Outcomes: The Final Stage of SEM
The Post-Secondary Product
—From the desk of Brier Albano, Vice-President, Students and External Relations
Think back to when you were deciding what you wanted to do with your life. It’s way back for some, and maybe not so long ago for others. Maybe you’re still trying to decide. What made you choose post-secondary education? Did you choose post-secondary right after high school, or did your academic journey start later in life? Did you enter employment, begin an apprenticeship or start researching in the field you work in today? Or are you on a completely different path that would need a few hours to explain to your younger self?
“Outcomes” is the space where we really are all sharing a human experience. We all want something unique. Even when you’re sitting beside someone who has the same job or experience, your goals and dreams can be completely different. When we talked about graduation last week, we talked about systems, “what’s next” and possibilities. Outcomes, in contrast, aren’t the dreams. This stage almost never goes according to plan, but it is, at the end of the day, our actual product in post-secondary.
The Bus, Not the Destination
Learners come to college to get somewhere. College is the bus, not the destination.
When we understand that outcomes are the “why” behind student decisions, we begin to see our work differently. Programs are not just pathways but gateways to plans. Courses are not just requirements but building blocks. Services are not just supports but enablers of progress and persistence. Students are not just participants in this experience—they are people making meaningful choices about their lives.
At Selkirk College, we can consider our outcomes vibrant when our graduates have successful stories we can share with applicants hoping to begin their journey with us, when we have graduates who want to be connected to our programs and our college. We also consider a vibrant outcome to be more than 75% of students employed in their chosen career field. Learners guide these outcomes, so their chosen career field may feel different than what they went to school for. The primary goal is that students feel like they are happy and thriving because of Selkirk College.
We are fortunate in British Columbia that the province regularly tracks and publishes outcomes. The BC Student Outcomes data viewer provides data from over 11,000 students on things like satisfaction, quality of instruction, full-time employment, further studies and if they’re in a job related to their program. For each post-secondary institution in BC, you can see stats on students’ median hourly wage, if they’re in the labour force or self-employment, and if they felt their program was useful. This resource is special, and if you haven’t had a chance to see it before, I recommend taking a look!
The most interesting thing about outcomes is that it loops us back to the beginning: recruitment. When our students are out in the world telling everyone they know about Selkirk College and their experience with us—the amazing instructors, the fun assignments and inspiring learning—they are giving us our next student body. When we sell ourselves through recruitment or marketing, we have a personal prerogative and something to gain. When someone who is not connected to the college sells us, that’s brand.
So that’s it! That’s a little bit about all seven stages! What’s next?
Well, SEM is a bit like building a house. The plan was the blueprint, and right now, we are mapping the land, clearing the build site and getting ready to start the framing. Next year, we frame. It’s a year of getting data to the right people to understand where we are successful and where we need to improve. It’s about uncovering the blocks, moving through easy wins and moving away from the things that aren’t working the way we expected. Expect to hear more in the fall as we prepare for the next steps toward achieving our goals.
Forgot what was in the SEM Plan? Check out the plan and the framework.
Read about the stages of SEM: