FIELD EXPERIENCE @ IOWA WESLEYAN COLLEGE: A GUIDE FOR SITE SUPERVISORS
Requirements
- Work experience which relates to the students major
- Coincides with an academic term (fall, spring, or summer)
- Full or part-time, students customarily work a minimum of 240 hours
- Supervision by a professional in the field (not another student)
Procedures
- Student meets with Field Experience staff to receive folder and paperwork
- Student completes Field Experience Interest Form
- Student and supervisor complete a Field Experience Agreement, which specifies obligations of the college, supervisor, and the student
- Evaluations of the experience completed by the supervisor
- Formal recognition of the experience on the students official transcript
To the employer, some of the benefits of having a Field Experience student include:
- Meeting personnel demands during peak periods and for specials projects
- Minimizing recruiting costs and training time
- Establishing or improving campus relationships
Employer Responsibilities
- Approve and sign a Field Experience Agreement form describing the students duties. Supervisors should review the duties with the student prior to signing.
- Complete Mid-term and Final Evaluation of the students performance
- Provide feedback and supervision
- Offer work relating to the students academic preparation
- If changes occur in a students work status and/or performance, provide appropriate guidance to the student and notify the Field Experience Office
Evaluation
Evaluation is an important component of the students experience and provides a basis for their growth as a professional. Members of the faculty also use employer evaluations of student performance as a factor in assigning a grade for an experience. We require employers to complete a Midpoint and a Final Evaluation on each student intern. We also like to conduct a conversation at the end of the experience, in person or by phone, to wrap things up and obtain your observations first hand.
SUGGESTIONS FOR THE EMPLOYER
MEETINGS
Try to establish a consistent meeting time with the field experience student. Please let the intern feel like a priority. Clear expectations are the best way to begin a working relationship.
FEEDBACK
Affirmations of a students current strengths as well as discussion of opportunities for improvement are good examples of feedback. If regular meetings with the intern are established, it makes for a good environment in which feedback can occur.
PROJECTS
As the student arrives at your organization, use the job description to provide potential projects the student can work on. In an ideal situation, the intern will profit from a combination of routine tasks, on-going projects with co-workers, and independent projects.
SUGGESTIONS REGARDING THE SUPERVISORS ROLE
- Serve as a role model
- Provide training
- Provide feedback and evaluation
SUGGESTIONS FOR AN ORIENTATION
- Discuss the goals and purpose of your organization
- Introduce the intern to other supervisors and co-workers
- Provide department specifics (telephone number, address, work schedule)
- Provide job-specific safety training (stairwell and fire exits, fire extinguishers)
- Standards of conduct (dress code, teamwork, customer service, expectations)
