The Office of Student Employment’s Ladder of Employment is a framework designed to help you find jobs with increasing levels of responsibility, so you can gain progressive work experience and develop the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in your chosen career field. Following the Ladder is a great way to build your resume while helping pay your way through school.
The ladder levels explain the type of knowledge, skills and abilities required for each on-campus position. No matter how much or little work experience you might have now, the Ladder can help you understand how to gain progressive and career–relevant work experience—great preparation for your career.
Levels & Descriptions
A: Beginner positions; have few educational requirements and minimal to no work experience. Level A jobs are a great way to build a foundation of transferable skills.
B: Require some education, skills, and/or previous work experience. In these types of positions, you will begin to develop a new set of transferable skills and build on the ones you already have.
C: Require at least 1–2 years previous experience and/or require certain levels of education (or specific coursework) with demonstrated KSAs. Usually, begin to provide students with direct experience in their desired field. Level C positions can qualify for CLD credit and fulfill the Experiential Learning requirement.
D: May require more than 2 years of experience; junior, senior or graduate student status; specific coursework completed; and/or specific demonstrated KSAs. Often require leadership skills and/or specific knowledge and experience in a field. Level D positions can qualify for CLD credit and fulfill the Experiential Learning requirement.
Earning Academic Credit
Many C and D level positions qualify as internships that may be used for academic credit. Enroll in a Career & Life Design (CLD) course to fulfill your Experiential Learning requirement as you work on campus. CLD’s 4-credit courses are designed to provide career–related work experiences concurrent with your academic studies.