A job-shadowing program for incoming first-year students seeks to give them a head start in exploring their interests and finding the right career path.
The Innovation Scholars Career Exploration Program at USF St. Petersburg will match students with companies and professionals in downtown St. Petersburg to offer what for many will be their first sneak peek into the professional world.
“A big part of the University experience is self-exploration,” said Caryn Nesmith, who is coordinating the program and oversees special projects at the university. “We want students to discover their potential career interests and how that may align with all the opportunities there are in the city.”
During the Fall 2019 semester, a cohort of 25 to 30 incoming students will be matched with mentors within organizations and businesses. Opportunities for shadowing range from the arts to finance, and from nonprofits to health and marine science, covering the kaleidoscope of industries in the city. All businesses participating in the program are a walk or short trolley ride away from the university.
“We have nearly 50 diverse businesses that are interested in being a part of this program, all within downtown for the ease of the students,” said Alison Barlow, Director of the St. Petersburg Innovation District, which is recruiting businesses to be matched with students.
Mentors will meet with their student at least three times throughout the semester, assessing their interests and providing an overview of the organization and the industry. Students will also get to meet other professionals within the organization, sit in on important meetings and events and connect with company executives. Overall, the experience will provide them with greater understanding of the organization and a perspective on what it would be like to work there.
The following semester, the student can try another shadowing experience. Or if a true interest and connection develops, continue with the same organization. Ideally, once Innovation Scholars have completed a semester or year mentorship, they will transition into internships.
“These job-shadowing opportunities will allow students for the first time to get hands-on experience and test their initial interests in a professional setting so they know what they want – or even what they don’t want – and can solidify their academic path,” said Nesmith.
The Innovation Scholars program addresses one of the major outcomes that students and their families desire from a university education, a job related to their academic area of study. Developing early career exploration opportunities so students have a better grasp of what they want to do and a network of mentors and colleagues in the field when they complete their degree is critical in achieving that outcome.
“One thing I’m excited about is, say a student has an interest in marketing. Well, we can pair them with a creative firm. But there are also marketing professionals in hospitals and in accounting firms, and I think this program will show them the multiple avenues they can explore with their skill set,” explained Barlow.
The Innovation Scholars Program provides ample benefits for businesses as well. For one, they can teach and train students on professional topics and assess possibilities for future internships and roles within their organizations. It also gives professionals the chance to give back to the community and impart career and life lessons learned to the next generation.
“By partnering with USFSP, it would expose our industry to a source of talented young individuals who may not know all the career opportunities there are – from legal to environmental to financial,” said Jeff Baker, Government and Community Relations Manager at Duke Energy, one of many local businesses interested in participating in the program. “By getting more time to spend with these students than a regular job interview would provide, it gives us the chance to better evaluate their skillset and explore options for how they can contribute to our company.”
A second cohort of students will begin their job-shadowing experience in the Spring 2020 semester. During the following summer, the two cohorts of students will participate in a two-week professional skills workshop to hone the knowledge and skills they have acquired.
If it all goes well, USF St. Petersburg hopes to grow the cohort the following year, giving more students the opportunity to get a head start on defining their interests and charting their academic and career paths.
“It’s unusual to give first year students these kinds of opportunities, but we think it will give our students an incredible advantage,” said Dr. Martin Tadlock, Regional Chancellor of USF St. Petersburg and President of the St. Petersburg Innovation District Board. “Job shadowing, interning and networking all go hand in hand. Students will meet a lot of talented people in our community who will serve as resources for them throughout their educational and professional careers.”
The deadline for professional mentors to apply is April 30. The deadline for incoming students to apply is July 30. To learn more about the program and to apply, visit the Innovation Scholars Career Exploration Program website.