The District 6 Student Field Opportunity Program provides high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to explore a range of career options. By working with professionals in a field of their interest students will gain firsthand experience in the career that they plan to pursue after graduation. The opportunity to learn more about a specific career through direct involvement gives the student a better perspective when choos­ing and preparing for their own career path.

District 6 is partnering with local businesses throughout the Greeley community to provide these hands-on learning experiences. As the list of active business participants continues to grow more doors for student opportunity will be opened in a variety of career and industry areas. This coupling of onsite learning mixed with classroom experiences enables students to have a richer and stronger basis upon which to plan their post-secondary future.  Other benefits include the opportunity to meet and work with professionals, enhance their resume and professional qualifications, and apply the knowledge they have received in class regarding their preferred career field. 

Students in District 6 will have the opportunity to participate in the Field Opportunities Program through:

• Internships are on-the-job training experiences that provide opportunities for students to determine if they have an interest in a particular career and to gain experience in that career.

• Job shadowing involves a student spending the day with a professional in a particular career field to experience its day-to-day operations and duties.

Students participating in the District 6 Field Opportunity Program will receive tremendous support from a variety of sources:

Ø  Parents are involved from the very beginning. In order for students to proceed through the application and placement process parents are made aware of the details and specifications for participation.  Parents are invited to attend information sessions and ask questions as needed.

Ø  Local business sponsors provide onsite experiences in a variety of career areas with the focus on student learning first and foremost at their place of business.  Sponsors understand and appreciate that this is a learning experience for the student.

Students who choose to participate in the District 6 Field Opportunity Program will always have the support they need to assist them in their decisions, answer questions as they arise, and provide the guidance that is needed from the very start through the completion of their internship or job shadowing experience.

Internships

Step 1: Students who are interested in partici­pating in the program will attend an information session. At this meeting students will be provided with an application packet and have the opportunity to ask ques­tions about the program.

Step 2: Students will have until a specified date to complete the ap­plication packet and gather all necessary signatures and accompanying documents including completed application, goals & expectations sheet, counselor recommendation, and transcript.

Step 3: Program Coordinator and school counselor will arrange for student-sponsor interviews based on the applications that have been sub­mitted. Students will be notified by their school counselor as to when their interview will be held.

Step 4: Applicant will interview with the sponsor, their school counselor, and the Program Coordina­tor. Interviews will last approximately 15-20 minutes.

Step 5: Students will be notified prior to the end of the semester regarding their acceptance into the program and their start date/time. Students will have one week to confirm their participation in the program.

Final Project: The final project of the Field Opportunity Program is an all-inclusive collection of resources and materials that the student will create based on his/her time at the work site. The benefit of this project will be to provide the student with a collection of professional tools which can be used in post-secondary endeavors. A completed final project will include the following components:

• Cover page & table of contents

• Program summary and reflection

• Updated resume & reference list

• Letter of recommendation from sponsor

• Copy of thank you letter to sponsor

• Signed time sheets for all dates of participation

Overview of Job Shadowing

A job shadow experience allows for students to learn more about a specific career by spending the day with a professional in that career field. The chance to experience what a career offers and learn more about that career from a sponsor in that field gives the student a more full and realistic perspective when choosing a career path.  Job shadowing provides an opportunity for students to achieve the following:

• Gain information about possible future career interests.

• Observe the daily routine of a working professional.

• Observe the organizational system of the host-company.

• Gain insight into the academic, technical, and personal skills required by a particular occupation.

• Gain an understanding of the connection between school and work.

• Gain information to assist students in goal setting and educational planning.

Enrollment Process

While there is no application process for the job shadowing experience there are required components and steps that must be taken:

Step 1: The student will meet with his/her school counselor to receive a copy of the Job Shadow Agreement and ask any questions they may have about the program. At this time students will receive a list of potential businesses where they might be able to obtain their job shadowing hours.

Step 2: The student will contact the place of business or organization of interest and inquire about shadowing opportuni­ties.  At this time the student and the sponsor will set up the specific details of the job shadow (time, location, & date).

Step 3: Prior to the date of the job shadow the student must submit, to their school counselor, the completed Job Shadow Agreement and a list of the questions they will be asking during their shadowing hours.  

Step 4: On the day of the job shadow students will need to take a blank copy of their research questionnaire and a blank copy of the performance evaluation with them to their location.

Step 5: Upon completion of the job shadowing experience students must submit the following to their school coun­selor:

1) Completed Student Research Questionnaire

2) 1 page reflection summary of the job shadowing experience

3) Copy of thank you letter to be mailed to sponsor