AWT4CL 09 Understand Role in the Workplace and Have Realistic Career Expectations Badge

Prepare Students for Career Reality: Equip Learners with Insight into Workplace Expectations--
Authors: Jama S. Coartney and Donna M. Westfall-Rudd   --

Understanding one’s role in the workplace is an underestimated yet critical skill for career success. Many early-career professionals enter the workforce full of ambition, only to be surprised by the pace, ambiguity, and evolving responsibilities of real jobs. The gap between what learners expect and what the job actually entails is often wide. Equipping students with skills to understand their role in the workplace and set realistic career expectations can significantly ease this transition and increase their potential for long-term success. This skill ranks among the top ten workplace readiness gaps, according to a study conducted by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU).

The great news? You can address this gap with an Understand Role in the Workplace and Have Realistic Career Expectations digital learning badge.

The Understand Role in the Workplace and Have Realistic Career Expectations badge (Badge 09) is a digital credential designed to help learners connect their academic experiences to real-world job responsibilities and expectations. This badge recognizes a learner’s effort to proactively explore and understand what is required in entry-level roles, including the tasks, workplace culture, and employer expectations they are likely to encounter.

Key Focus Areas of this Badge:
  • Workplace Awareness: Learners research job descriptions, industry standards, and the responsibilities of early-career positions to understand their potential role in a professional setting.

  • Realistic Expectations: Learners reflect on the difference between idealized job expectations and the reality of entry-level work, including ambiguity in roles, the importance of persistence, and gaining trust over time.

  • Career Preparedness: By evaluating job markets, salaries, and living costs, learners prepare themselves to make informed decisions about their future careers.
Why This Badge Matters
According to a study by APLU, which surveyed over 11,000 students, alumni, faculty, and employers, one of the most significant gaps identified was students’ lack of preparation for understanding real job expectations. New employees often encounter unclear responsibilities, company cultures, or long-term onboarding processes that may not align with initial assumptions.

Using this badge as a tool for guided exploration allows learners to:
  • Interpret and analyze job descriptions with a critical lens.
  • Set realistic expectations about entry-level roles and workplace culture.
  • Reflect on how their current skills match with desired career paths.
  • Take ownership of their career development process
Example Assignment: A Structured Exploration of Career Realities
To earn this badge, learners complete this self-guided assignment, walking through a practical job market exploration. 

Researching the Current Job Market
  1. Find a Real Job Posting – Students search online for an open entry-level job they find interesting.

  2. Analyze the Position – They identify job responsibilities and speculate on a typical workweek based on the description.

  3. Reflect on Expectations – Students explore where expectations and responsibilities may not align, considering workplace culture, ambiguity, and hidden expectations.

  4. Share Their Insights – Learners summarize their findings in a brief reflection, connecting what they learned with future career planning.
This assignment fits easily into any curriculum and can be done outside class time. It fosters independent thinking, practical research skills, and a deeper understanding of the workforce. More detailed information about this assignment and others are available in the AWT4CL Implementation Guide.  

Call to Action
Help your students bridge the gap between the classroom and the real world. By embedding the Understand Role in the Workplace and Have Realistic Career Expectations badge into your curriculum, learners can explore job opportunities with a realistic, structured approach.

Start today—Help learners bridge the gap between the classroom and career!




Image Credits:
Upadhyay, A. (2019). Early morning motivation [Photo]. Unsplash.
Mediteraneo. (n.d.). Multiple people waiting for interview 256222461 [Photo]. Adobe Stock .
Studio Romantic. (n.d.) Four people greeting one another 473724962 [Photo]. Adobe Stock.
Fizkes. (n.d.). Two people shaking hands 328825403 [Photo]. Adobe Stock.

Project Resources:
Instructor Welcome Module
AWT4CL Project Website
AWT4CL Implementation Guide - instructions and example assignments for each badge
APLU - Association of Public & Land-grant Universities Employability Skills
Badging System - AWT4CL Badgr/Canvas Credential badges, maintained by Virginia Tech 

Location: Blacksburg, VA, USA

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