Career Planning: Job Shadowing and Internship

Winnie Lameck and Danielle Lamb

Program Background & Objective

Background
Fostered after the Future for Kids (F4K) program, the goal is to allow students a safe and fun way to explore and find careers that match their unique interests and abilities (Castellino & Rabiner, 2006). 91% of students surveyed by Duke Universitys Center for Child and Family Policy said, F4K helped me realize I need to do well in school to get the kind of job I want. (Castellino & Rabiner, 2006)

Objective
A four year program that will allow for students to develop a cohesive support group while investigating different career options through assessments, research, job shadowing, and internships.

Program Overview
Each freshman will take a career assessment and based on the results, students will be divided into career clusters. Students will retake the same assessment their junior year and be moved to a different career cluster if needed. Each career cluster will consist of students that are interested in the same career path and will be led by a cluster counselor. As a group, students will attend a career fair according to their interested field where they will meet local businesses. They will be provided a list of questions that they can ask of the businesses that will help them select their top four job shadowing choices. Students will then meet with their cluster counselor who will work with them to go over your choices and set up their job shadowing assignments. After each job shadowing assignment (1 each semester), students will be required to complete a job shadowing questionnaire, write a reflection paper (1 to 2 pages) and make a presentation to their group, cluster counselor, and parents. Senior year a semester long internship will be assigned and completed based on the job shadowing experiences.

Freshman, Sophomore & Junior Years

Step 1: Take career assessment (Freshman
and Junior Years)

Step 2: Attend career fair Step 3: Sign up and complete job shadowing assignment (one every semester) Step 4: Complete and submit data questionnaire and reflection paper Step 5: Presentation to group

Senior Year
Internship
Seniors are required to participate in a semester long internship that will count one credit hour towards their graduation project. The semester prior to your internship (spring semester of junior year or fall semester of senior year) you will meet with your cluster counselor to determine where you will do your internship.

Requirements for Internship

A Resume Log Sheet (hours worked) Supervisor Evaluation Presentation - Proposal for credit - Journal (reflections) - Essay of Reflections

Presentation Requirements
PowerPoint detailing experience Professional attire * Students will present in front of cluster group, cluster counselor, school staff, internship supervisor, and parents

Assessments, Research, & Online Opportunities

Freshman year, students will be assigned login information for the following site: http://www.f4k.org/ On this site students will do the following:
Take their assessment Research different career fields Access the information at school and at home Online job shadowing opportunities

RESOURCES

Job Shadowing Assessment Form

SWA Job Shadowing Data Collection Sheet Your Name:______________________________ Date:_________________ Person Shadowed:_________________________Their Signature:_________________ Their Telephone:_________________________ Job Shadowed:________________ Time of Arrival:__________________________ Time of Departure:____________ *********************************************************************** Answer each of the following questions. Try to answer the questions as you go through the day rather than wait until you get home. You will give this completed form to your 1 . What type of clothing do people in this business wear? Be descriptive. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 2 . Describe a typical day for a person in the position you are shadowing. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 3 . What type of technology is used in the work place? How is that technology used? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

Job Shadowing Assessment (cont.)

4 . What training, education, and skills are needed for this position? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 5 . How much time in the day is spent talking to people on the phone or in the _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ 6.Describe the hiring process for a person in this position? (May not be applicable _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 7.List at least two other questions you asked the person you shadowed. Write down the answer to each question. a. ________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ b . _______________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Reflective Essay Please complete the following sentence as a written reflection for the days activity. After spending one day observing ___________________(name of person shadowed) at The essay must be typed according to the following guidelines: Title, name and date at top center of the first page Minimum of 3 paragraphs of 5 sentences or more in length 1 inch margins on all sides 12 point Times Roman font Page numbers placed as footers at center of bottom of page

Career Fair Questionnaire

Career Fair Questionnaire
1. What is your occupation and job title? _____________________________________ 2. What personality traits are important for this job? ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ 3. What kinds of things are you required to do as part of your job? ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ 4. What position does someone new to the business start out working? ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

Consent Form
Job Shadow Parent/Guardian Consent Form Job shadowing is an opportunity for students to spend a half or full day at a workplace with a person who is employed in a career area of the students interest. Students will be assigned to an employee, a Workplace Host, who will lead them through the workplace. They will discuss a typical workday and explore different aspects of working in a particular career and what skills and/or education they will need in this career area. Your child has been invited to attend a Job Shadowing experience. In order for your child to participate, this form must be completed and returned to designated school personnel for their approval before the day of the event.
Name of Student: Birth Date: School: List your top three career choices with the career that interests you most first: 1. 2. Graduating Class (Year): Home Phone:

3.

I understand that I must provide my own transportation to and from the job shadowing site. I must be on time, be polite, courteous, and act in a professional manner. I will abide by my school system's code of conduct and dress code. I will complete a post-shadowing evaluation within 2-3 days after completion of my shadowing experience. Student Signature: Date:

Consent Form (cont.)

Permission to Participate in Workplace Job Shadowing My child may participate in a Job Shadowing experience, which will take place at Employer: Hosts Name:

Date:

Time:

to Photo Release I understand that job shadowing often attracts attention from the media and is also used to promote partnerships between schools and employers, so there is a possibility that my child will be photographed during this event. I grant permission to photograph my child for these promotional and educational purposes. Medical Authorization Should it be necessary for my child to have medical treatment while participating in this Job Shadowing event, I hereby give the workplace personnel permission to use their best judgment in obtaining medical service for my child, and I give permission to the physician selected by the workplace personnel to render whatever medical treatment deemed necessary and appropriate. Permission is also granted to the school system to release necessary emergency contact/medical history to the attending physician, if needed. Parent/Guardian Name: Signature: Day Phone Number: Date:

http://www.f4k.org/Public/championresources/Job%20Shadow%20Consent%20Form.doc

FAQs
1. Q: How will students get to the job shadowing events?
A: It is the students responsibility for transportation to and from the job shadowing assignment.

2.

Q: What if I cant get my kid to their job shadowing assignment?

A: Special consideration will be taken for the students that are not able to do on-site job shadowing. They will be able to do an online job shadow at http://www.f4k.org/.

3.

Q: As a Workplace Host, is my business legally responsible for students while traveling to and from and onsite?
A: Each student is required to turn in a Parent Consent Form signed by the student and their parent that will remove the liability from the business.

4.

Q: Who will be able to view my childs assessment results?

A: The website that students will access their assessment and research from is a secure site. http://www.f4k.org/ The site is secured and requires login and password to access the site. The students, cluster counselor, and their guidance counselor are the only ones that will have access to the students reports.

References
Castellino, D.R. & Rabiner, D. (2006). Futures for Kids Evaluation Study. Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke University. Retrieved July 27, 2010, from http://www.f4k.org/About/pdf/FinalReport.pdf. Futures for Kids. (n.d.). Retrieved July 27, 2010, from http://www.f4k.org/. Job Shadow Parent/Guardian Consent Form. (n.d.). Retrieved July 27, 2010, from http://www.f4k.org/Public/championresources/Job%20Shadow%20Conse nt%20Form.doc. Lake Shore Health Care Alliance. (n.d.) Retrieved July 26, 2010, from http://www.lshca.org/SampleQuestions.pdf. Wake County Public School System. (2010). Retrieved July 25, 2010, from http://www.wcpss.net/.