Horizons Impact: A Quantitative Analysis of Reach, Engagement, and Readiness

Abstract

This report presents a quantitative analysis of the Horizons Career Development Program at the University of Ottawa. Horizons is a bilingual digital career development program managed by Career Development and Experiential Learning (CDEL) and integrated with Career Corner services. The analysis draws on engagement, awards, and Career Readiness Quiz data from launch in January 2024 through April 30, 2026. Three layers of evidence are reported: program reach, including access, active engagement, and engagement depth; multi-year companion engagement, demonstrating that students access Horizons across multiple academic years as the program's design intends; and readiness change, measured through the My Vocational Situation (MVS) instrument among students who took the quiz more than once. The findings show that Horizons has reached 13,680 students cumulatively, with 5,827 actively entering and 3,489 engaging with content beyond the quiz entry point. Year-over-year growth is significant across every layer of the funnel. A clear dose-response is observed: students who engage at greater depth show larger and more consistent readiness gains. Engaged students gained an average of 18.7 percentage points on the MVS, with an incremental gain of 7.8 percentage points attributable to Horizons. The 26 MVS items touch on dimensions across multiple Career Development Learning Outcomes in CDEL's developmental sequence (Knowing Yourself, Career Identity, Career Confidence, Adaptability, and Skills Literacy), reflecting shared theoretical foundations in career development scholarship and providing quantitative evidence of student movement along the developmental arc that builds toward Career Agency. Five recommendations are offered to strengthen Horizons reach, support sustained student engagement, and continue the program's curricular development. This report is part of CDEL's evidence base for Horizons, alongside the conceptual framework for career development practice and the qualitative thematic analysis of student survey responses.