Career by Design: Own your Growth

program overview

Career by Design is a cohort-based professional development program that empowers UNC Charlotte staff to take an intentional and strategic approach to their professional growth. The program helps participants better understand themselves, navigate the broader career ecosystem, align their aspirations with institutional priorities and translate insight into meaningful action. Career by Design supports employees at all levels, from those in their initial career stages to those pursuing a strategic pivot or professional growth.

Rather than focusing solely on career advancement, Career by Design emphasizes career ownership, self-leadership and strategic development within the University. The program combines three in-person sessions delivered over three consecutive weeks with six months of ongoing engagement through a virtual community of practice. This blended structure allows participants to move from reflection to sustained action while benefiting from peer learning and continued support.

Structure and Learning Experience

Career by Design is structured around a developmental journey that reflects how individuals move from awareness to strategic action in their careers. The program unfolds through three in-person cohort sessions supported by a six-month, virtual community of practice that begins when the program launches.

Career by Design graphic

In-Person Sessions

Three In-Person Sessions | Three Consecutive Weeks
Each three hour session combines guided reflection, peer dialogue, facilitated discussion and applied activities designed to help participants build clarity, direction and momentum in their careers.

Session 1 – Discover: Understanding Your Professional Self
Focus: Self-Awareness
Participants explore the foundational elements that shape their professional identity and motivations. Topics include:

  • Career growth mindset
  • Career drivers: interests, values, personality and workspace preferences
  • Living and developing your strengths

Session 2 – Ownership: Understanding the Career Ecosystem
Focus: Career Ownership
This session introduces participants to the broader career ecosystem and helps them understand how professional growth happens within and beyond the organization. Topics include:

  • Career readiness and career skill development
  • Building professional networks and mentoring relationships
  • Internal mobility at UNC Charlotte

Session 3 – Alignment: Connecting Career Growth with Institutional Impact
Focus: Strategic Alignment and Action
In this session, participants connect their career aspirations with the broader priorities of the University while learning how to strategically leverage the performance cycle for development and impact. Topics include:

  • Professional development landscape
  • Leveraging the performance cycle for professional growth
  • Professional development action plan

Community of Practice

Six Months of Ongoing Learning and Peer Engagement
The Career by Design Community of Practice begins when participants start the program and continues for six months. Hosted in Google Spaces, this virtual community provides a collaborative environment where participants can continue applying what they learned, sharing experiences and supporting one another’s professional growth. The CoP reinforces the idea that career development is an ongoing process rather than a one-time event.

Community Activities
Within Google Spaces, participants engage through:

  • Reflection prompts: Periodic questions encourage participants to reflect on their development goals and progress.
  • Peer learning and dialogue: Participants exchange ideas, insights and strategies as they navigate their action plans.
  • Resource sharing: Facilitators share relevant tools, campus resources and career development materials.
  • Progress check-ins: Participants revisit their professional development plans and discuss how they are implementing them in their work.

Program Outcomes

Through Career by Design, participants gain:

  • Greater clarity about their strengths and career direction
  • A deeper understanding of the career ecosystem
  • Tools to align personal development with institutional priorities
  • A strategic professional development plan
  • Stronger connections with colleagues across the university

By encouraging employees to intentionally design their careers, the program supports UNC Charlotte’s commitment to being a place where people can grow, contribute and thrive.

Requirements

This program totals nine hours of classroom time across multiple days and one to two hours of pre-work before each session. Attending and completing all three sessions is required to receive full credit for Career by Design. If more than one day is missed, participants will need to attend the day of the session that was missed at a later cohort. Participants that complete all Career by Design classroom and online requirements will be awarded transcript credit and a printed certificate at the end of the third session.

After completing these requirements, the learning experience provides a moderated, six month virtual community of practice to support participants in their own career development journey.

Class Dates

Career by Design is held twice in a calendar year. The 2026 Career by Design cohorts are taking place on the dates below:

CohortDay 1Day 2Day 3
Spring 2026Friday, May 15
9 a.m. to noon		Friday, May 22
9 a.m. to noon		Friday, May 29
9 a.m. to noon
Fall 2026TBDTBDTBD

Enroll in the Spring 2026 Cohort

Registration for the spring 2026 cohort is open.

Each cohort is capped at 25 participants and supervisor approval is required. A book with an active code for an assessment is required for the program and the assessment must be completed prior to the first session.

Questions

If you have any remaining questions about joining a Career by Design cohort, please contact the Learning and Organizational Development team at hrtraining@charlotte.edu.