Think about when you bought your first car. With so many options out there, your “must have” list was probably a mile long. You probably did extensive research and took your choice for a test drive before making the final decision.

The same is true for other memorable decisions in life, like choosing your career path. So, how exactly do you test drive a career? What is the big deal anyway? In the Career Development Center, we believe that undergraduate students need to have a strong understanding of the world of work, as well as solidify interests in order to engage more fully with the employment process. One great way to begin to tackle these interests is job shadowing, which is the opportunity to join a professional in your desired field for a period of time and see what their responsibilities entail. It’s a great way to make connections and find out what a job is really like behind the scenes.

Did you know that Hope College is expanding our job shadowing opportunities specifically for our students through a program called DiscoverWork?  The DiscoverWork program provides students with a unique opportunity for career exploration. Through an application process students are matched with alumni, parents, and friends of the college based on career interests to explore a particular profession and work environment.

We have been fortunate enough, through the support of some amazing alumni, to send students all across the country to explore, experience, and engage with a variety of industries and companies including but not limited to:

  • United Nations Foundation
  • Harley Davidson Motor Company
  • Royal Technologies
  • Vander Meulen Builders
  • LifeCircles Pace
  • Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital
  • Resthaven
  • Macatawa Anesthesia, PC
  • Kohl’s Corporate
  • Steelcase
  • Fathom Drone
  • Spectrum Health
  • US Air Force
  • Stanwich Church
  • EverGreen Ministries
  • Dematic
  • GMB Architecture + Engineering
  • Legal Action of Wisconsin
  • Riverside Lutheran Bible Camp
  • Crown Motors
  • Athletico Physical Therapy
  • The La Penna Group
  • National Renewable Energy Laboratory

These 1-2 day experiences through the DiscoverWork Program allow students to engage with a working professional to see first-hand what a certain profession looks like day-to-day.

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, make sure to keep an eye out: you’ll be receiving an email regarding Discover Work on September 27th, in which you’ll find a link you can apply through. You’ll also want to submit a resume and letter of interest to discoverwork@hope.edu.

Here are some important dates to keep in mind for the DiscoverWork program:

Application opens: September 27

Deadline for application: October 19 by 12pm

Notification if matched: October 27

Informational meetings:

November 8: 1pm-2pm Mass Auditorium

      2pm-3pm Maas Auditorium

November 9: 11am-12pm Anderson Werkman B03

      4pm-5pm Anderson Werkman B03

Placement Dates: December 2017-May 2018

If you have any questions about the program or timeline, click the following link: https://hope.edu/offices/career-development/networking/discoverwork.html.

See what you could be with DiscoverWork!

 

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *