Plan for a successful start by preparing your students:

• Brief your team about the students and the projects you have planned.
• Encourage team members to introduce themselves and make the students feel part of the team.
• Ensure the availability of a workspace and necessary supplies.
• Arrange for a computer, software, e-mail, internet access, and access to shared documents.
• Identify your students’ projects or duties in advance.
• Plan a variety of work activities for the students.
• Set up the students on the payroll.

Provide information about your students’ role and how it relates to the team’s goals. Review the job description and learning objectives submitted by the students to Wentworth Institute of Technology.

When you give your students multiple tasks, explain their priority. Students are accustomed to due dates at school, and they need help making the transition to a less-structured environment. If you provide guidance, your students will do a better job of directing their energy.

Offer orientation information to help your students feel comfortable and competent.

About your Business

• Business in general, products and services, and customers.
• Unit’s mission, goals, objectives, etc.
• How the student’s work relates to goals and makes meaningful contributions.
• Roles and responsivities of other team members.
• Organization/reporting relationships.
• Policies and procedures.
• The importance of ethics.

Administrative

• Payroll reporting.
• Work hours, breaks, lunch.
• Staff and individual meetings.
• Facilities logistics – restrooms, parking, cafeteria, keys, meeting rooms, supplies, mail.

Safety

Review safety protocols for your workspace.

If possible, recruit an appropriate team member to be a mentor. The mentor should be a model member of the group (perhaps a former co-op). Desired mentor characteristics are:

• Accessible, available, approachable.
• Confident.
• Strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills.
• Nonjudgmental, accepting and patient.
• Knowledgeable about the organization and industry.
• Willing to be responsible for student’s growth.

Recognize that the students may find several differences between the academic environment and the workplace. Provide guidance in areas like managing ambiguity, prioritization, and self-direction.

• More ambiguity with assignments.
• Prioritization and time management.
• How their work impacts others’ on the team.
• Assignments aren’t graded.
• Need to be more self-directed, asking for feedback and assignments.
• Fewer peers of similar age.

Help your Students Become a Valuable Contributor to the Team

• Spend extra time with students while they complete assignments.
• Include students in staff/team meetings.
• Invite students to technical reviews.
• Include students in regular team communications.
• Explain how students’ work will contribute to organization’s goals.
• Meet regularly and ask, “What can I do to contribute to your success?”

Additional Advice for Supporting Your Students:

• Schedule regular times to meet with students.
• Talk about taking initiative.
• Make training available.
• Schedule meetings with other team members and key people for knowledge sharing.

Help your students find other effective approaches to develop professionally. Some possibilities are:

• Informational Interviews with team members. Students have found interviewing team members to be a great way to feel comfortable and ready to contribute quickly. Their interviews need only last 15 to 30 minutes and can cover both personal and professional interests.
• Job-shadowing. The students can “shadow” another individual to gain technical skills or to learn about different career options.

Even though your students may recognize the value of developmental alliances, the student may be hesitant to participate unless you encourage them. Most individuals will appreciate your help in the get-acquainted stage.

It’s Important to Manage the Students’ Job Performance:

• Define initial performance expectation and job duties.
• Provide frequent, timely, specific feedback and coaching about specific behaviors.
• Point out activities that will help the students develop.
• Provide increasing responsibility.
• Provide performance feedback.

Near the end of the semester, Wentworth Institute of Technology will send you an on-line assessment for your students. This evaluation should be reviewed with your students prior to the students’ departures. This form is a critical component of the students’ grades and must be completed within the time frame requested on the form.