Deciding a major, or the area of study within a particular major can be daunting task for a college student. There are many unknowns about the path one is trying to choose, any gap in information is the last thing one wants while trying to make a decision. The
Spring Break Externship Program helped students fill just such a gap in information by connecting students with organizations in their field of study. On Friday, March 9, 2012, UITS WebTech Services hosted two students who are on a path to join IT careers. Katherine Navarette and Lauren Lembcke spent a part of their day experiencing inner workings of UITS by attending a meeting, taking guided tours, and asking questions.
Their day started with a discussion about the various job functions in several different areas of UITS. This gave them a clearer understanding of the importance of team-work. They learned about how a project may flow through the organization moving through each unit.
Next, they met with the WebTech team members. During this time, the students got to hear what the typical work-day is like for each member, and how they interact with each other and with other teams. Craig Spanburg, Manager of the WebTech team filled in gaps related to responsibilities of the team members who could not attend due to work-related commitments. Near the end of the meeting there was also a brief question-answer session.
Following the meeting, the students got a chance to tour the Global NOC facility and the ICTC Data Center. In each tour they learned about many other job functions and the roles played by individuals as team members.
Next, there was a brown-bag lunch session, during which, there was another opportunity to ask questions related to career choices, processes, and the inner workings of the organization.
The career shadowing experience concluded with the confirmation that the students had a better understanding of what is involved in several different IT positions and how these roles are played out within a large organization like UITS.
