Alabama HBCUs put early employer ties at the center of hiring

By Grace Kim

Alabama’s 14 historically Black colleges and universities can give students two things before graduation—exposure and opportunity—Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin said at the Birmingham Business Alliance’s Magic City HBCU Breakfast.

The alliance hosted the event Oct. 29, 2026, at The Harbert Center. Educators, students, employers and community leaders discussed how HBCUs can strengthen Alabama’s workforce, support economic development and create opportunities for the next generation of professionals.

Dr. Yolanda Page, president of Stillman College; Jasmine Williams, EDPA manager of talent attraction and retention; and Stillman student Gianna Ellison formed the panel. Jermaine “Funnymaine” Johnson moderated.

How are HBCUs preparing students for AI-era work?

Page said career preparation must begin when students enter college, particularly as artificial intelligence and automation reshape industries. Stillman College is marking its sesquicentennial, or 150 years, and Page said preparing students for emerging technologies remains central to its mission.

“AI is one of those opportunities that we have to make sure that our students are in front of,” Page said.

Stillman Connect, introduced last year, gives students iPads that support coursework, access to artificial intelligence and professional certifications. Page said the college wants students to use the technology responsibly, ethically and effectively. Stillman is also preparing faculty to incorporate AI into teaching and curriculum.

Panelists also treated communication, presentation and interpersonal skills as job requirements alongside academic preparation. Page said institutions and employers must work together to give students practical experience in professional settings.

The practical message was to pair technology fluency with human skills and sustained employer involvement.

How do internships turn classroom skills into jobs?

Ellison identified job shadowing, active internships and mentorship as investments that could improve career readiness. She also urged institutions to provide leadership opportunities that take students beyond familiar environments.

“Success for my generation would be student leadership opportunities,” Ellison said, noting that she had never imagined sitting on a panel beside a college president.

Williams said HBCUs and Alabama employers need stronger pathways into meaningful careers. She urged businesses to collaborate with institutions on programs aligned with workforce needs through internships, job shadowing and experiential learning.

The panel also pressed employers to make internships paid, particularly for students who must balance education with rent and other financial responsibilities.

“Our students should not have to choose between experience and being able to pay their rent,” Page said.

Williams described an initiative that helps small businesses offer meaningful internships while reducing some of the employer burden. It provides 12-week, project-based internships valued at $3,500. Students work on real projects, while smaller companies gain access to emerging talent.

Paid, substantive work lets students earn money while demonstrating their skills to employers.

Why should employers recruit before graduation?

Williams said early employer connections help students see career possibilities they may not encounter otherwise. “You don’t know what you don’t know,” she said. Those connections can also show students what Alabama offers beyond their campuses.

Page made the same case for building relationships early instead of waiting until graduation. “Connections early, connections often,” she said.

Panelists told employers to go beyond standard recruiting and work directly with HBCU career services offices, faculty members and administrators. Page urged companies to persist in those relationships and identify students whose skills match their needs. She also invited businesses to Stillman’s employer-focused “Chat and Learn” sessions, where students can meet professionals and explore career paths.

During the audience discussion, representatives from Enterprise Mobility and Mercedes-Benz U.S. International asked how to deepen HBCU partnerships and recruit for information technology, cybersecurity, supply chain management and logistics.

Early recruiting works best when employers build specific relationships rather than wait for a résumé.

How should HBCUs measure whether workforce programs work?

Page said colleges should track graduates beyond their first job and follow their careers as industry demand changes. That longer view gives institutions evidence to evaluate curricula, revise programs and prepare students for new requirements.

The measure should be sustained career performance, not just placement in an entry-level role.

Can early pathways keep more graduates in Alabama?

Williams said Alabama must offer competitive wages and career opportunities if it wants to retain graduates. Early HBCU-employer ties can help students picture those paths before they leave the state.

Woodfin made retention a priority in his closing call for cooperation among Alabama’s educational institutions, businesses, policymakers and community organizations. He said employers should develop college relationships early and create routes into the workforce through internships and apprenticeships.

“What we do for our young people, what we do for our next generation, what we do for our current college students, at our 14 historically Black colleges and universities, in this state, is we got to give them two things—got to give them exposure. We got to give them opportunity,” Woodfin said.

“As early as the summer between their freshman and sophomore year, [they are] your future employee, your future team member, your future workforce,” Woodfin said.

Woodfin also called for collective investment in Birmingham and Alabama’s economic future. He said, “We can do some amazing things,” then added, “we’ve got to do it together.”

The next test is whether those early ties turn into paid work, stronger graduate outcomes and alumni who choose to build careers in Alabama.