Leaving to learn might start with an interview or a job shadow.  An interview gives students an opportunity to prepare questions to learn about the work of individuals in our community.  It could be a one-time interaction or it could lead to a job shadow, which is when a mentor/business provides an opportunity for a student or small group of students to visit their workplace. Students observe, assist when appropriate, and gain a sense of what the mentor’s job is like for a day or a series of days. 

Mentors will need to complete a basic volunteer authorization form (background check) in order to host a job shadow.  

After two job shadows at a work site, the student and the mentor may determine if they would like to set up an internship, where a mentor provides a regular opportunity to have the student engage in a work-based learning experience.  In that case, the student’s advisor will conduct a ‘set-up meeting’ in order to discuss goals, expectations and communication plans. There is no required duration for an internship. Sometimes they last for a couple months, sometimes they can last the whole year or more. Typically they are weekly (ideally on Wednesdays), but that is flexible depending on each mentor’s availability.