Embedded Files
The College Board has a wide variety of activities that you can use with your mentee, or they can complete on their own.
You can review the material and decide which form of activity would work best with your mentee. This is a great resource to come back to as you can set up tasks for your mentee to do in school between your sessions. Perhaps ask them to make an appointment with the school counselor to see about clubs or courses that generate some interest.
What Classes Colleges are Looking For
All mentees should consider that what they take for courses in middle school impacts what they take in high school and this can impact the college application process. If your mentee doesn’t see the connection between these, you can visit this site and discuss what you find. Perhaps ask them to think about what college or university they like for a sport or activity, then have them research what courses they require for acceptance. If they don’t have a favorite college or university, you can walk through this site with your mentee and discuss the kinds of classes you took including electives, etc.
If your mentee thinks they know what they would like to study, you can examine majors and how they link to careers by visiting this site. If they don’t know what they would like to study, reviewing the career categories and the major categories can give them some ideas. As the mentor, you can guide this search based upon your conversations about your mentee’s likes and dislikes. Perhaps they have said they liked drawing, but hadn’t considered being an architect as a kind of drawing they could do for a career.
Help! My Mentee Doesn’t Think S/He Can Go To College
If your mentee expresses reluctance or nervousness about being able to access college, you can visit this site for some other advice and information on how to plan.
Job Shadowing
Job Shadowing
Job shadowing refers to a work-based learning activity that immerses a mentee in the world of work. Job shadowing can involve visiting either a single location or a variety of work sites. Mentees observe and ask questions of individual workers and the workplace host. The mentee can gain first-hand knowledge about job skills and careers.
Your program coordinator can help plan job shadowing opportunities for your mentee to help them explore STEAM careers or you can help your mentee plan one. Job shadowing experiences can lead to interesting discussions with your mentee about the world of work. Here are some suggestions:
Before Job Shadowing Experience
If you are visiting a workplace that isn’t your own, sit with your mentee and help draft a list of questions that your mentee would like to answer while there. Visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics and research the information about this position. Consider the conversations that you have had with your mentee about other careers and why your mentee was interested, this should assist in drafting a list of questions.
Examples of Questions:
Is this a typical day for your? If not, how would it be different?
Is that what you normally wear to work? If not, what do you usually wear?
Do you have specialized gear or clothing?
What are your normal work hours? Are those flexible or negotiable?
What does your supervisor do? How is that different from what you do?
Where do you have lunch?
What is the atmosphere of the workplace? Is this the same or different from other similar workplaces?
What kinds of skills are needed for this position? Is there specialized technology?
What types of math or science do you use?
If the mentee is coming to visit your workplace, make sure you touch upon key aspects of your job. If possible, create a few hands-on activities. Ensure that you spend time crafting an experience that answers the questions above.
After Job Shadowing Experience
Listen:
Take the time to hear what your mentee experienced.
Ask open-ended questions and follow up on their comments.
Was what you experienced what you expected?
What was surprising?
What was totally different from what you imagined?
What was the same as you had imagined?
Can you see yourself doing that?
Plan:
Perhaps this experience sparked a real interest in a career.
Consider helping your mentee explore getting an internship or volunteer opportunities. Discuss how what they are doing in school now, or what they might do in the future could impact this opportunity.
Ask your mentee about classes they are taking, activities in which they are involved and things they could do to get involved in this new interest.
Evaluate:
Discuss with your mentee what other learning activities could come from this experience or what other experiences your mentee may need to clarify their thinking around the topic.
Remember, your program coordinator is always there to help you.
After Job Shadowing Experience
Listen:
Take the time to hear what your mentee experienced.
Ask open-ended questions and follow up on their comments.
Was what you experienced what you expected?
What was surprising?
What was totally different from what you imagined?
What was the same as you had imagined?
Can you see yourself doing that?
Plan:
Perhaps this experience sparked a real interest in a career.
Consider helping your mentee explore getting an internship or volunteer opportunities. Discuss how what they are doing in school now, or what they might do in the future could impact this opportunity.
Ask your mentee about classes they are taking, activities in which they are involved and things they could do to get involved in this new interest.
Evaluate:
Discuss with your mentee what other learning activities could come from this experience or what other experiences your mentee may need to clarify their thinking around the topic.
Remember, your program coordinator is always there to help you.
Dress for Success
Ask your mentee what they noticed about how people were dressed and what the atmosphere around appearance was in the workplace. Consider having a conversation about this and how it relates to their life at school. You can talk about the difference between “business casual” and other workplace dress codes. If it is your workplace, you could also discuss whether the dress code at the workplace has changed over time.
Some questions to ask your mentee:
What did you notice about how people dressed?
Did you notice a difference between the various roles?
What did you notice about tattoos, piercings, or accessories?
How do you feel about dress codes at school?
Do they prepare you for work from what you saw?
You could also research dress code policies at a variety of workplaces with your mentee and discuss them.
Aditional Career Activities
Aditional Career Activities
For more easy to use career activities to use with your mentee, visit Workforce Solutions.
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