35 Networking Method 4: Gain Practical Work Experience
Practical work or volunteer experiences provide several important career-building benefits.
- They build your resume and your professional reputation
- They help you refine your career goals
- They provide opportunities to obtain valuable industry advice
- They expand your professional references
- They provide you with a solid network of contacts
How to Gain Practical Work Experience
Part-time and Summer Employment
Employers look past the knowledge and skills you’ve gained in school and are interested in seeing that you have obtained real-world experience. Securing a summer or part-time job while completing your studies will demonstrate to the employer that you have developed the employment readiness skills they seek. Gaining experience in different interest areas will also help to solidify your career goals and expand your connections.
Job Shadowing
Job shadowing is an opportunity to observe working professionals in their environment throughout their typical work day or week. This allows you to process information about an occupation and clarify your job goal. You can see how your learned skills translate into a particular work environment and job. Contact people in your network or companies of interest to inquire about job shadowing opportunities.
Volunteering
Volunteering your time allows you to directly impact your community, meet new people, learn new valuable skills, advance your career, and increase your confidence. Additionally, volunteering introduces you to different environments and roles within an organization that will help you identify your interests within the field. You have the chance to cultivate valuable leadership opportunities through rewarding experiences. If you are interested in volunteering, contact people in your network or companies of interest, search company websites, or connect with community volunteer organizations.
Mentorship
A good way to gain quality advice and industry know-how is by finding yourself a mentor. A mentor willingly shares their skills, knowledge, expertise, advice, and professional contacts with you throughout your career journey. A mentor can assist you in setting realistic career goals and making smart career decisions. Their wisdom can be beneficial, from finding a job after graduation to moving up the company ladder. Look within your current network for a mentor, such as a professor, work or volunteer supervisor, or a family friend.
Experiential Learning
Depending on your program, experiential learning can be an optional or mandatory part of your course curriculum and a prime opportunity to gain relevant experience. Experiential learning supports students in gaining practical, hands-on learning opportunities that help them transition more fluidly to employment once they graduate. Typically, you are placed in a structured, simulated workplace environment and exposed to the real-life demands of the job. You apply concepts you’ve learned in your program and gain employability and interpersonal skills required to succeed in the workforce.
Here are some examples of common experiential learning opportunities (Click on each type to read more about it):
Apprenticeships
You are sponsored by an employer to complete on-the-job and in-classroom training in the skilled trades.
Example: Students are sponsored by an employer as part of the cabinetmaker trade program.
Clinical placements
You receive hands-on training and supervision in a clinical setting.
Example: Nursing students receive practical training at local health centres.
Co-ops
You complete alternating periods of academic study and work experience in business, industry, or government fields.
Example: Computer engineering students complete four-month paid work terms with technology companies.
Field placements
You receive hands-on training and supervision in a field-related organization.
Example: Social Service Worker students are offered field placements in social services or victim services agencies.
Applied research projects
You participate in a research project where you apply the latest knowledge and technology to create useful products, services, and processes.
Example: Students are approached by a fitness company to create a virtual personal training app to track workouts.
Practicums
You integrate theory and practice and receive supervision in a work setting.
Example: Early Childhood Education students complete practice teaching courses to gain in-class experience in a public school.
Workplace simulations
You practice knowledge and skills in a simulated workplace environment.
Example: Students in the Dental Hygiene program practise on life-like patient models in a simulated clinic.
