Previously we explored the details and
definition of formal licensed apprenticeship (FLATE FOCUS June
2013)
and formal student internships (FLATE Focus July 2013).
This month we will look at less formal work experiences for students. These
experiences differentiate themselves from apprenticeships and internships by
the important fact that they do not have any tie to a particular credit-bearing
course (as an internship would be). These less formal work experiences can certainly
add important related work experience to a student’s resume. These
opportunities can be thought of as regular part-time jobs that happen to be in
the student’s field of study.
One option is college work-study programs,
which provide on-campus, part-time jobs for students that
qualify for the
federal program. On-campus jobs of interest to students in technical programs
could include the laboratory technician helpers, or positions in the college
utilities, or information technology departments. Work-study programs and
campus student assistant positions have the advantage of providing a work
experience at the same location that the students attend classes, but is not
necessarily work in a “real manufacturing company.” Additionally, there is no
connection to a college course, so there is no specific set of skills and work
experience expectations, and no assessment by a faculty, or instructor as would
happen in a formal internship program.
Many faculty will help their students
find part-time jobs with their industry partners trying to match students’
interest directly to a company’s needs. These situations often result in
informal, or formal employment-related mentoring by the industry partner and/or
the faculty. This arrangement can increase the value of the part-time jobs, and
provide additional guidance for the student that they would get in a formal
internship.
This leads us to job shadowing. Job
shadowing is a career exploration activity that offers an opportunity to spend
time with a professional currently working in a student’s career field of
interest. Job shadowing offers a chance to see what it’s actually like working
in a specific job, observe the day-to-day activities of someone in the current
workforce, and also get some of their questions answered. Categorically, a
job-shadow experience is an extended informational interview. Most
informational interviews are approximately 30 minutes, while a job-shadowing
experience is typically a few hours to a full workday. Job shadowing is considered
a good career awareness/exploration experience for middle, or high school
students who are not yet old enough to legally work, but can be good
experiences for college, or technical school students as well.
For all student jobs: internships,
apprenticeships, job shadowing and co-operative education experiences, it is
important for both the student and the employer to prepare for the experience.
Students should research the company, ask about work expectations, work hours
and behaviors, etc. The company should be willing to provide personnel time and
energy to orient the student to the work environment, to train them for the
work expected, to oversee the student’s work, and mentor the student during the
experience.
Certainly most companies can identify
and implement one, or more of these student-focused opportunities to help our
youth learn how interesting and exciting it can be to work in the manufacturing
field, understand the breadth of the industry just by being part of it, and
possibly recruit future workers. Hiring students also provides direct
connections to school curriculum that manufacturers can then influence to meet
their needs. It’s up to all of us professionals in the field to help grow the
next generations of manufacturing professionals. If you have specific questions
on how to get stated with any of these, please feel contact me at barger@fl-ate.org.
We know all you educators are super busy
with the start of a new school year, but we hope you take time to read the
articles in this month’s newsletter that has a little something for educators, industry
colleagues as well as students. Above all we hope you will join FLATE in making
Manufacturing Day in Florida a huge success. We have many activities lined up,
so be sure to check them out in this edition of the Focus.
