Having a practicum experience can be a great way to get a taste of the actual professional experience in a particular field before committing yourself to it fully.
Part of the college curriculum is to spend a certain number of hours engaging in a company affiliated with the school or university. These students will have exposure to what the world will be like for them after graduation. This is designed to give the students supervised practical application of the knowledge and skills from school. This aims to train and orient students about the work and their future careers. It allows the students to have a smooth transition from school to the workplace. Thus, it is essential to teach students their chosen profession and show students the reality of working.
Practicum experiences may be paid or unpaid, depending on the company. A variety of locations are offered to these students according to the nature and level of expertise.
The Practicum Experience
Practicum is also sometimes referred to as OJT or on-the-job training. It is a way of implementing personal and interpersonal skills that will help strengthen performance in the workplace. This allows a student to experience what they are likely to be doing when they start working. Technical skills are essential, thus through practicum, a student may build their confidence by applying what they have learned and hopefully slowly master or strengthen their skills.
Companies who welcome students into their workplace help enhance a better understanding of writing, reading, communication, computing, and reasoning skills. Which can help students once they step into the real world. Gaining such experience allows the students to develop a firm foundation in the business’s financial, technological, social, and ethical aspects, which aims to make competent employees and entrepreneurs. This may also include a broad knowledge base in marketing, legal, managerial, honest, and even international dimensions of business that will help make appropriate business decisions.
The practicum allows you to have real-time experience outside the classroom.
Distribution of Work Among Students
I have heard stories of how some students are not getting what they expect from their practicum. Maybe some companies do not see the importance of helping the students; some would just let the students make cups of coffee for the bosses, photocopy documents, or run errands. I do think that companies that offer these to universities should veer away from such “small tasks” because the students, in the first place, need to learn how to go about in real life. They need to experience real-life situations to be prepared on how to deal with them once they go on their own.
It is not expected to give such major tasks like having to close a deal with a client to be seated in a while in a conference with the rest of the employees. Teaching them to have hands-on experience dealing with some issues will be helpful, especially the ones they are likely to encounter when they start with their job after graduation.
The Benefits of Practicum
Some may think it’s just a complete waste of time, money, and effort to take the practicum. Some universities would require 100 hours. Otherwise, no student will be allowed to join the graduation until the required number of hours has been met.
Students should see that practicum is more than just a requirement to pass the course. In reality, it offers so many benefits for the student, namely;
- When a student joins a company for a practicum, an assigned person will look after all the students. The person in charge is not there just to check the attendance but is also expected to evaluate how each student works. If they find that the student’s performance is exemplary, some companies might consider hiring them after graduation.
- In filling up your resume, it is important to include where you have taken your practicum. Employers often will ask the relevance of the training to the course and to the position being applied for.
- Some companies may consider paying the student if they see that the student performs well while doing the assigned tasks.
- Doing the practicum is the student’s training ground. The amount of time spent in the company may seem not long enough. However, being involved with tasks that really matter concerning the course taken by the student is a huge help.
- If the company does not consider hiring the student, the supervisor looking after the student may recommend his skills to other companies. That the supervisor may think are more appropriate for the student to work with.
- It boosts the student’s confidence when applying for a job because they know that they have some experience to help them with their future work.
Similarly, employers see it as beneficial if they allow students to do their practicum under their wing.
- It is the most effective way to evaluate their potential as full-time employees.
- Companies often want some “new blood” in the workforce. And to browse a long list of applicants may take a while because some applicants may not always state in their resume what their skills are. These commonly happen because of their dire need to find a job. Being young, they may bring novel perspectives as well as specialized skills and strengths.
- A high-quality practicum student may help increase productivity because it lessens the burden of other employees by not being overburdened on specific projects.
- Employers may take advantage of lower labor costs. Since some companies do offer to pay the students, they may only give allowance for the students. This should not be taken in a different light. It is actually a win-win situation for both.
- Employees will have a lighter workload, more time for creative or advanced projects, and the opportunity to build confidence and leadership in guiding others.
I think that all companies should consider taking in some of these graduating students. Because they do not only allow themselves to have another set of hands to help them in their company. But, more so, they help in building a good foundation for the students.
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You may contact Armando “Butz” Bartolome for questions and more information.
By email: aob@gmb.ph
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