Bridging the Digital Divide and Soft Skills: Professional Development for Underrepresented Students at a Minority-Serving Institution

Abstract

In response to persistent inequities in employment outcomes, professors must educate college students attending Minority-Serving Institutions to thrive in competitive industries through robust digital skills training, soft skills development, and resume-building skills. The objectives of the study were to explore students' confidence with digital tools, soft skills, and to determine the effectiveness of the workshop in preparing students for resume building and job interviews. Ten undergraduate students participated in a two-week professional workshop. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected on the last day of the workshop. Results of the study indicated that all participants found Grammarly to be very effective, while 90% rated Microsoft Excel and LinkedIn to be very effective. The participants rated communication, group work, and problem-solving as very effective (90%), and 80% rated public speaking, and preparation of resume and interviews as very effective. Participants unanimously rated the workshop highly. Themes that emerged from the study were instructor effectiveness, interaction with the professor and peers, and skill development. The students recommended a longer duration for the workshop. These findings suggest the transformative potential of targeted, hands-on interventions in advancing equity and employability for underrepresented college students.