Opportunities
The Field Shadowing Program is designed primarily for first-year ILR students (freshmen and transfer students). It is a one-day shadowing program that provides an invaluable opportunity for participants to explore diverse ILR-related career fields, gain firsthand work exposure, and network with alumni/sponsors.
Career Exploration Project is designed specifically for sophomores, juniors, seniors, and first-year MILRs. Opportunities typically last two to three weeks and are intended for participants to explore a particular industry to develop on-the-job experience through a short-term assignment with a project sponsor.
Learning Goals
Register
Registration deadline extended to November 4th.
Links to registration forms are not available on this site.
They will be sent to you after you complete step 1 below.
You must complete the following steps to participate in the Field Shadowing Program (FSP) or Career Exploration Project (CEP):
- Review the Recorded Virtual Session- please note that dates have been updated since recorded session.
- Complete the Knowledge check- (you will recieve the registration links after completing this step.)
- Register for the program(s) by November 4th through the online application
- Attend the Lottery session to select your experience
- FSP- Monday, November 14th: 4:00pm - 6:30pm (ET)
- CEP- Wednesday, November 16th: 4:0pm- 6:30pm (ET)
- Note: Please come ready with at least 3-5 top choices of opportunities to select from. A few things to consider:
- Pay attention to whether experiences are in-person or remote. For in-person experiences, you must have your own housing in the area.
- We will be sending your lottery number with more information of how to review available opportunities.
- Attend the Make the Most Session Sunday, November 20th at 5:00 pm (ET)
- Note: This will be after you’ve selected an opportunity and your sponsor information will be shared post session.
*Important deadlines will be covered at the required info session. Failure to comply with these deadlines may compromise your eligibility to participate in the program.
Selection Process
The Field Shadowing Program and Unpaid Career Exploration Projects use a lottery process for participants to select their opportunity. More details and information are shared after you complete the registration process. Sponsors who offer Unpaid Career Exploration Projects must ensure they meet the six federal guidelines set by the FLSA. Once you select a Field Shadowing Program or Unpaid Career Exploration Project in the lottery, you are expected to complete that opportunity.
Independent Opportunities
Although OCS has attempted to expand our geographic base for available career exploration opportunities, we are not able to guarantee that we will have an existing opportunity in everyone’s preferred location. In these cases, it is possible to work with a career advisor in OCS to conduct an independent search. If you are interested in pursuing this option, please schedule an appointment with one of our advisors through Chatter.
What if my plans change?
Students are expected to honor their Field Shadowing Program or Career Exploration Project commitments. Please determine your availability prior to selecting an opportunity on the lottery day. It would be valuable to speak with your family about the program prior to selecting an opportunity to verify plans for the dates allotted and if you will have access to transportation.
If you are participating in Greek Life recruitment, please verify those dates and select opportunities that fit with your availability. If an unforeseeable circumstance impacts your participation, please notify your sponsor and our office immediately at ilrocsEXPLORE@cornell.edu.
Contact Us
Contact ilrocsEXPLORE@cornell.edu with questions.
If you are a potential sponsor, please go here to find more information.