This document discusses externships, which are voluntary job shadowing experiences lasting 1 day to 1 week. Students observe professionals to gain insight into careers. The University of Central Florida coordinates externship programs that match students with employer hosts in Orlando and beyond. UCF's program has grown from 14 students in 2003 to over 700 students in recent years. Leveraging technology like online orientations and surveys has helped manage the large program. Externships provide benefits to both students in exploring careers and employers in developing talent pipelines and community partnerships.

1. Look Before You Leap
Externships
Develop, Grow and Strengthen a
Job Shadowing Program
Heather Engelking, MPA

2. What Is An Externship?
• a one-day to week-long, voluntary job shadowing
experience
• First hand exposure to environments and
professionals in a career of interest
• students observe and interact with employer hosts
gaining insight into reality based aspects of their
future careers
– acquire an understanding of expectations related to a
profession in a “real world” work environment

3. Externship Facts
An Externship:
 Is not an Internship and does not offer permanent
employment with an employer
 is completely voluntary and there is no financial
compensation or academic credit earned
 can be completed in Orlando or at other host
employer locations (Other FL cities, or out of the
state)

4. Benefits of an Externship
For Students: For Employers:
• Gain a realistic perspective of a • Educate future professionals in
career field, facilitating career your field
decision making • Recruit new talent (internship,
• Investigate needed job skills co-ops, PT/FT employees
• Make new connections/network • Brand your on-campus identity
with students and staff
• Possibly find a mentor
• Brush up on what students are
• Assess your fit with an learning in the classroom
occupation
• Expand or develop relationship
• Discuss your future academic with Career Services
track with professionals with
• Understand what it takes to
first-hand experience
mentor
• Professional awareness (savvy) • Give back to the community

5. Externship Activities
• Determined by employer host
• Hands-on or observational
• A “day in the life”
• Involve key team members
• Defining structure and creating agenda works
best
• More than a “sales pitch”

6. Externship Program at UCF
• Coordinate 3 programs a year
– Spring (March), Summer (August), Winter (December)
• Open to ALL majors
– Supporting all industries
• Open to ALL class levels
– Freshman, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors, Post Bac, Graduate
and Alumni within 1 semester after graduation
• Career Services Staff/Resources
– Assistant Director supervision, Graduate Assistant manages
program (20 hrs/week), Volunteer
– Marketing/Graphic Design, Webcourses, Online Registration

7. Evolution of the Externship Program
at UCF
• Initial implementation: Spring Break-March 2003
– 14 students and 9 employers
• Online registration
• Mandatory in-person student orientation
• Optional in-person student reflection session
after externship
• 2 Sessions: Spring Break (March) and Winter
Break (December)

8. Evolution of the Externship Program
at UCF
• Winter Break Externship 2008
– 58 students and 43 employers
• Funding interrupted
– Winter Break Externship 2009 cancelled
Spring Break Externship 2010
Registrations Matches Drop Outs Completers
◊ 191 students ◊ 105 students ◊ 37 students ◊ 68 students
◊ 61 employers ◊ 54 employers ◊ 12 employers ◊ 42 employers

9. Issues
• High number of drop-outs
• Mandatory in-person Orientation
• Poor attendance for Reflection Sessions
• Professional Expectations in the Workplace
• Learning Outcomes?

10. Leveraging Technology
• Articulate
– Online orientation

11. Leveraging Technology
• Webcourses
– Manage large number of students through process

12. Leveraging Technology
• Webcourses - Learning Modules
– Professionalism, Networking, After Externship
– Quiz

13. Leveraging Technology
• Webcourses – Discussion Boards – Matched Students
– Enhance interactions among registered students – Reflection Boards
– Q & A Section – Feedback

14. Leveraging Technology
• Survey Monkey
– Online registration for students and employers

15. Recruitment & Marketing
Students Employer Hosts
• Mass email to all students • KnightLink – mass email
• Previous hosts
• Email to past externs
• Assistant Directors on Employer
• Email faculty and staff Relation Team
• Flyers/Palm Cards/TV slides • Career Events **
• Posted on CS Website • Leverage campus connections
– Community Relations
• Offered “Link Loot” – Alumni Center
– Medical School
• Contact lists (i.e. non-profit)

16. Student Marketing

17. UCF Process
• Recruitment Period (students & employers)
• Students entered into Webcourses
– Review Learning Modules
– Discussion Board:“Why do you want to job shadow?”
– Quiz
• Registration Closes
– Experience list (compiled employer registrations)
– Ranking Assignment (students)
• Only students who have passed the quiz have access to experience list
for ranking assignment
• Student Attrition

18. UCF Process
• Matching
– Preliminary Matches
– Secondary Matches
– Pre-selects**
• Commitment Contract
– Healthcare & Non-Healthcare
• Career Services notifies employer hosts of matched
student(s)
– Name, major, class standing, email, phone
• Students emailed contact information of employer
host
– Primary coordinator’s name, phone and email address

19. After the Externship
• Evaluation / Surveys (students & employers)
– Feedback & Recommendations (both)
– Learning outcomes (students)
• Reflection postings (students):
– What did you learn?
– Suggestions for improvement
• Certificate of Completion (student)
• Certificate of Appreciation (employer)

20. Outcomes
• Winter Break 2010
Registrations Matches Drop Outs Completers
◊ 797 students ◊ 233 students ◊ 3 students ◊ 230 students
◊ 100 employers ◊ 100 employers ◊ 1 employer ◊ 99 employers
• Spring Break 2011
Registrations Matches Drop Outs Completers
◊ 622 students ◊ 138 students ◊ 6 students ◊ 131 students
◊ 39 employers ◊ 39 employers ◊ 1 employer ◊ 38 employers
About 50% of students who initially register do not complete the
quiz, so are not in the pool for matching

21. Outcomes
• Winter Break 2011
Registrations Matches Drop Outs Completers
◊ 989 students ◊ 310 students ◊ 4 students ◊ 306 students
◊ 107 employers ◊ 105 employers ◊ 2 employers ◊ 105 employers
• Spring Break 2012
Registrations Matches Drop Outs Completers
◊ 832 students ◊ 229 students ◊ 6 students ◊ 215 students
◊ 105 employers ◊ 97 employers ◊ 12 employers ◊ 93 employers
About 50% of students who initially register do not complete the quiz,
so are not in the pool for matching

22. Best Practices
• Leverage Technology
• Connect with campus resources
• Thought out, structured program instead of
trying to wing it
• Opportunity for employers to pre-select
• Discussion Boards

23. Thank You!
Heather Engelking
Assistant Director, Employer Relations
Career Services, University of Central Florida
Heather.Engelking@ucf.edu
Questions? Comments?
Visit our Website: www.career.ucf.edu