Recap of 2011-2012 Day in the Field Program

By Greg Iaccarino, Career & Internship Advisor, Coordinator of Day in the Field Program

The L&S Career Services Day in the Field (DITF) program, which occurred during the 2011-2012 academic year, is a program that gives UW-Madison students the opportunity to participate in an on-site visit to a local or regional employer in Wisconsin and the Chicago area. On the DITF, Students learn about careers, internships, and full-time positions at an employer by participating in networking sessions, panel discussions and tours of the employer’s facility and work space.   Students also acquire some key insights on the kinds of skills and experiences that are needed to be successful at the employer   They may hear about the description of a typical work day, how one can grow/develop in their position, as well as what the employer is looking for in a focused and tailored resume, cover letter, and interview for the position.   Perhaps what is most meaningful for the student participants is when the panelists will share about their own career paths and what got them to their present position.    In many cases, panelists/professionals started out in one career path, and then switched paths over time.   A number of these professionals were UW alumni with a variety of majors.

Employers often noted about the positive relations with students after the DITF visits, which has resulted in better chances for students to land interviews for available positions in a quicker fashion.  We thank the 85 students that participated in the program this year!

 

Participating employers in the program were:  

Advertising agencies in Chicago and Milwaukee as part of trips with the Advertising Club of UW-Madison

City of Madison Mayor’s Office
http://www.cityofmadison.com

City Year Milwaukee
http://www.cityyear.org/milwaukee.aspx

Covance
http://www.covance.com

Epic Systems
http://www.epicsystems.com

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
http://www.jsonline.com

Oxford Global Resources
http://www.oxfordcorp.com

Public relations agencies in Chicago and Milwaukee as part of trips with the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) of UW-Madison

St. Luke’s Medical Center (Milwaukee) as part of trips with the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) of UW-Madison

http://www.aurorahealthcare.org/find-a-location/hospital/aurora-st-lukes-medical-center

We are pleased to share some student testimonials about the DITF program, which were drawn from student surveys about the program.   We look forward to building on the success of this program as we plan for the 2012-2013 academic year!    Please do not hesitate to contact us for any suggestions that you have or recommendations for employers to visit.   Meanwhile, please enjoy the testimonials!    

This is a fantastic program. 


I thought the presentations were very professional and the trip was a great opportunity to work one on one with a couple of Oxford Global’s employees.

It was very helpful in my job search, and the shadowing of the staff at Oxford Global was very enlightening.

The experience was great!  It was cool to be able to talk with Mayor Soglin on a more personal level and learn about him, what he does, and also about jobs available at the city.


It was really helpful and a lot of fun.  I got to learn more about a really cool company on a more personal basis than if I just looked at their website.  The question and answer session was very effective as well.


Listening to the recruiter talking about roles and the selection process offered direct information on what to expect.   It is more informative than reading the job postings.


It was my first time utilizing the College of Letters & Science Career Services, and I will continue to do so now.  


It was great to see Epic’s campus, as most people do not have the opportunity to see a potential workplace in a neutral setting.  It was definitely helpful in my search for a job. 


It was good to actually see the company work environment and explore the career options offered there.


It serves as an opportunity to explore career options in the company. Listening to the recruiter talking about roles and selection process offered direct information in terms of what to expect. It is more informative than reading the job postings.

It serves as an opportunity to explore career options in the company. Listening to the recruiter talking about roles and selection process offered direct information in terms of what to expect. It is more informative than reading the job postings.

I really enjoyed the session and found it very helpful. I really liked that we were able to discuss with City Year corps members in a small group environment and were able to ask questions.  It gave me a better understanding of what City Year is, the application process and responsibilities involved in City Year.

It was great to learn about how to get your foot in the door, so to speak, for a career in Journalism.

I really enjoyed being able to meet with the managing editor and publisher. I'm in this constant worry about finding a job and they gave me advice that the future of a journalist is really not just being a reporter but being someone who knows about the technological aspects of everything; how to make and manage a website, social media and search engine optimization.