With the growing demands of the corporate industry, it is becoming more and more pressing for prospective business professionals to enter the arena with more than just academic competence. Major corporate recruiters are looking for applicants with a sense of the job outside of what they have learned in the classroom. Much of the burden of preparation is being left to higher education institutions, not only to prepare students academically, but also to guide students to a smooth transition into the professional world. 

     Since awarding its first B.A. in Business in 1931, Clark Atlanta University (CAU) has become a dominant force in the production of quality, minority business professionals. With such accomplishments as being one of the top ten producers of African-American business professionals in the nation, CAU has shown its presence in the world of academia. CAU is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. 

     The mission of CAU is to provide a quality undergraduate, graduate and professional education to a student body that is predominantly African-American and also diversified by students from various other racial, ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. As an institution grounded in the liberal arts, the university is committed to the development of productive and creative students who excel in their chosen careers and who become responsible citizens in their communities and the world. 

     This mission is also carried over to the school’s ability not only to prepare, but also to help place its students in business careers. CAU’s students find solace in the many efforts that the school puts forth to ensure that graduates not only get a job, but are also positioned to begin a rewarding career upon achieving a degree. From the day CAU students arrive on campus as freshmen, they have available to them an abundance of career planning and development opportunities. From career fairs to workshops, the students are provided the necessary tools to help ensure success after their matriculation at CAU. A giant tool in the category of career placement and development for the school is the Career Planning and Placement Center. This is a service established by the university to aid students in their transition from the world of academia to the professional world. Individualized and group counseling sessions, self-awareness and career exploration inventories, professional development workshops and seminars, experiential learning, and annual career fairs all work together simultaneously under the umbrella of the career planning and placement center to prepare students for the business world.

     Transitioning into the workforce is becoming more challenging as the demands of the corporate world grow rapidly. Adaptation to the needs of the industry in terms of professionals is an obvious necessity. CAU’s Career Planning and Placement Center is at the front line of the evolution of career education and development. -Diversity Edge