Students in the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics are curious and driven. They are also focused on outcomes: whether it’s getting internships, securing a job or a promotion, or even feeling confident in articulating their business ideas.
That’s one of the reasons why Lerner Career Services has introduced a new monthly workshop series: the Lerner Career Lab. It provides undergraduate and graduate business students with career path exploration and structured, hands-on experience through employer-designed job simulations.
“The Career Lab represents the best of what we strive for at the Lerner College –experiential learning shaped by people who understand industry from the inside,” said Jessica Venturi, assistant director of Lerner Career Services.
“Because our Lerner career coaches are specialists with deep industry knowledge, we’re able to create unique opportunities where students don’t just learn about career paths, they actually step into them.”
Open to all Lerner business students, Lerner Career Lab workshops are designed and led by Arpita Gandhi, a career counselor with Lerner Career Services. Gandhi brings her over 20 years of industry experience to help students get the most out of project-based work.
“The workshops were formed because there was a real need to support our students in bridging the gap between what they learn in the classroom and real-world employer expectations,” said Gandhi.
“We know undergraduate students are often looking for ways to explore their career options and gain hands-on experience to complement their studies and launch into the entry-level job market, but Career Lab isn’t just for undergraduate students,” Venturi added.
“In fact, the workshops were initially designed with our graduate students as the target audience. Graduate students, whether full or part-time, often have fewer opportunities for internships or gaining experience in new industries because most internship programs are building early career talent pipelines.”
Venturi has found that many graduate students pursue graduate education to make a career pivot. For example, an MBA student may have 10 years of experience in manufacturing, where they currently work full-time, but they are in the MBA program to pivot into the finance industry.
“That’s a big pivot, and the Career Lab offers that student the opportunity to test out what that dream job would actually look like, identify the skill gaps they need to fill to be successful, and leave with real project experience that positions them better to be successful in their transition,” Venturi said.
One of the tools the Career Lab incorporates is Forage, a free, online platform that partners with top companies to create asynchronous job simulations. The simulations help students experience a day in the life of a particular role.
During the workshop, students start by completing the assigned simulation independently or in groups. The Lerner Career Services team will then facilitate conversations with students about what strong performance looks like and how to translate the project work into interview stories and resume bullet points.
In past sessions, students have had the opportunity to step into the shoes of quantitative research analysts at JPMorgan, cybersecurity professionals at AIG, and auditors at PwC. This practical approach helps students strengthen critical thinking, teamwork and communication skills while becoming more prepared for the demands of the workplace.
Teresa Surlis, Purity Ngigi and Michelle Kyalo, students in the master of science in business analytics and information management program, found value in the sessions, which offered practical application of classroom concepts.
For Surlis, a workshop focused on a Goldman Sachs job simulation provided valuable insight.
“The strong attendance led to a deep and engaging discussion, with students sharing diverse perspectives and approaches. It was especially meaningful to collaborate with peers outside of a classroom setting, build connections and work together,” said Surlis.
“Arpita also created additional exercises to deepen our understanding, which made the experience even more interactive and memorable.”
Kyalo described a cybersecurity simulation in which students assumed executive roles to respond to a data breach scenario.
“We had to think through financial risk, legal liability and long-term brand impact,” she said. “It pushed us to articulate our reasoning clearly.”
Each workshop also offers an overview of the career path, including the necessary skill sets and the current job market conditions and outlook. Students leave with valuable experience to include in their resumes, as well as a clear understanding of whether a career would be a good fit for them.
Ngigi said the experience helped clarify employer expectations.
“I wanted to get a feel for the real job market by applying the skills I learned in class,” she said.
The Lerner Career Lab reflects Lerner Career Services’ ongoing efforts to connect business education with applied professional development, providing structured opportunities for students to engage with real-world business challenges. Students interested in participating in Career Lab workshops can contact Gandhi at agandhi@udel.edu.