Virtual Job Shadows

-What education have you completed to be in your current position?
"Associate"

-How did you get into this field?
"Music Experience"

-What activities and tasks are accomplished in your typical work day?
"Programming, planning with clients"

-What skills do you believe you need to be successful in this field?
"Speech interaction with public, Music knowledge, computer skills, sound system setup, lighting knowledge"

-What skills or interests did you have that made you want to get into this field?
"Music history"

-What are the costs associated with your career?
"Music licenses , weekends tied up, travel."

-Is there flexibility in this job?
"Travel"

-What do you want the younger generation to know about this career for the future?
"A must to be open to all genres of music"

-What opportunities are there to shadow, volunteer, or intern for students in this career?
"Learning sound, lighting, public speaking, spontaneous decisions to music choices"

-What’s the most challenging aspect of the job?
"Keeping the dance floor full"

-What are the opportunities for growth in this field?
"Many opportunities to expand, coverage of more events"

-What is the potential salary range, and what benefits are included in your job?
"$30,000 a year working part time"

-What education have you completed to be in your current position?
"Bachelor of Science in Public Health with a minor in Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Will attend Johns Hopkins University in the Fall for a Masters of Applied Science in Spatial Analysis for Public Health."

-How did you get into this field?
"I had an interest in health, data, mapping, global relationships, intelligence, and government work. I started out as a Chinese Language and Linguistics major hoping to be a translator for the U.S. Army, then an Intelligence Analyst. I knew I was missing the health and spatial component that I enjoyed learning about. I decided to transfer colleges to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. I learned about Public Health my Sophomore year of college and knew I wanted to be some form of Epidemiologist. My Junior year of college, I felt as if something was still missing. I did some research on infectious disease outbreaks and found out about Geographic Information Systems. I was absolutely floored learning about the intersection of Public Health and Geographic Information Systems. I will start my Masters of Applied Science in Spatial Analysis for Public Health at Johns Hopkins University in the Fall."

-What activities and tasks are accomplished in your typical work day?
"My typical work day varies depending on what is going on in the COVID-19 pandemic. I usually analyze health data to find and map relationships, I update our COVID-19 dashboard and collect data, brainstorm new ideas on how to represent information and data to the public. I also frequently participate in calls with all levels of government and aid in the COVID-19 response.

Everyday, I compute data by hand or using excel, am active on social media feeds on behalf of the health department, and I use ArcGIS products.

This list only includes the tasks I complete on an average day. I also create map apps, surveys, presentations, and websites."

-What skills do you believe you need to be successful in this field?
"To be successful, you need to be able to see the relationships of information and pieces of data at all levels. Enjoy brainstorming and challenging yourself to solve a complex problem."

-What skills or interests did you have that made you want to get into this field?
"I loved mapping, traveling, health, investigation, looking at connections, and technology. I moved frequently growing up and have always been able to visually know where I am spatially. I have always enjoyed looking at places I’ve been or want to go through satellite imagery from Google Earth."

-What are the costs associated with your career?
"Public Health is an underfunded, underpaid, and under appreciated field. But, that is because Public Health becomes almost invisible when everything runs smoothly.

Public Health will always be around but may have fluctuating budgets.

You will need at least a bachelors degree and most likely a masters degree. Education will create early debt. Having some sort of STEM specialization (like GIS) will make you more marketable and have better opportunities. GIS is a relatively new field but Public Health and GIS together is an extremely new field."

-Is there flexibility in this job?
"With Public Health GIS, there are MANY agencies that you can work for. You can also work in different sectors in public health. Depending on your job title, you may be able to travel for work but you are able to apply for jobs overseas and around the country."

-What do you want the younger generation to know about this career for the future?
"Students should know that Public Health GIS is a very hot field right now and will only see growth. There are so many opportunities and disciplines."

-What opportunities are there to shadow, volunteer, or intern for students in this career?
"Many universities will have Spatial Analysis labs or research for GIS and the Public Health section will also have research. Start at your local health department, if they have time, they would love to see new students. You can also apply at CDC, FBI, and NGA for internships."

-What’s the most challenging aspect of the job?
"Many people do not understand the time and work that goes into creating maps, apps, websites, data slides. You will be tasked with large projects that need to be completed quickly. Also, learning how to manage big data can be difficult."

-What is the percentage of minorities and women in your field?
"GIS is mostly made up of white males, but with the popularity of GIS and more accessible software, more minorities and women are paving their way in the field. Public Health is mostly dominated by females and is becoming a popular career among minorities."

-What are the opportunities for growth in this field?
"Public Health GIS will continue to grow and expand with new technology. Many universities are expanding their courses to combine public health and GIS, rather than keep the fields separate."

-What is the potential salary range, and what benefits are included in your job?
"$40,000 to $80,000"

-What education have you completed to be in your current position?
"Associates Degree in Human Services with a concentration in youth ministry- continuing education towards bachelors degree."

-How did you get into this field?
"I have always been connected to youth through various organization during my middle and high school years. I found that I really loved the camp-like atmosphere and being a mentor to youth."

-What activities and tasks are accomplished in your typical work day?
"A lot of my work involves studying and finding new lessons and ways to connect to youth. There is planning involved with creating a theme and activities to be completed. There is also a lot of correspondence with youth and their families."

-What skills do you believe you need to be successful in this field?
"You have to be willing to be honest with those you mentor to. Giving the hard truths when necessary, but also being a listening ear when they need someone to talk to. It involves helping them find their inner strengths and highlighting what they are gifted in so that you can encourage them to shine their best traits to others."

-What skills or interests did you have that made you want to get into this field?
"I am a good listener. I also have a lot of compassion for people in various situations and I love to help others."

-What are the costs associated with your career?
"Debt from schooling through a private Christian university. A lot of time is spent wondering if you have given the correct advice and worrying about the youth that look up to you."

-Is there flexibility in this job?
"Yes and no. This is the type of job where you can very much make your own schedule, but you also are 'on call' 24/7. There have been many nights I’ve been woken up at midnight because someone needed to talk. It’s being willing to sacrifice some of your personal time to make a difference for someone else, but also knowing boundaries so that you do forget about your own self care."

-What do you want the younger generation to know about this career for the future?
"The biggest learning curve for me was that I can’t help everyone. Many jobs that involve youth will be tough. The kids will change your life in big ways where you will love them like your own, and then they’ll break your heart and you’ll love them just the same."

-What opportunities are there to shadow, volunteer, or intern for students in this career?
"Right now, we remain virtual, but students could shadow the prep work that goes into preparing for youth meetings (or the virtual to go lesson prepping), or they could shadow/volunteer at the once a week homework lab."

-What’s the most challenging aspect of the job?
"Being able to adapt curriculum for a variety of ages and personalities so that it is understandable and effectively executed."

-What is the percentage of minorities and women in your field?
"In the Methodist church, it is a very diverse group that make up youth leaders for our conference of all minorities and genders."

-What are the opportunities for growth in this field?
"There is always opportunity to grow! Whether that comes in the form of speaking engagements, bigger churches, leadership roles, etc.; there is always a place to move up or try out."

-What is the potential salary range, and what benefits are included in your job?
"$25,000-50,000- benefits vary based on the size church you are hired in."