Impact of E-mentoring on Career Awareness and Exploration Doreen H. Kinkel, Ph.D. Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences MSC 228 Texas A&M University-Kingsville 700 University Blvd. Kingsville, TX 78363 voice: (361)-593-3948 e-mail: kfdds00@tamuk.edu Context Texas A&M University Kingsville 13 county area served, several counties with poverty rates of 40% enrollment: approx. 6000, with approx. 700 in College of Agriculture and Human Sciences (mostly undergraduate) Hispanic enrollment: 60%+ under age 25: 60% 1st generation college student: 70% on financial aid: >50% academic persistence (freshman to sophomore year, 5 year average): 59% 6 year graduation rate (5 year average): 22% Implications limited career awareness travel may be associated with being migrant workers family ties Succession Planning and Workforce Diversity USDA Workforce: average age: 44 30 and younger: 8026 (8.97%) 50 and older: 33909 (37.92%) USDA Hispanic Workforce permanent employees 5100 percentage USDA workforce 5.7% vs 6.1% target average age: 43 average education level: 2+ years of college average age of farmers: 55
Developmental Approach to Career Planning and Preparation Career awareness → career exploration → career development career awareness: learning types of jobs or positions in an area of interest career exploration: learning skills and aptitudes needed for a job or position and characteristics of a job or position, e.g., salary, work environment, job benefits career development: experiential learning through activities associated with a job or position; enhances career decision-making Purpose impact career awareness and exploration engage students in career development activities increase willingness to leave geographic area improve career decision-making Objectives improve awareness of careers in food and agricultural sciences of incoming freshman students through e-mentoring and career portfolio enhance career exploration through e-mentoring and job shadowing facilitate career development by participation in conferences of professional organization Methodology e-mentoring incorporated into existing freshman course career portfolio assembled as course requirement job shadowing of e-mentor following summer participate in conference of professional organization Results of pre-mentoring Fall 2002, n=15 Fall 2003, n=23 Definition of a mentor: 6 could provide an answer 6 could provide an answer Have you been involved in a formal mentoring relationship? Yes=3 No=12 02 Yes=2 No=21 03 Please describe: in 8th grade for a shadowing project for career development I shadowed at an animal clinic in Corpus with my dad and how he plays the guitar 02
the Texas A&M University Kingsville Student Activities Mentor Program involved in a mentoring program here at TAMUK 03 If you have been involved in a formal mentoring relationship, was it one on one or a group mentored by one or more adults? 2 involved in one on one, 1 in group 02 2 involved in one on one, 0 in group 03 Have you been involved in a youth group such as 4-H, Boy/Girl Scouts, Boys/Girls Club, church? Yes 12 No 3 02 Yes 20 No 3 03 Please describe: 4-H 5 FFA 6 Scouts 4 Church 7 Other 4 02 4-H 8 FFA 5 Scouts 8 Church 13 Boys/Girls Club 4 Other 1 03 Circle your response to the following: 1. Willingness to be involved with a mentor: only if I really have to sounds OK interested to see what I can get from it 1 2 3 4 5 7% 0 20% 20% 53% 0 9% 17% 26% 48% 2. Education is key to a good career: not especially important kind of important essential 1 2 3 4 5 7% 93% 17% 83% 3. Education is key to a good quality of life: not especially important kind of important essential 1 2 3 4 5 13% 20% 67% 13% 26% 61% 4. Willingness to relocate to another part of the US: not a chance maybe definitely-an adventure 1 2 3 4 5 13% 13% 33% 20% 20% 13% 4% 48% 13% 22%
5. Willingness to do a formal internship away from home or college: not a chance maybe definitely-an adventure 1 2 3 4 5 40% 27% 33% 9% 30% 26% 35% 6. Can you list or describe at least 5 jobs that involve animals that require a college degree besides veterinarian and biology teacher? not at all possibly very easily 1 2 3 4 5 7% 0 47% 13% 33% 9% 13% 57% 13% 9% 7. How much “research” have you done into the career you have chosen? not much looked at brochures/websites interviewed people doing job 1 2 3 4 5 7% 33% 27% 33% 4% 13% 26% 43% 13% 8. How important is your undergraduate grade point average (GPA) in finding a job after graduation? not at all sort of important extremely important 1 2 3 4 5 7% 93% 4% 22% 74% About how many people have you discussed your career ideas with? range 0-20; mean 8.6 02 range 1-35; mean 7.3 03 About how many people have you talked with about their job/career? range 0-10; mean 4.6 02 range 0-20; mean 5.4 03 Who has had the most influence on your career choice up to this point? Why? Parent/Family 33% Teacher 20% Self 20% Other 27% 02 Parent/Family 43% Teacher 4% Self 35% Other 26% 03 how important it is to do something I love is the one who pushes me to get up and go study because he made me realize I need to love what I’m doing or else its work 02 me, because no one believes I can do it I see what he had learn and decided that is what I want to do he encourages me to excel in a good career myself, I chose to do this, and when my mind is made up, its hard to change the Animal Channel me, because I want to do what makes me happy 03
What are the four most important aspects of the career you have chosen? (02) (03) Animal 40% 70% Pay 27% 22% Enjoy/Fun 27% 26% Communicate/social/help 27% 35% Hands on 20% 13% Other 67% 61% List the types of jobs/careers you know of that involve animals: (02) research, education game warden, veterinarian, ag teacher, wildlife biologist vet, livestock inspector, ranch manager wildlife management, veterinarian, ag teacher, genetic research, animal scientist veterinary veterinarian, USDA inspector, FDA, genetic specialist zookeeper, wildlife management, vet, biology teacher, ranch management ag teacher, county agent, feedlot worker, USDA vet, biomed, ranch management, feedyard management, working for pharmaceutical companies vet, teachers vet, zoologist, animal research, marine biologist border patrol, police, firemen, research, farming, ranching, veterinary zoology, veterinarian, marine biology, biology veterinarian, vet tech, ag science teachers, AnSc professors (03) vet, animal research, USDA, TDA, extension agent pre-vet, vet, animal shelter worker zoology, vet tech., vet., biologist wildlife biologist, livestock inspector, veterinarian, ranch manager zookeeper, vet, ranchers, breeders, trainers veterinarian, marine biologist, biology teacher, zoo keeper, zoologist research on animals, ag teacher, vet., vet tech., and cowhand vet wildlife management, vetinarian, biologist zoo person and breeder game warden, vet, rancher, wildlife manager zoo, marine biology, wildlife management, veterinary medicine ag teacher, county extension agent, vet science, farm and ranch manager vet, biologist, zoologist, certain scientists veterinarian, vettech, zookeeper vet, biologist, rancher/farmer USDA, vet, ag teacher 1. Zoology, 2. Marine biologist, 3. Veterinarian zoologist, seeing eye-dogs, assistant dogs, slotter houses, sea world
zoologist, zookeeper, veterinarian veterinarian, ranch/farmer, animal trainer, animal hair stylist Which of the following have you done? (Check all that apply) (02) (03) 13% 26% looked at “Occupational Outlook” relative to your chosen career 67% 78% looked up the average salary for your chosen career 53% 43% looked up the average number of hours worked per week in your chosen career 33% 43% looked up the grade point average (GPA) needed to get into your chosen career 47% 57% developed a resume 40% 35% have a resume that is current 60% 57% had a paying job working for an employer 40% 26% been involved in FFA Career Development Contests 47% 17% been involved in “job shadowing” of someone in the career you have chosen 47% 35% worked for someone in the career you have chosen Results of post-mentoring, students Fall 2002, n=13 Fall 2003, n=18 How many times did you e-mail your mentor? range 3-30; mean 8.1 02 range 5-15; mean 8.5 03 Did you contact your mentor once each week or more? Yes 9 No 4 02 Yes 14 No 4 03 How many times did your mentor e-mail you? range 2-30; mean 8.3 02 range 3-15; mean 8.5 03 Did your mentor contact you once each week or more? Yes 6 No 7 02 Yes 11 No 7 03 Give an overall rating of the quality of the interaction with your mentor in the following areas: totally boring somewhat interesting enjoyed the interaction 1 2 3 4 5 31% 23% 46% 6% 22% 22% 50%
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