TFS - Canada's International School

2 8 T F S F O U N D AT I O N LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM In the summer of 2022 a new pilot project provided a select group of TFS students with exposure to the day-to-day reality of working in a professional environment aligned with their interests. The Le Stage Career Internship Program, which was held the week of June 20, matched Level III students with volunteer mentors in diverse industries for an opportunity to get some hands-on work experience. "We wanted to give our students a chance to see what it's really like to work in a field of interest, and to provide an opportunity for alumni or current parents to help our students gain insight into what career they might want to pursue," explains Kimberly English, Director, University Counselling, whose team developed the program. The program matched 12 students with 8 mentors from varied industries including veterinary medicine, law, finance, public service and film. Participating students were selected through a program that mirrored a job application process: they were asked to submit a cover letter and resumé, and were invited to an in- person interview with a member of the University Counselling team. According to Ms. English, the application process was valuable in helping students articulate their motivations for participating and provided them with an opportunity to practice professional communications skills in a safe environment. The information submitted was used to match students with mentors whose jobs best suited their interests. Mentors, who could choose to host one or two students for three to five days, were asked to customize a work session plan in which students could participate in a mix of activities such as job shadowing, conducting informational interviews with others in the industry and training, and would be asked to complete a small project. "We wanted to make it as flexible as possible so students could get an authentic experience," explains Ms. English. Upon finishing the program, students and mentors were asked to complete a short survey. According to Ms. English, both groups provided very positive feedback. "100 per cent of students said they would recommend this program," she says. Students said that the program helped understand which post-secondary education paths could help them attain their goals, provided a taste of what working in their chosen field might look like, and helped broaden their perspective. "I learned many crucial lessons that will change how I think about school and my future," one participant stated. Mentors also reported enjoying the process, with one participant stating: "Meeting our student and engaging with her was the best part. It was also very helpful to have her around." Although the program was in its first year, there was significant demand from students: we had 20 applications and were able to match 12. "For some kids we just weren't able to provide a match because there weren't enough mentors," explains Ms. English. "But we are hoping to grow the program this year so that 20 to 25 students can participate." Contact Lindsay Reid at lreid@tfs.ca to learn more. Yvan Baker '96 Mark Bayko '96 Alexandra Floras- Concessi '02 Sander Grieve Issa Guindo Kate Pal '01 Christina Piovesan '94 Kurt Rosentreter 2022 Le Stage Mentors: Interested in becoming a mentor? Le Stage Career Internship Program matches students with parents or alumni for enriching experiences outside the classroom.

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