faculty compared employer feedback with current certificate assignments and learning outcomes. Several programs will add more client-style projects, presentations, documentation practice, and opportunities for students to revise work after receiving feedback.
Employers also encouraged students to understand workplace context rather than focusing only on software. Faculty will continue using case studies that ask students to balance customer needs, budgets, timelines, ethics, and team communication.
Next Steps for Partnership
QHCC plans follow-up conversations about guest speakers, project review, workplace tours, and short-term professional workshops. Any work-based opportunity will be reviewed for supervision, learning value, student readiness, and accessibility.
The college will host another roundtable after reviewing student outcomes and program enrollment. Community partners interested in participating may contact the Career Education Office.