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(Narrator) It's that moment you've been waiting for,
when all those years of college will start to pay off.
At least, they will for some people.
(Jean Hernandez, UW) I think there's a myth that if you have a college degree,
you've got a job no matter what, and that 's not accurate.
About 20 percent of college graduates are underemployed.
And the reason is partly because while they 're in college
they really don't start preparing for the job search.
(Narrator) You need a career-seeking strategy and a little experience.
Otherwise, you're likely to be just another face in the crowd,
another resume in a stack of hundreds.
And that's true for anyone,
with or without a disability.
(Debbie Angel, Weyerhaeuser) The academics alone are not enough.
You really should think about an internship
or a cooperative education experience.
(Narrator) Internships and Cooperative Education experiences
offer work-based learning opportunities.
They're arranged between schools, employers, and students;
they may involve academic credit;
and sometimes they're even paid.
The sooner you start checking these out, the better.
(Brent Hernandex, Primex) Biggest thing I would say is start early.
Because I started my sophomore year,
and I think that was prime time to start.
(Narrator) Brent is a success story.
While in college, he found a program that places
students in business and engineering internships.
Between that program and his own skills,
he was accepted for two internships at Primex Aerospace.
He liked the company right from the start, and those
internships helped him clearly define his career plans.
(Brent) I knew at the end of my first internship
which areas I didn't want to go into, which is just as helpful
as what you do possibly want to do; so I like weeded out
the ones I didn't want to do-- I didn't want to do electrical
engineering and that kind of stuff-- it just bored me-- so I
was like, all right, I've narrowed down the focus cause now I
know what I don't want to do.
And so I went back, and said these are the kinds of jobs I want to do,
and they said 'All right, we'll try and set you up.
(Narrator) Attitude and talent paid off.
When Brent graduated,
there was a job waiting for him at Primex.
(John Conrad, Primex) When Brent came in through his
internship here, into the Quality Department, we found that he
could do the job and excel in his job.
So we basically knew when he was going back to college for his last few
semesters that we wanted to make sure that we brought him
back, because we needed that expertise that he brought in.
(Brent) If you have the internship with the company,
and they know your work style, and they want you to keep
coming back for your second and third internship,
it's totally cake.
It's very easy to get in and it works very well.
(Narrator) While not every internship will lead to a job
offer, there are other benefits as well.
For example, there can be a lot of self-discovery.
(Debbie) I'd say it's typical that most students don't know what
they're actually going to be doing in the workplace;
and probably even more important, don't understand
what motivates them and what doesn't.
And doing a co-op or an internship
is a low-risk way to discover, "what do you like to do?"
before you're actually out in the workplace.
You can discover that in 3 to 6 months, instead of the
18 to 24 months of a typical first job.
(Narrator) It can also be the first step on the road to
independence, especially if the internship is out of town.
(Minda Dentler, student) I think it was a good stepping stone
to make me realize what it's like to work in the business world.
And also just to live on my own.
I lived on my own this whole summer, so... it's good for that.
(Narrator) You'll also learn that you have to bring something to the company.
(Randy Hammer, student) Especially in information technology,
they're looking for someone that's going to
come out and be a quote unquote fast burner.
(Phone Rings)
Hi, TS Help This is Randy...
They're going to want somebody that's gonna...you know...get the job done.
And wanting to learn from the internship.
They can't have somebody come in and kind of sit there all day.
(Narrator) You have to treat an internship just as you would a "real" job.
Develop a confident and cooperative attitude.
(Randy) You have to work with your co-workers.
No person works alone
And you always have to work with the team,
especially in this day and age.
A lot of people coming out of college very cocky about their position.
I'm new, I'm fresh, I know all this stuff;
and that's what hurts a lot of people.
You've got to realize that you are still learning.
(Narrator) Randy is involved in an information technology
cooperative education program at Weyerhaeuser Company.
As with most companies, they expect more than just basic skills.
(Debbie) Technical capability is important, but it 's maybe
I5 percent of what makes a successful contributor.
(Randy) So what I'll do is I'll have a technician come and
fix those pins for you...
(Debbie) Communication skills, interpersonal skills,
self-motivation and initiative are some key attributes that we look for.
We also are looking for a high level of integrity,
because that's very important to us at Weyerhaeuser Company.
(Narrator) Randy's job is helping people with computer problems.
And, since he's blind, he's had to learn how to interface his
own adaptive technology with other systems.
(Randy) Everyplace you go to is going to be using different stuff.
And so you're always going to have to make a little
accommodation, but every time you go to a new spot...
I take the same adaptive equipment with me.
An so I learn a few more tricks about
it in adapting to the new situation.
Which whenever I go to the next place, I'll be able
to apply those skills that I learned in just using the software
that I'm using. An the hardware.
(Narrator) And there's another accommodation Randy's had to make--
one that was completely unexpected.
His supervisor is allergic to his guide dog.
(Randy) So I had to make some accommodations for her, in fact.
Things like heavy grooming, using special powders or saIves
to keep down whatever it is that causes dog allergies; so it's
kind of interesting, I've never had to actually make an
accommodation for another person before, besides other
disabled people, so it's kind of interesting to have to work with her.
(Narrator) Work-based learning gives you a chance to practice those communication skills.
Employers need to work with you on accommodations.
But they can't read your mind,
and they may sometimes be uncomfortable about what to ask or do.
You need to become an expert on what works-- and doesn't work-- for you.
Learn to articulate your needs clearly.
(John) You 're paving the way far other people, too.
Because employers are as much interested in what they need
to do to make sure their workplace is accessible,
and the only way that they can really truly understand
what the needs are is when they have people that are
interns and stuff like that, that they can come in and
have to deal with a few physical barriers that have to be removed.
(Narrator) Besides internship or cooperative education programs,
there are other opportunities for work-based learning.
Job shadowing allows you to visit a business and observe people at work.
It's a good way to start narrowing your career goals.
(Narrator) Service learning is volunteer work, allowing you to use
your skills while making a contribution to your community.
You may even be able to arrange academic credit.
Hi Marvin, how are you?
Pretty good, how are you?
Pretty good.
I just finished the Installation job you told me to do.
(Narrator) A faculty member can help you develop an independent study project.
This could be career research,
or it might be a paid job in your field which you discover on your own.
And while you're doing any of these things,
you'll be gaining valuable experience in writing resumes
and cover letters, as we11 as practicing your interview skills.
And that is vital for your job hunt.
(Jean) The job search, on the average, will take a student
6 to 9 months to complete.
Getting your research in on
the companies, getting your materials in order,
your resume, practicing interview skills, sending out those resumes,
actually getting an offer, is a very long, tedious process.
It really is competitive our there; it really involves being prepared,
by practicing your own interview skills, knowing how you're
going to present yourself; things of that sort that are real important.
(Music)
(Narrator) Besides content, you have to think packaging.
When you go to an interview, leave that casual campus look behind.
A professional image is absolutely required, no matter where you're applying.
Take out the nose and eyebrow rings,
and let your resume speak louder than your clothing.
Informational interviews will help you gain job information,
interview experience, and networking opportunities.
It's also a good time to practice disclosing your disability
and discussing accommodations.
(Jean) There are jobs out there; the best way to find them
is through networking and informational interviews.
That's something students find, that people are willing to talk
with them while they're in school, and tell them about how they
got their jobs; but once they graduate, employers are
less likely to take the time and help them out.
(Narrator) Another resource is the Career Center or
Career Services Office on campus.
They'll have information on employers,
and current job openings
there may also be job fairs, workshops, or counselors
available to help with career planning and job searching.
Make some calls.
(Randy) Go do it.
You just have a go-getter attitude,
and somebody will eventually see that and they will bring you on.
(Narrator) To get started, you could use the CAREERS acronym,
developed by project DO-IT at the University of Washington.
Think about what interests you.
Be imaginative, then narrow it down.
Determine the academic program best suited
to your career goals.
Check out interesting careers that spark your interests,
maximize your strengths, and minimize your weaknesses.
Practice job search skills,
apply for internships, ask for informational interviews,
and try other work-based learning opportunities.
Use on-the-job experiences
to learn these "real world" skills.
Apply what you've learned in school to the workplace.
and test what accommodations work best for you.
(Narrator) So...
long before commencement looms,
get going on some real-world experiences.
Start doing everything you can now to make yourself attractive to future employers.
The resources are available; you have to make use of them.
(Randy) There's a lot of people our there.
A lot of people competing for jobs.
But it helps because I know some of the stuff I've got some of the experience.
I've worked with some of the gurus and masters.
And I've learned from them.
(Narrator) And you can do it, too.