an externship/job shadowing program national society for experiential education – october 2009...
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An Externship/Job Shadowing Program
National Society for Experiential Education – October 2009Lisa Garza, UT Dallas
Snapshot of UT Dallas and Career Center Getting Started
• Research – don’t reinvent the wheel• Timelines, sponsor/student recruitment, placement
process, orientation, spotlights
Reflection and Evaluation outcomes Challenges and Successes Updates for 2009-2010 Discussion and Q&A
UT Dallas Career Center - NSEE 2009
4-year, public university with 15,000 students
Founded in 1969 – celebrating 40 years!
63% undergraduate students
Largest undergraduate majors: • Business Administration – 1256• Biology - 827• Interdisciplinary Studies – 630• Accounting – 624• Electrical Engineering – 584
UT Dallas Career Center - NSEE 2009
Reports to Student Affairs Centralized/De-centralized model 15 professional, full-time staff members (not
including support and student staff) Internship Program
• Internship courses• Internship postings and internship development• Manage internship process for several academic departments
Internship Team (Associate Director, Internship Coordinators)proposed, developed, and managed the program last year.Added our Recruiting Coordinator this year to manage contactwith sponsors.
UT Dallas Career Center - NSEE 2009
Why do we need this program?
Spring 2008 – Research – what are other schools already doing?• Time of year – winter, spring, summer break• Operated by Career Center, Alumni, Academic Dept.• Process – recruit sponsors or students first?
What we decided and why• Proposal turned in/approved by late summer• Began sponsor recruitment in Oct. 2008
UT Dallas Career Center - NSEE 2009
6 month process from beginning to end
Competing with Alternative Spring Break, vacations, internships, jobs, and other activities
• Oct-Nov – Sponsor Recruitment• Dec-Jan – Student Recruitment• Feb – Selection/Matching/Placement/Notification• Mar – Orientation/Externship/Reflection/Evaluation
UT Dallas Career Center - NSEE 2009
Oct/Nov 2008; applications due Nov. 28th • Online applications• Hard-copy applications at all employer events
Used existing employer base – emails to:• Current/former/potential internship sites• Career Expo/event attendees• On-campus interview participants
Information through Alumni Relations Personal contacts Resulted in applications from 22 organizations
listing 38 externship openingsUT Dallas Career Center - NSEE 2009
Student applications available Dec. 1, 2008• Published list of available opportunities• Wanted to reach students prior to winter break
Applications available online; hard-copies in office and at all student programs
Emails/online recruiting system/website/fliers Resulted in 39 student applications
• 5 were graduate students and not eligible• 1 did not attend orientation• 33 total student participants
UT Dallas Career Center - NSEE 2009
No expectations Students’ preferences were across the board in
terms of industry, but many sites not selected• Ended up working with only 12/22 sites
Numbers were small enough = simple matching process
Went back to some sponsors and asked them to take another student or 2 (or 8!)• Everyone was SO accommodating and willing to help• Placed all students (except 1) with their first choice
UT Dallas Career Center - NSEE 2009
Mandatory – only 1 student did not attend• Gave them 3 dates to choose from• Lots of enthusiasm for the NEW program; giveaways
Topics: professionalism; expectations; reminders/guidelines; post-externship activities
Folder: release form; planning form; 20 questions; thank you template; self-reflection; evaluation form
UT Dallas Career Center - NSEE 2009
Recognition for students/sponsors and publicity for next year
Asked for student interest at orientation Completed site visit and took photos Provided guide questions to the students and
gave them time to respond via email Information was put on our website and used
in various presentationsUT Dallas Career Center - NSEE 2009
“Required” evaluation forms for students and sponsors• Received from 26/33 students• Received from 10/12 sponsors (covering 18 students)
Suggested self-reflection for students
Focus group – optional• 4 students participated – different majors and different
externship locations• Able to really “dig down” and get great feedback
UT Dallas Career Center - NSEE 2009
Sponsors • 100% of respondents said they would host again• 100% said students’ level of professionalism/preparedness
for externship was excellent/good
Students• 100% - provided me with info about a career field• 100% - helped to clarify my career goals• 96% - allowed me to connect career options to my major• 88% - provided me with new networking contacts• 100% of focus group participants identified something they
learned about an industry/career and about themselvesUT Dallas Career Center - NSEE 2009
Timeframe for sponsors – 4 months between application and actual program dates
Unknown # of applicants
Selection/Matching/Placement process
UT Dallas Career Center - NSEE 2009
Student feedback • Learning has occurred• 100% of participants (not graduating) said they would do it
again!
Great feedback from sponsors
Information about internship/job openings
More on-campus exposure for our department, especially this year with new sophomore option
UT Dallas Career Center - NSEE 2009
Branding – name and logo
Sophomore Year Experience (SOYE) option with 2 components:• Externship – guaranteed placement (Yikes!)• Internship – preparation seminars and directed
assistance in locating/acquiring summer position
Brought in 4th team member to assist with sponsor communications
UT Dallas Career Center - NSEE 2009
Questions for me?
Current programs at other schools?
Challenges?
Successes?
UT Dallas Career Center - NSEE 2009
Lisa Garza, Associate DirectorUT Dallas Career [email protected]
972-883-4349
UT Dallas Career Center - NSEE 2009