Transitioning a Student from the School Setting to the Expectation of the Job Market - Coursework Example

Work Based Experience Unemployment is one of the biggest problems facing youth after school. It is usually frustrating for them, and deservedly so, because they have worked so hard and dedicated most of their time in school yet the job market is still unwelcoming. Most of them end up taking up menial jobs for which they are overqualified; hence, they end up wasting their skills they have gathered from school. Others graduate take up jobs for which they were not trained for and as such, they end up resenting their jobs which is translated into low productivity. One may suggest that the former students should be patient and wait for the jobs they were trained but this is not an option because of the student loans among other obligations that the graduates have to fulfill. A Work based program is the best option that a student or a graduate can undertake because it will help transition the student from the school environment to the job market. This program is meant to provide a first-hand experience of the nature of work that the student has been trained for while also benefiting the employer in terms of the new ideas that the student brings to the organization. This paper seeks to research and evaluate the suitable organizations that a student can undertake his or her work based program to help in the transition to the job market. Caution must be exercised when looking for an organization to undertake a work based experience program. Studies have shown that money should not be a factor when choosing an organization to undertake a work based experience program. This is because, positions that seem high paying seem to pale faster compared to positions that pay moderately. As one is seeking for on an opportunity to learn, one should only consider organizations that intend to expand in near future as this will increase their chance in getting employed on a permanent basis after graduating. While its normal for students to find themselves in a position they are to undertake some menial tasking like filling forms or compiling expense reports, students should avoid organization where most of the tasks given involve are menial and instead, they should seek experience elsewhere. Students should also avoid taking any positions just because of the enticing titles. They should take initiative to learn the roles involved in the position (Burnsed 2011); hence, they will understand what is expected of them should they choose to accept the position. Doing so will also help them assess the relevance of the position in relation with skills and the experiences they intend to gain. Google, Procter & Gamble and Qualcomm have been ranked by CNN to be among the best organization to work as an intern. Google is one of the biggest tech companies known best for the Google search engine. A student or a young graduate who is lucky enough to be given a chance in Google will be given a monthly pay of $ 5,800 to $6500. To a student, this is a lot of money considering that some senior people employed on permanent basis in other organization do not even earn half of that amount. A former Google intern also reported that interns are given the more attention even compared to some permanent employees (Fox 2013). All members of the organization, from the highest to the lowest rank, listen keenly to the opinions of the interns and any creative idea given is immediately implemented while acknowledging them for their innovativeness. Such respect given to students only serves to boost their morale and motivate them to work hard. Procter & Gamble is a company that makes many household products including Tide and Bounty, health products and beauty products among others. Procter & Gamble regards students in high regard. Students who are lucky to work there are given a monthly pay of $ 4,000 (Fox 2013). The students also get to interact closely with the upper management and they even have lunch together. Besides building their esteem, a sense of camaraderie between the students and the management will encourages them to learn the code of ethics at the workplace. Qualcomm is known for its contribution in mobile technology. Qualcomm is especially favorable to engineering students who are given a chance to experience firsthand, how designs are made at the very top level. However, communication in the learning process is a two-way- traffic. The students are encouraged to develop their own ideas and incorporate them into prototypes and marketable products (Fox 2013). In other words, the students are taught to develop an innovative way of thinking as opposed to the dogmatic scholar way of thinking that is rigid and lacking in creativity. This is the most important lesson because an innovative thinking is the ultimate skill that a student can acquire during the learning process. BP (formerly British Petroleum) is probably the best place that a student can gain industrial experience. This is because, apart from the perks given to the students as monthly pay, the company exposes the students to so much hands-on experience that they almost need no more lessons to survive in the job market. Other than the primary objective of specializing in fuel production, BP is involved in exploring alternative energy sources that are cleaner and exploring the use of bio-diesel engine oils where students are willingly involved (Adams 2014). For the students working in the business or legal section, big decision are made by involving the students input and it is no wonder that nearly all the students end up being employed on a permanent basis after graduating. The students at BP are also afforded perks such as healthcare coverage, disability benefits housing, meals and entertainment but this is nothing compared to the level of empowerment that a student gains for the industrial experience at BP. This essay has highlighted the importance of a work based experience in transitioning a student from the school setting to the expectation of the job market. However, accepting any position is not wise if the student is to achieve the objective of gaining skills that will enhance his or her marketability. One should consider the plans of the organization to expand rather than just accepting a position because of the rewarding perks. A student should avoid positions where the bulk of the work given to him or her is irrelevant to the experiences he or she seeks and the student should also learn the roles they are supposed to fulfill before taking up a position on a learning basis. Various organizations were also highlighted because of their suitability in offering the best learning environment. While Google, Procter & Gamble and Qualcomm offer the best learning environment b cause of the perks and the attention from them management, BP offers the ideal learning environment because of the potential of empowerment that a student will gain from undertaking a work based experience program at the organization. References Adams, Susan 2014, The Best Internships for 2014. Forbes. Available from: . [12 November 2014]. Burnsed, Brian 2011, Don’t Settle when Choosing an Internship. U.S.News. Available from: . [12 November 2014]. Fox, Emily 2013, Top 7 Places for Interns. CNN Money. Available from: . [12 November 2014]. Read More