Get Your Students Hired
Which of the following experiential learning opportunities mentioned in the course does your institution implement (Service Learning, Internships, Externships, Co-ops, Interdisciplinary Projects, Work-Study), and how would you evaluate the success of each?
Luckily we have a Work-Study and we are able to offer some of our students externships working our in the field. It is a great way to gain experience.
We have the same program at our location, one of the cool things that Career Services and Clinic started was inviting employers in for Comp. Services. The employers are allowed to come and received services when appointments are available. Upon doing so, they give the students to get feedback from individuals in the field, often times it leads to an employer and student relationship, and I've even had some graduates get jobs from it!
Our campus director also does an amazing job of encouraging staff to participate in clinic, giving our students the excitement and confidence from working on teachers and administrators.
We provide all students with an internship while in school. The student clinic allows students to get familiar with working on the general public. They get feedback from their clients and it is fun to see how excited they get when the get positive feedback like, "that was the best massage I have ever had." On the flip side it becomes a good coaching tool when the student may not get a positive review. Negative comments are a way for them to improve and help them to be the best they can.
Patricia G. Wilson,
I agree completely. This is an area where Career Services and the Education department must work together to ensure that the sites that students are placed on are good sites and if a site is not appropriate, a student is to be placed elsewhere. It is a best practice for Career Services to stay in contact with the students while they are on externship. You want to maintain your relationship with them, ask how the experience is going, do they expect to be offered a position, and if so you can counsel them on the benefits of being hired by their externship site. If they are not going to be hired, better to know that as soon as possible, so you can begin to look for other opportunities for them. We don't want to lose touch with the student once they are finished externship and perhaps become discouraged about the job search process.
Sheri Leach
Our institution uses externship. Although not perfect, it does give the student a realistic idea of what it will be like to work in the "real" world. However, the externship experience is as good as the employer site. Therefore, it is critical institutions ensure that employer sites provide good experiences and are receptive to student learning.
Ruth,
I am glad to hear that. Sometimes it is career services that learns the lesson. For instance, I have learned that even if the education department contacts the student while on externship, Career Services should also stay in touch. Our focus is different and oftentimes we can educate the student as to the benefits of accepting a position at their externship even if they don't see the opportunity, (they don't like the hours or it isn't their dream job).
Sheri Leach
Yes, we do try to find out the reason why the student was not hired at their externship. In some cases, it is definitely a teachable moment.
Ruth,
That is a good recommendation. Does your institution talk to the student and the externship site to determine why the student wasn't hired? And if so, what is the follow up with the student? The conversation can be used as a teachable moment to help them excel in future situations.
Sheri Leach
If a student does not get hired from their externship site than we recommend that the student try to get a letter of recommendation or reference letter from their externship supervisor. They should try to get this letter at the completiton of their externship.
Carol,
Have you seen the benefits of experiential learning? Specifically, in your experience do those students who have had a experiential learning experience have a higher employment rate than those who did not participate?
Sheri Leach
Ruth,
What a great model! I think giving the students the experience of service learning in their first module is wonderful. Interacting with employers early on, being encouraged to perform well, and encouraging them to ask questions will help the students gain the most that they can from their experience and from their program. Who provides the letter of recommendation and when is it presented to them?
Sheri Leach
Our institute follows many of the learning opportunities mentioned. For exampl we offer externships for mostly every program and even if the school doesnt offer it we always help in looking for one in their feild. We have done some co-ops but i think we could work alittle more with that. As far as work studies Career Services deosnt do it but we always encourage students and even grads to come and study or form study groups to either practice for a test in school or to get certified. I do believe we can be more involved but overall it has been good to see student come and use the materials we provide them.
Most of our instructors have been here for a long time and service learning has been incorporated into their syllabus. I believe that most of the students embrace their service learning and externship experience. Some of the programs have a service learning project in their first module. For their externship they know that if they don't get an offer of employment they did receive in -field experience, a networking opportunity, and a letter of recommendation for their portfolio.
Ruth,
We, as Career Services Professionals are aware of the benefits of service learning. However, students don't always understand the benefits. Can you please share how the instructors have become so involved? And, do your students embrace their service learning and internship experiences?
Sheri Leach
The students do a lot of service learning hours. I don't know the exact amount because it varies with each program. We're mainily a health school so there are a lot of opportunities for the students to volunteer their time...health screening events, giving vision tests to students, going to nursing homes promoting healthy teeth, volunteering at animal shelters, etc. All the instructors have many organizations that they are involved in and incorporate the service learning with one of their course lectures. One of our dental hygiene students was recently hired out of a service learning event. The employer was very impressed by her work performance.
Ruth,
Service learning and volunteer opportunities are great programs and have much value for our students. Unfortunately, not everyone sees the value. In today's employment climate, the more interaction with potential employers a student can have, the more beneficial. Volunteer opportunities help build students' confidence and self esteem, provides work and real world experience and provides networking opportunities for the students.
What makes your program successful. How do you find the opportunities, how do you approach the potential employers and how many hours on average will a student volunteer?
Sheri Leach
Our institution implements Service Learning, Externships and Work-Study.
Our Service Learning is very successful. The students are in the community volunteering for various organizations and schools and utilizing what they have learned in school. Service Learning gives the students more confidence in themselves and makes them feel good about helping out their community.
Most of the programs at our institution have an externship component. The hours vary but we tell our students to treat it as a very long interview. Our extern to hire conversion is about 35%. But those students who do not get hired at their externship can obtain reference letters and good networking connections.
As for work study, the positions the students receive are usually not in their program area so the benefit is networking and making some money. The students usually do not get hired at their work study site.
Tom,
I appreciate that you bring the employer's perspective to this forum. What goes into the decision making process on the employer's side as to whether to take interns and then whether or not to hire interns? What advice can you give to help Career Services professionals who are developing a relationship with an employer and are suggesting that they become part of the institution's intern/extern/shadowing program?
Sheri Leach