The University of California announced on Apr. 10 that its campuses are increasing opportunities for undergraduates to gain real-world skills alongside academic knowledge, in response to changing employer expectations and the evolving job market.
This move aims to help students be better prepared for careers by offering more hands-on experiences during their studies. According to decades of university data, experience-based learning is already a key part of a UC education, with about 80% of undergraduates participating in research, creative projects, or service learning.
At UC Davis, the Quarter at Aggie Square program allows undergraduates to spend an academic quarter at the Aggie Square innovation campus in Sacramento. The program combines classroom work with internships and clinical observation. Tiffany Chan, a biomedical engineering student who participated in the program, said: “It was incredibly motivating. Being able to see the devices that biomedical engineers like me have made, watching them being used to save lives and seeing what it all leads to — that was so inspiring.” Chan added: “I think Quarter at Aggie Square is going to be one of the coolest experiences of my life, no exaggeration. It set the stage for me in terms of understanding the context of what I’m working toward in my career, where I want to go, and what I want to develop.”
At UC Santa Cruz, Dean Bryan Gaensler developed Degree Defining Experiences—hands-on courses designed as signature elements within every undergraduate degree—which connect students with fieldwork and mentorships beyond traditional classrooms. Bella Shamoon described her participation as follows: “It’s something you carry with you … something that makes your entire time at an institution feel worthwhile.”
UC Irvine offers paid internship programs through its Claire Trevor School of the Arts where arts majors gain teaching experience or work with local arts organizations while still completing their degrees. Mia Gabbey said: “It’s so helpful for me not only as an artist but as someone who’s about to go out into the world and look for a job.” Program director Megan Belmonte explained: “Arts students can come in with a very narrowly defined vision of what success looks like for working artists. But the creative sector is vast — it’s a multibillion-dollar industry… We want to give them a taste of that while they’re still in school so that when those pivot points happen in their lives they already have some training and experience…”
As these programs expand across campuses and disciplines—from engineering and science research placements through creative sector internships—students are gaining practical skills expected by employers today.
