that delivers accessible tech and trade education to level the playing field for aspiring talent.
With a mission to deliver transformative technical and trade education that leads to economic advancement, Franklin Cummings Tech offers a unique mix of certificates and degrees that appeal to enterprising students from Eastern Massachusetts and respond to employer demand for a well-prepared workforce. Intentional partnerships with the industries we serve coupled with high graduation and job placement rates, recently attracted the largest philanthropic gift in the history of the college from the Cummings Foundation, helping to spur incredible growth in the past four years.
Franklin Cummings Tech educates more than 1,000 learners annually across three student types: 1) certificate and degree seekers, 2) continuing education enrollees, and 3) early college students. As evidence that our mission holds resonance student enrollment is up and Fall 2027 applications have soared 16% year over year.
We seek optimistic, data-informed, and dedicated colleagues who are eager to increase student success outcomes and boost total enrollment to 1,500 learners by 2030. Join us in this mission-driven work!
Position Summary:
The Director of Career and Co-op leads employer engagement efforts for automotive tech, construction management, and opticianry. The position is responsible for securing student placements, generating employer revenue, and supporting strong career outcomes for students and graduates in these majors. The Director also manages departmental staff, oversees the co-op and apprentice program, and drives operational excellence through effective systems, processes, and cross-functional collaboration.
Essential Functions and Responsibilities:
Employer Partnerships:
- Lead relationship management with employers in automotive, construction management, and opticianry, including prospecting, cultivating, asking, and stewarding prospective employers
- Ensure the successful placement of co-op and apprenticeship students, as well as additional job opportunities for graduates in these majors
- Collect up to $5,000/student in revenues from co-op and apprenticeship employers in return for matching and supporting the students in these roles
- Write up meeting reports after each employer meeting to ensure clear next steps and provide institutional memory of the relationship
Co-op and Apprenticeship Oversight:
- Oversee the co-op and apprenticeship program, including the student recruitment process, the student enrollment process, the student matching and job onboarding process, the student on-the-job support process, and the employer contract and apprenticeship compliance process
- Develop annual plan for the further expansion of co-ops and apprenticeships over time
Team Management:
- Manage the Associate Director of Career and Co-op and Temporary Career and Co-op Specialist
- Co-lead the semi-annual team retreats
- Manage the day-to-day budget for the department, including approval and tracking of expenses
Academic and Student Support:
- Build a strong relationship with the academic chairs and gain familiarity with the curriculum in automotive, construction management, and opticianry
- Attend biweekly meetings with the academic chairs of automotive and construction management and monthly meetings with the chair of opticianry
- Build relationships with students in opticianry, and ensure that the Career and Co-op Specialist builds relationships with students in automotive and construction management
- For the three majors, connect graduating students not in co-ops to career opportunities
Systems Building:
- Oversee the rollout and smooth implementation of Jenzabar enterprise information system within the Career and Co-op Team, including the Jenzabar Communications Module and Jenzabar Advancement Module
- Focus on continuous improvement of team systems and standard operating procedures, so that the team works more effectively and efficiently over time
- Manage warm relationships with other teams, including Student Affairs, Academics, Operations, and Enrollment
