look before you leap externship-job shadowing program
TRANSCRIPT
Develop, Grow and Strengthen a Job Shadowing Program
Look Before You Leap Externships
Heather Engelking, MPA
What Is An Externship?
• a one-day to week-long, voluntary job shadowing experience
• First hand exposure to environments and professionals in a career of interest
• students observe and interact with employer hosts gaining insight into reality based aspects of their future careers
– acquire an understanding of expectations related to a profession in a “real world” work environment
Externship FactsAn Externship:
Is not an Internship and does not offer permanent employment with an employer
is completely voluntary and there is no financial compensation or academic credit earned
can be completed in Orlando or at other host employer locations (Other FL cities, or out of the state)
Benefits of an Externship• Educate future professionals in
your field• Recruit new talent (internship,
co-ops, PT/FT employees• Brand your on-campus identity
with students and staff• Brush up on what students are
learning in the classroom• Expand or develop relationship
with Career Services• Understand what it takes to
mentor • Give back to the community
For Employers:• Gain a realistic perspective of a
career field, facilitating career decision making
• Investigate needed job skills
• Make new connections/network
• Possibly find a mentor
• Assess your fit with an occupation
• Discuss your future academic track with professionals with first-hand experience
• Professional awareness (savvy)
For Students:
Externship Activities
• Determined by employer host
• Hands-on or observational
• A “day in the life”
• Involve key team members
• Defining structure and creating agenda works best
• More than a “sales pitch”
Externship Program at UCF
• Coordinate 3 programs a year– Spring (March), Summer (August), Winter (December)
• Open to ALL majors– Supporting all industries
• Open to ALL class levels– Freshman, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors, Post Bac, Graduate
and Alumni within 1 semester after graduation
• Career Services Staff/Resources– Assistant Director supervision, Graduate Assistant manages
program (20 hrs/week), Volunteer– Marketing/Graphic Design, Webcourses, Online Registration
Evolution of the Externship Program at UCF
• Initial implementation: Spring Break-March 2003– 14 students and 9 employers
• Online registration
• Mandatory in-person student orientation
• Optional in-person student reflection session after externship
• 2 Sessions: Spring Break (March) and Winter Break (December)
Evolution of the Externship Program at UCF
• Winter Break Externship 2008– 58 students and 43 employers
• Funding interrupted– Winter Break Externship 2009 cancelled
Registrations
◊ 191 students
◊ 61 employers
Matches
◊ 105 students
◊ 54 employers
Drop Outs
◊ 37 students
◊ 12 employers
Spring Break Externship 2010Completers
◊ 68 students
◊ 42 employers
Issues
• High number of drop-outs
• Mandatory in-person Orientation
• Poor attendance for Reflection Sessions
• Professional Expectations in the Workplace
• Learning Outcomes?
Leveraging Technology• Articulate– Online orientation
Leveraging Technology• Webcourses– Manage large number of students through process
Leveraging Technology• Webcourses - Learning Modules– Professionalism, Networking, After Externship– Quiz
Leveraging Technology
– Enhance interactions among registered students– Q & A Section
– Matched Students
– Reflection Boards
– Feedback
• Webcourses – Discussion Boards
Leveraging Technology
• Survey Monkey– Online registration for students and employers
Recruitment & MarketingStudents• Mass email to all students
• Email to past externs
• Email faculty and staff
• Flyers/Palm Cards/TV slides
• Posted on CS Website
• Offered “Link Loot”
Employer Hosts• KnightLink – mass email
• Previous hosts
• Assistant Directors on Employer Relation Team
• Career Events **
• Leverage campus connections– Community Relations
– Alumni Center
– Medical School
• Contact lists (i.e. non-profit)
Student Marketing
UCF Process
• Recruitment Period (students & employers)• Students entered into Webcourses– Review Learning Modules
– Discussion Board:“Why do you want to job shadow?”
– Quiz
• Registration Closes– Experience list (compiled employer registrations)
– Ranking Assignment (students) • Only students who have passed the quiz have access to experience list
for ranking assignment
• Student Attrition
UCF Process• Matching– Preliminary Matches– Secondary Matches– Pre-selects**
• Commitment Contract– Healthcare & Non-Healthcare
• Career Services notifies employer hosts of matched student(s)– Name, major, class standing, email, phone
• Students emailed contact information of employer host– Primary coordinator’s name, phone and email address
After the Externship• Evaluation / Surveys (students & employers)– Feedback & Recommendations (both)
– Learning outcomes (students)
• Reflection postings (students):– What did you learn?– Suggestions for improvement
• Certificate of Completion (student)
• Certificate of Appreciation (employer)
Outcomes• Winter Break 2010Registrations
◊ 797 students
◊ 100 employers
Matches
◊ 233 students
◊ 100 employers
Drop Outs
◊ 3 students
◊ 1 employer
Completers
◊ 230 students
◊ 99 employers
• Spring Break 2011Registrations
◊ 622 students
◊ 39 employers
Matches
◊ 138 students
◊ 39 employers
Drop Outs
◊ 6 students
◊ 1 employer
Completers
◊ 131 students
◊ 38 employers
About 50% of students who initially register do not complete the quiz, so are not in the pool for matching
Outcomes
• Winter Break 2011Registrations
◊ 989 students
◊ 107 employers
Matches
◊ 310 students
◊ 105 employers
Drop Outs
◊ 4 students
◊ 2 employers
Completers
◊ 306 students
◊ 105 employers
• Spring Break 2012Registrations
◊ 832 students
◊ 105 employers
Matches
◊ 229 students
◊ 97 employers
Drop Outs
◊ 6 students
◊ 12 employers
Completers
◊ 215 students
◊ 93 employers
About 50% of students who initially register do not complete the quiz, so are not in the pool for matching
Best Practices
• Leverage Technology
• Connect with campus resources
• Thought out, structured program instead of trying to wing it
• Opportunity for employers to pre-select
• Discussion Boards
Thank You!
Questions? Comments?
Visit our Website: www.career.ucf.edu
Heather EngelkingAssistant Director, Employer Relations
Career Services, University of Central [email protected]