Bootcamp — Field Experience BHS

Phase 1 of 4

Professional Identity & Course Launch

Everything starts here. You'll learn what this course is, where it's going, and who you are as a professional. By the end of Phase 1, you'll have a resume in hand and an application submitted.

0 / 5 complete

What you'll have by the end of Phase 1

Career reflection + self-assessment

Professional email signature

Completed resume

At least 1 application submitted

Begin With the End in Mind

Course overview · Capstone preview · Syllabus · Website tour · Expectations

To Do ▾

What we do in class

See the capstone — your booth presentation and 90-second stage talk. This is where the semester ends. Today we reverse-engineer it.
Review the syllabus, course contract, and what 60 hours of field experience actually looks like
Walk through this website together: your dashboard, weekly log, reflection form, and bootcamp phases
Discussion: what's the difference between showing up as a student versus showing up as an employee?
Overview of the 7 career clusters and what placements are available
Preview the 10 Illinois Essential Employability Skills you'll be assessed on

Mark Complete

Your teacher will confirm this with the class. Mark complete once you've completed the course overview day.

Career & Self-Assessment

Career interest reflection · Employability skills pre-assessment · Professional goals

To Do ▾

What we do in class

Rate yourself on all 10 employability skills (1–4 scale) — this is your baseline. You'll do it again at the end to see how you've grown.
Career interest reflection: what fields interest you, what do you want to explore, what are you good at?
Write your professional goal for the semester — what do you want to walk away with?
Class discussion: what do employers actually look for beyond skills?

Submit Your Reflection

Your Professional Brand

Digital footprint audit · Professional email signature · Social media + first impressions

To Do ▾

What we do in class

Google yourself — right now, in class. What comes up? What would an employer see?
Social media audit discussion: what's public, what's professional, what needs to change before you start interviewing
Build your professional email signature — your name, title (Field Experience Student), school, and contact info
Real examples: how a digital footprint has cost people jobs and opportunities
Phone communication roleplay: cold-calling a potential employer

Confirm Your Email Signature

Resume Workshop

Build · Peer review · Conference · Final draft

To Do ▾

What we do in class

Resume structure walkthrough — what goes where and why different resumes look different for different people
Translating school experiences into workforce language: "I was on the team" → "Led a 12-person team through…"
Action verb practice — the difference between listing a job and owning one
References: how to ask professionally, who to ask, what they need to say
In-class build time + peer review with a partner
Teacher or partner conference on your draft before final

Submit Your Resume Link

Explore & Apply

Browse job menu · Research top choices · Meet with teacher · Submit application

To Do ▾

What we do in class

Browse the placement list on this site — explore what's available across all 7 career clusters
Employer scavenger hunt: research your top 2–3 choices. Find out what they do, who works there, what they value
Match your skills from your resume to the placements you're interested in
Meet with your teacher to talk through your choices and confirm your application plan
Submit your application(s) — this starts the clock on employer paperwork, so the sooner the better

Confirm Your Application

Phase 2 of 4

Interview Prep

How do you actually earn the placement? This phase prepares you for the real interview — the pitch, the questions, the nerves, and the follow-through. Some of you may already have interviews scheduled. Good.

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What you'll have by the end of Phase 2

Elevator pitch (written + recorded)

Mock interview completed

Interview improvement plan

Elevator Pitch

Write it · Workshop it · Record it

To Do ▾

What we do in class

Structure: hook → background → value → ask. Thirty seconds to tell someone exactly why they should hire you
Write your pitch in class — first draft, no judgment
Deliver it to three different partners. Get real feedback: was it clear? Did you sound confident? Did it sound rehearsed?
Refine and record your final video pitch — this becomes a portfolio piece and your capstone warmup

Submit Your Elevator Pitch

STAR Method & Interview Skills

Situation · Task · Action · Result — how to answer anything

To Do ▾

What we do in class

STAR breakdown: Situation → Task → Action → Result. A formula for answering behavioral interview questions like "Tell me about a time when…"
Practice with real scenarios pulled from actual workplace situations
Common interview questions + how to prep answers without sounding robotic
Body language: what it says when you're nervous, how to correct for it
Professional appearance discussion: what appropriate looks like for different types of placements

Mark Complete

Mark complete after your STAR practice session.

Mock Interview

Formal interview · Real feedback · Peer or community partner

To Do ▾

What we do in class

Formal mock interview — peer partner, community member, HR professional, or administrator
Your interviewer completes a structured feedback form during your interview
You receive written feedback immediately after — specific, honest, actionable
No one gets a perfect mock interview. That's the point. You find out what to fix before the real one.

Confirm Mock Interview Completed

Interview Improvement Plan

Review feedback · Identify gaps · Write action steps

To Do ▾

What we do in class

Review the feedback from your mock interview — what did you do well, what needs work?
Identify 2–3 specific areas to improve before your real interview
Write concrete action steps: not "be more confident" — "practice answering the 'tell me about yourself' question out loud three times before my interview"

Submit Your Improvement Plan

Phase 3 of 4

Workplace Readiness

You've applied. Interviews are happening. Now it's time to make sure you're ready for day one — not just to show up, but to show up right. Ethics, real scenarios, and the skills that make the difference between an employee people trust and one they don't.

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What you'll have by the end of Phase 3

Workplace readiness self-assessment

Placement confirmed

Workplace Dilemma Stations

Real scenarios · Small groups · Defend your decisions

To Do ▾

What we do in class

Small groups rotate through stations — each one has a real workplace scenario with no easy answer
Scenarios include: arriving late, a confidentiality situation, a conflict with a coworker, a dress code question, and an uncomfortable request from a supervisor
Groups discuss, decide, and prepare to defend their answer to the class
Special focus on confidentiality — especially important for education, health, and human services placements. What you can and cannot share, and what it means legally.
Full class debrief: what did different groups decide, and why does it matter?

Mark Complete

Mark complete after participating in the dilemma stations activity.

Employability Skills Simulation

Team challenges · Case studies · Conflict resolution · Receiving feedback

To Do ▾

What we do in class

Team-based challenges focused on adaptability, problem-solving, and collaboration — the kind of situations you'll actually face at a placement
Case study analysis: conflict resolution, working with a supervisor who gives confusing direction, being asked to do something outside your job description
How to receive feedback — good, bad, and vague — and what to do with it professionally
What success looks like in a workplace versus a classroom: different rules, different expectations, different relationships

Mark Complete

Mark complete after the skills simulation activity.

Post-Assessment

Re-rate your 10 employability skills · See your growth since Phase 1

To Do ▾

What we do in class

Re-rate yourself on all 10 Illinois Essential Employability Skills using the same 1–4 scale from Phase 1
Compare your scores: where did you grow? Where are you still working?
This isn't about being perfect — it's about being honest so your placement experience can be intentional
Write a short reflection: what surprised you about your growth? What do you want to focus on during your 60 hours?

Submit Your Post-Assessment Reflection

Placement Confirmed

You got it — confirm your employer so we can get your paperwork started

To Do ▾

What this means

You've accepted an offer from a placement employer — congratulations
Confirm your employer here so your teacher can start the hiring paperwork process
The earlier this is confirmed, the more time your employer has to complete all required documents before your start date
Don't have a confirmed placement yet? Keep at it. Talk to your teacher about next steps.

Confirm Your Placement

Phase 4 of 4 — Final Phase

Launch

This is the send-off. You've built your resume, practiced your pitch, nailed the interview, and confirmed your placement. Now you set your intentions, make your commitment, and walk out ready. Your Launch Card generates when you complete this phase.

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What you'll have by the end of Phase 4

Internship plan of success

Your Launch Card

Goal Conference

One-on-one with your teacher · Set 2–3 goals · Get your expectations cleared

To Do ▾

What we do in class

5–10 minute one-on-one with your teacher — not a check-in, a real conversation about your placement and what you want from it
Set 2–3 goals for your semester: specific, achievable, and tied to what you actually care about
Review the time log and reflection process one more time — everyone does a test submission so there are no surprises
Any questions, concerns, or nerves? This is the place to name them.

Mark Complete

Mark complete after your one-on-one goal conference with your teacher.

Internship Plan of Success

Your roadmap for the semester · Professional intro email

To Do ▾

What we do in class

Write your internship plan of success — your schedule, your goals, how you'll handle challenges, and how you'll track your 60 hours
Draft a professional introduction or thank you email to your placement supervisor — your first real professional communication with them
Review: what does logging hours look like on the site? What does a good weekly reflection look like?

Submit Your Internship Plan

Launch Day

Set your #1 goal · Submit & Launch · Receive your Launch Card

To Do ▾

What this moment is

You've done the work. Resume built. Pitch practiced. Interview survived. Placement confirmed. Goals set.
Write your single most important goal for this semester — one sentence, honest and specific
Hit Submit & Launch. Your Launch Card generates and lives on your dashboard permanently
You are no longer a student preparing for a job. You're a student employee. Go make it count.

Your #1 Goal This Semester

The Bootcamp

Professional Identity & Course Launch

Interview Prep

Workplace Readiness

Launch