Learning Spout is taking a new approach to introducing students to their future careers, pairing them with mentors working in their field of study. Students learn what the “real world” of their future is like before investing years learning a new skill set. Companies and mentors can contribute to the future of their industry and craft the next generation right at the start of their school career. More information is available for students, mentors, and interested firms at http://learningspout.com/.
“Often, I see people who have studied for years to get a degree and then end up doing something different because it wasn’t what they expected,” said Learning Spout founder, Lynette Siew. “I wanted to allow students from middle school to midlife career shifters to see what their ‘dream’ job is like.”
“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” — Oprah Winfrey
Students sign up to “shadow” a mentor for a workday to see what it’s all about. Learning Spout assigns each student Shadowing Care Coordinator who makes all the arrangements. The only fee is $9.99 to cover administrative costs.
Students can browse through a list of mentors and choose the people and careers they might like to see.
Another group that has found Learning Spout to be a powerful tool is adults who are seeking to change careers. One reason for not changing to a new career is lack a certainty of what the new profession is really like. By shadowing someone who is already doing the job, prospective professionals can ask all the questions they need to understand what they might be getting themselves into.
“If you remember career day in elementary school, it’s like that except you get to go to where the person works and see what they do all day,” Siew said. “Students have a much clearer sense of what they want to do.
“We are always looking for new mentors. We have entire companies that have signed up because this is a simple, powerful way to give back to the community and it costs nothing for the company.”
Learning Spout is providing a new way for students to peer into their future careers to get a sense of what it’s all like.
About Learning Spout: Learning Spout is a new company founded in Fort Collins, Colorado, by Lynette Siew. The mission of the company is to open to students the door to their future and let them see what it’s like. Many careers differ from what most students are expecting. Learning Spout allows them to ask questions, see what the lifestyle is like, and make a more informed decision. For mentors and their companies, they can “pay it forward” to the next generation, even if it’s a midlife lane changer, without expense and while making new connections to the student that will last a lifetime.