Disney College Program, anyone's child applied or done it?

[DawnM]

Last night my middle son and I got on the topic of summer jobs and options.  The Disney College program came up.  The deadline is in late Feb so we have some time to look through the info and for him to fill out the application, but he says it might be good for him to take a summer and a semester off and do something like this, work for a while, get some experience, etc....

There are even some jobs with the Disney College program near us where he could commute and live at home (with ESPN.)

Any other similar programs you can think of?  

He is currently a (pre) engineering major, but I think he is considering changing to something more artsy as that is his bent (Broadcast editing, production, communication, etc...)   This is why I think the ESPN internship would be great, but I assume it is quite competitive?????

Yes, he is going to check with his school as the semester continues.  They do post some opportunities in the career office.

[Lori D.]

JennW in SoCal's DS did it some years back -- she has shared what a great experience it was, and how much he loved it. He has gone on to work at Disney. I believe they live in CA, but he did the program in FL, and now works at Disneyland in CA.

If I understand the program correctly, a LOT of the hours is doing entry-level jobs as "cast", or restaurant crew, etc.

Edited January 17, 2020 by Lori D.

[Lanny]

My mind has gone back to the last week of April 2016 when we were in a store in Walt Disney World.  I remember talking with a young woman who was working there, while DW and DD were looking for things to buy.  I think she was a Communications (?) Major at the University of South Carolina (?) and she was there for a semester to work. If your DS is interested in Communications or Broadcasting, etc., ESPN sounds like a good place for him to contemplate applying to.  Working at WDW as that young woman was doing probably gives one an education that's helpful for Communications or other Majors.  My belief is that young woman was enjoying her time at WDW.  

[DawnM]

3 minutes ago, Plum said:

A friend's daughter just left for 4 months to intern at WDW as part of the Disney college program, so they don't just do summer. 

 

Yes, that is why I said summer and a semester off.  They have a longer program that goes for more than the 4 months of a semester.  that would be his preference.

[DawnM]

1 hour ago, Lori D. said:

JennW in SoCal's DS did it some years back -- she has shared what a great experience it was, and how much he loved it. He has gone on to work at Disney. I believe they live in CA, but he did the program in FL, and now works at Disneyland in CA.

If I understand the program correctly, a LOT of the hours is doing entry-level jobs as "cast", or restaurant crew, etc.

 

Yes, they seem to have a lot of different offerings these days.  You can select which programs you are interested in.  I need to talk to him more about it and what he is willing to do or wants to do.  

He will definitely be looking at several options for work, but this did interest him.

Edited January 17, 2020 by DawnM

[DawnM]

9 minutes ago, Lanny said:

My mind has gone back to the last week of April 2016 when we were in a store in Walt Disney World.  I remember talking with a young woman who was working there, while DW and DD were looking for things to buy.  I think she was a Communications (?) Major at the University of South Carolina (?) and she was there for a semester to work. If your DS is interested in Communications or Broadcasting, etc., ESPN sounds like a good place for him to contemplate applying to.  Working at WDW as that young woman was doing probably gives one an education that's helpful for Communications or other Majors.  My belief is that young woman was enjoying her time at WDW.  

 

Yeah, I think the problem is that he isn't currently in the broadcast program and really isn't sure (yet) about switching, but he enjoys it.

[plansrme]

We were at WDW during spring break of my now-19 yo daughter's senior year of high school, so she wore a set of graduation ears around the park.  She had sooooo  many cast members talk up the program to her.  They raved about it, but, for the life of me, I couldn't understand why.  They were schlepping food and running rides, which is fine work, but the heat, the crowds, the ugly uniforms--ugh!  I would not move half-way across the country (and plenty of them had) to serve burgers, ya' know, when I could just work at the Dairy Queen in my home town.  And I love Disney, but the work did not look like great professional experience; it looked like WORK.  I am sure there are applicants who get more internship-like or career-specific experience, but despite the overwhelmingly positive comments from people who were actually in the program, I did not get the appeal.  Also, the kids pay a good bit for their lodging and meals, so I don't think they clear nearly as much as they would working the same job in their home towns and living with the 'rents.  Regardless, the students we talked to seemed very happy to be there.  Certainly none of them had to strike up conversations with us and try to recruit my ear-wearing Disney fan, so they did it because they genuinely love the program.  Go figure!

There was a thread on it recently at College Confidential, in one of the parent forums.

[teachermom2834]

I have a handful of acquaintances there right now so that leads me to believe that while some of the internships perhaps are extremely competitive it can’t possibly be that cut throat to get in somewhere. Nearly every college we have toured has bragged about how many Disney interns they place. So I don’t think it is ultra competitive. Maybe different programs are. ??

The ones I know there now are driving a tram in a lot, working at a water park, driving the safari at Animal Kingdom, and a character handler (assistant? I don’t know- the cast members that speaks for the non speaking characters). We do know someone who was a character. I can see some of the jobs being resume worthy in terms of customer service or in the instance of the character, conforming to exact standards and protocols. 
 

I will say that almost all the kids we have known that did it were good kids but didn’t know exactly what they wanted to do as far as a career. So maybe it is a good stop gap for those who are good and smart but still trying to get their footing and see what they want to do. I imagine with so many young people there would an active social scene. Like college without the classes maybe. Maybe that is part of what makes it such a positive experience for most.

 

[easypeasy]

My friend's daughter did the program and was a lifeguard for a semester. She LOVED it. She got to visit the parks after hours and a few other interns-only sort of experiences. 
 

[Lanny]

12 hours ago, DawnM said:

 

Yes, they seem to have a lot of different offerings these days.  You can select which programs you are interested in.  I need to talk to him more about it and what he is willing to do or wants to do.  

He will definitely be looking at several options for work, but this did interest him.

 

Bolded...  I suggest that it is NOT what he is "willing" to do that he applies for. He should only apply for things he would truly like to do.  There are so many things that students can apply for these days and not every program is for every student. He should keep his eyes and ears open. Things will be posted on-line. Some he may hear about from other students or from Instructors. Etc.

The opportunities are there, but each one requires time to fill out an application and possibly 1 or more References from Instructors and possibly writing an Essay. Also there can be interviews.

(Some of these things have long lead times. My DD will be in a program over Spring Break that closed last September.  She has applied for something for Summer, but won't have a decision on that until some time in March, so Summer plans are "on hold" until she has a decision on that)

Question: Is it time for him to go back to the Career Counseling center and ask them for help in selecting a new Major?  As one begins taking Core courses, one is exposed to things they may not have had an interest in before.  And, just talking with other students who are taking other courses may spark an interest in a Subject. This works better at a LAC and my DD at UNC, it is more like a LAC and they encourage the students to get their feet wet in different Subjects.

I think you wrote upthread that he is "Pre-Engineering" (?), but now it seems that his interests, and, his talents, may make a Major in a different School/College within the university a much better fit for him?  Engineering is great, for those who are truly interested and have the abilities, but it is not for everyone and just because the salaries are good doesn't make it OK for everyone and there are a lot of people who drop out and go into a different Major and are then much happier.

Good luck to him! 

[DawnM]

2 hours ago, Lanny said:

 

Bolded...  I suggest that it is NOT what he is "willing" to do that he applies for. He should only apply for things he would truly like to do.  There are so many things that students can apply for these days and not every program is for every student. He should keep his eyes and ears open. Things will be posted on-line. Some he may hear about from other students or from Instructors. Etc.

The opportunities are there, but each one requires time to fill out an application and possibly 1 or more References from Instructors and possibly writing an Essay. Also there can be interviews.

(Some of these things have long lead times. My DD will be in a program over Spring Break that closed last September.  She has applied for something for Summer, but won't have a decision on that until some time in March, so Summer plans are "on hold" until she has a decision on that)

Question: Is it time for him to go back to the Career Counseling center and ask them for help in selecting a new Major?  As one begins taking Core courses, one is exposed to things they may not have had an interest in before.  And, just talking with other students who are taking other courses may spark an interest in a Subject. This works better at a LAC and my DD at UNC, it is more like a LAC and they encourage the students to get their feet wet in different Subjects.

I think you wrote upthread that he is "Pre-Engineering" (?), but now it seems that his interests, and, his talents, may make a Major in a different School/College within the university a much better fit for him?  Engineering is great, for those who are truly interested and have the abilities, but it is not for everyone and just because the salaries are good doesn't make it OK for everyone and there are a lot of people who drop out and go into a different Major and are then much happier.

Good luck to him! 

 

Oh, yes,  he is only a sophomore.  There is plenty of time.  We knew if he went into engineering it would be a min. of a 5 year program, probably more like 6, because he didn't have the high school coursework and AP classes many did.  Online it says "if you didn't take X and Y or this AP class and pass the test, etc.....the engineering program will be a minimum of 5 years."   

This goes against what many here think, but we do not have a timeline.  We don't have unlimited funds, but we aren't pushing our kids to finish in 4 years.  

He isn't changing this semester.  He has asked that he can continue to look into engineering while he considers what to do and if he wants to pursue it.  So we are good for now.  

The career counseling center isn't the place to go.  He has met with his advisor and I have talked to him quite a bit.

As far as internships and jobs.......I am not sure what you are saying.  He is looking for things for June and/or September.  It is only January.  There is plenty of time.  Deadlines for most things we have looked at is late February for June opportunities and late April for September opportunities.

What I meant by "what he is willing to do" had mostly to do with the Disney College Program.  He loves Disney and enjoys it overall, so he is more open to things there, however, standing outside 10 hours a day in 115 degree heat doesn't interest him.  He did really like the idea of working for ESPN in the digital media or broadcasting end of things though.

And he has been presented with a possible opportunity to go teach guitar to kids at camp in Seattle, so we are talking that through as well.

Edited January 18, 2020 by DawnM

[Matryoshka]

18 hours ago, plansrme said:

We were at WDW during spring break of my now-19 yo daughter's senior year of high school, so she wore a set of graduation ears around the park.  She had sooooo  many cast members talk up the program to her.  They raved about it, but, for the life of me, I couldn't understand why.  They were schlepping food and running rides, which is fine work, but the heat, the crowds, the ugly uniforms--ugh!  I would not move half-way across the country (and plenty of them had) to serve burgers, ya' know, when I could just work at the Dairy Queen in my home town.  And I love Disney, but the work did not look like great professional experience; it looked like WORK.  I am sure there are applicants who get more internship-like or career-specific experience, but despite the overwhelmingly positive comments from people who were actually in the program, I did not get the appeal.  Also, the kids pay a good bit for their lodging and meals, so I don't think they clear nearly as much as they would working the same job in their home towns and living with the 'rents.  Regardless, the students we talked to seemed very happy to be there.  Certainly none of them had to strike up conversations with us and try to recruit my ear-wearing Disney fan, so they did it because they genuinely love the program.  Go figure!

There was a thread on it recently at College Confidential, in one of the parent forums.

This.  My friend's dd did this program.  I could not understand why.  She is interested in some kind of law career.  She was working in a gift shop, or I think it was a gift cart, out in the heat.  How is that relevant professional experience?  She was paid like minimum wage and had to pay for her lodging and food in some workers' dorm, so the net pay is really almost nothing.  The jobs I heard about seemed to be what you describe - serve burgers, work at carts, run rides, dress up as characters.  Very normal summer jobs that without the Disney name would be considered crappy and very much non-resume building.  But Disney.  Sorry, not impressed.  Apparently for some people that keeps the stars in their eyes, but I don't get it.

My friend's dd ended up quitting the program partway through, as - guess what - it was a crappy, low-paid job that had nothing to do with her intended career.   Maybe if you want a job in retail, food service, or entertainment.  The ESPN thing sounds like it might be a different angle.   But what is described above and what my friend's dd did sounds to me like trading the Disney name to dazzle college students into working... amusement park jobs.

My dd had a job at a local amusement park when she was 16.  Same exact work, but she got to live at home rent-free at least.

Edited January 18, 2020 by Matryoshka

[katilac]

3 hours ago, Matryoshka said:

The jobs I heard about seemed to be what you describe - serve burgers, work at carts, run rides, dress up as characters.  Very normal summer jobs that without the Disney name would be considered crappy and very much non-resume building.  But Disney.  Sorry, not impressed.  Apparently for some people that keeps the stars in their eyes, but I don't get it.

 

"Disney college program" is very resume building. 

From what I understand, participants also have the chance (maybe are required?) to take Disney classes, workshops, and seminars. 

Networking. 

[...................]

Maybe there are two different programs?  From my understanding (having lived in FL and had a lot of young people I know consider this) I thought the college program wasn't just a regular paid job but included classes, training, and was huge for networking...??  And for some reason I thought the Disney College kids weren't flipping burgers but doing more of the meet and greet type stuff or selling things. IDK

Edited January 18, 2020 by Calming Tea

[DawnM]

5 hours ago, Calming Tea said:

Maybe there are two different programs?  From my understanding (having lived in FL and had a lot of young people I know consider this) I thought the college program wasn't just a regular paid job but included classes, training, and was huge for networking...??  And for some reason I thought the Disney College kids weren't flipping burgers but doing more of the meet and greet type stuff or selling things. IDK

 

There seem to be a few options on the website.

[Chris in VA]

My friend's daughter loved the program so much she continued in it. I think she was in it for two years. She now works there, doing basically what she did before, only now with a college degree. 

[Lanny]

22 hours ago, DawnM said:

 

Oh, yes,  he is only a sophomore.  There is plenty of time.  We knew if he went into engineering it would be a min. of a 5 year program, probably more like 6, because he didn't have the high school coursework and AP classes many did.  Online it says "if you didn't take X and Y or this AP class and pass the test, etc.....the engineering program will be a minimum of 5 years."   

This goes against what many here think, but we do not have a timeline.  We don't have unlimited funds, but we aren't pushing our kids to finish in 4 years.  

He isn't changing this semester.  He has asked that he can continue to look into engineering while he considers what to do and if he wants to pursue it.  So we are good for now.  

The career counseling center isn't the place to go.  He has met with his advisor and I have talked to him quite a bit.

As far as internships and jobs.......I am not sure what you are saying.  He is looking for things for June and/or September.  It is only January.  There is plenty of time.  Deadlines for most things we have looked at is late February for June opportunities and late April for September opportunities.

What I meant by "what he is willing to do" had mostly to do with the Disney College Program.  He loves Disney and enjoys it overall, so he is more open to things there, however, standing outside 10 hours a day in 115 degree heat doesn't interest him.  He did really like the idea of working for ESPN in the digital media or broadcasting end of things though.

And he has been presented with a possible opportunity to go teach guitar to kids at camp in Seattle, so we are talking that through as well.

 

Questions: If he does go for Engineering, does he know which discipline he  is interested in?  One of my concerns, with experience in both Aerospace and Commercial  projects,   with what you have explained is that if he eventually graduates with a B.S. in Engineering, Recruiters are going to look at the time he took to get the degree and  wonder about the Rigor of his time in the university. It will show them perseverance, but not much rigor.

Also, at this time, his interests seem to point in the other direction, away from the School/College of Engineering.

My DD is at UNC and she applied as "Undeclared" or "Undecided" and a lot of students do that and that reduces some of the stress for students who don't know when they are in High School what they want to Major in. 

One of the issues with Engineering and other STEM Majors is that, yes, there are lots of courses with prerequisites, so that does make it tougher to graduate in 4 years with a B.S. degree, assuming one comes in with the proper Math and Science courses from High School.

I am sad to read that you don't think the Career Center in his university is a good place for him to be, because I wonder if he could take a battery of tests, about his interests and abilities, if it might give him some confirmation, about one Major or another, or, give him some additional ideas. IMO, that would be $ well spent, if it helped him figure this out correctly.  The tests they give to people wanting to enlist in the military do that and I suspect they are pretty accurate, if the people answer the questions honestly.

To get back onto the Disney program, the young woman we spoke with was working inside one of the tiny stores. I believe she was very happy with her experience working at WDW. Sometimes, one can get experience that doesn't seem like a great fit for a resume,  doing something that seems absolutely unrelated and a  waste of time, but when doing an interview for a first or second job out of school, I can easily see a corporate recruiter  asking an applicant about their work-study experiences in school and responding,   "oh, I did that too" or "Disney was cool".  There must be more to the Disney College program than just standing outside in the heat and humidity all day in what would seem to be not such a great job to have. People upthread have mentioned "Networking".  There are other things that may come with going there and doing what they need to be done, as a participant in the Disney College    program.

Those are like the "holistic" things on a university application that nobody knows for sure why they admit one applicant and reject another applicant, with very similar  things in their background. One person can play the Saxophone and they need a Sax player for the band and that person is admitted?    \

Much good luck to your DS!    I have a cousin and a childhood friend who knew early on, (Junior High School) what they wanted to be when they grew up and that's what they did professionally during their working years. That makes it a lot easier. Now, there are so many more possible Majors to choose from. Even within the school/college of Engineering, there are many many Majors today that didn't exist a few years ago. The same is probably true in the school/college of Business.

[DawnM]

2 minutes ago, Lanny said:

 

Questions: If he does go for Engineering, does he know which discipline he  is interested in?  One of my concerns, with experience in both Aerospace and Commercial  projects,   with what you have explained is that if he eventually graduates with a B.S. in Engineering, Recruiters are going to look at the time he took to get the degree and  wonder about the Rigor of his time in the university. It will show them perseverance, but not much rigor.

Also, at this time, his interests seem to point in the other direction, away from the School/College of Engineering.

My DD is at UNC and she applied as "Undeclared" or "Undecided" and a lot of students do that and that reduces some of the stress for students who don't know when they are in High School what they want to Major in. 

One of the issues with Engineering and other STEM Majors is that, yes, there are lots of courses with prerequisites, so that does make it tougher to graduate in 4 years with a B.S. degree, assuming one comes in with the proper Math and Science courses from High School.

I am sad to read that you don't think the Career Center in his university is a good place for him to be, because I wonder if he could take a battery of tests, about his interests and abilities, if it might give him some confirmation, about one Major or another, or, give him some additional ideas. IMO, that would be $ well spent, if it helped him figure this out correctly.  The tests they give to people wanting to enlist in the military do that and I suspect they are pretty accurate, if the people answer the questions honestly.

To get back onto the Disney program, the young woman we spoke with was working inside one of the tiny stores. I believe she was very happy with her experience working at WDW. Sometimes, one can get experience that doesn't seem like a great fit for a resume,  doing something that seems absolutely unrelated and a  waste of time, but when doing an interview for a first or second job out of school, I can easily see a corporate recruiter  asking an applicant about their work-study experiences in school and responding,   "oh, I did that too" or "Disney was cool".  There must be more to the Disney College program than just standing outside in the heat and humidity all day in what would seem to be not such a great job to have. People upthread have mentioned "Networking".  There are other things that may come with going there and doing what they need to be done, as a participant in the Disney College    program.

Those are like the "holistic" things on a university application that nobody knows for sure why they admit one applicant and reject another applicant, with very similar  things in their background. One person can play the Saxophone and they need a Sax player for the band and that person is admitted?    \

Much good luck to your DS!    I have a cousin and a childhood friend who knew early on, (Junior High School) what they wanted to be when they grew up and that's what they did professionally during their working years. That makes it a lot easier. Now, there are so many more possible Majors to choose from. Even within the school/college of Engineering, there are many many Majors today that didn't exist a few years ago. The same is probably true in the school/college of Business.

 

The career center does not help with advising. That is an advising issues (classes/registration/making sure you get the right classes for your major) this is true at every Univ.  

He has taken the interest inventories and assessments, that is an entirely different thing.

He was interested in Mechanical Engineering.  It is a 5 year MIN program.  If he takes 6 years or 5 years and 2 summers, I don't think this will be a huge issue.  My uncle took 15 years to finish his Engineering degree (off and on) and has been a successful engineer for the past 25 years.  

I am just saying that I have never thought Engineering was his field.  It is fine.  College is a time to find your way.  He is not so set on Engineering that it will crush him to either not get in or to change his field.

Yes, I agree that sometimes doing just anything is beneficial, but he also doesn't want to do something he knows he will hate.

I really wasn't trying to ask anyone what my son should major in or what he should do for a living, I was just expressing what we have experienced with him so far.

[Lori D.]

3 hours ago, Lanny said:

I am sad to read that you don't think the Career Center in his university is a good place for him to be, because I wonder if he could take a battery of tests, about his interests and abilities, if it might give him some confirmation, about one Major or another, or, give him some additional ideas. IMO, that would be $ well spent, if it helped him figure this out correctly.  The tests they give to people wanting to enlist in the military do that and I suspect they are pretty accurate, if the people answer the questions honestly.

Not all community colleges or universities have "live" career centers. Many have shifted to a website with links to articles about career exploration and links to free online versions of tests. There are NO counselors to interpret results or consult with or to make suggestions out of their training and experience.

Several years back, I tried to find a career counselor in our city, which is not huge, but not small, either -- in makes the cut of top 50 most populous cities in the U.S. Apparently, that is just not "a thing" any more. There are "life coaches", but they are more geared towards helping you with goal setting or spiritual/emotional work, and not about career exploration tests and interpretation. I think you pretty much have to go with one of the online services now, and spend the big $$.

I also tried to find a way to have our homeschool group do some career testing by having someone administer the ASVAB Career Exploration test -- that is the high school career test version, NOT the military entrance exam -- no dice. I could not find a person who did that here.

??? Maybe I live in a "vacuum" city when it comes to career exploration and testing ??? (lol)

Edited January 19, 2020 by Lori D.

[Lanny]

Lori D   Thank you for that explanation. Much appreciated!     I marked it "Sad" because when I was in High School, I went to a very large, public university, that is very high on the totem pole. I paid for a battery of tests. It was helpful.  🙂  I think it was called a Career Testing Center or something close to that.

Today, there are so many more Majors than when I was in High School that it would be even more confusing.

Again, thank you for explaining that to me.  

[Lori D.]

21 minutes ago, Lanny said:

Lori D   Thank you for that explanation. Much appreciated!     I marked it "Sad" because when I was in High School, I went to a very large, public university, that is very high on the totem pole. I paid for a battery of tests. It was helpful.  🙂  I think it was called a Career Testing Center or something close to that.

Today, there are so many more Majors than when I was in High School that it would be even more confusing.

Again, thank you for explaining that to me.  

I know. Similarly, my public high school had a career/college counselor and we had more guidance.

But now, a huge number of high schools no longer can afford to have someone in that position, so there is NO guidance counselor. Or if they do, that one person is handling the AP / SAT / PSAT testing details, as well as college financial aid and scholarship info, as well as "how to apply for college", plus arranging for application letters of recommendation, and coordinating getting the student's transcripts, etc. -- for hundreds of students at the school. No way you can actually help a student find a career/college path geared specifically for that student when you are overseeing so many jobs. 😞 

In a way, that is the role I have somewhat stepped in to for our local homeschool support group, even though my own DSs graduated 8 and 9 years ago. I still have friends there, and I can't bear to see them flailing about trying to figure out all of the career and college aspects. And since I keep up on these boards, I still have fairly current information and access to resources -- so I try and help families as best as I can.

Edited January 19, 2020 by Lori D.

[Lanny]

Thank you again Lori D!   Cutting back (or eliminating) things like that, and Physical Education courses, is detrimental to the students. Very sad that has happened over the years.

I think when we attended the "School Fair" in Bogota (May 2018) at least one of the 4 universities that had sent a representative (UPenn, Duke, Georgetown and Harvard College) requires their undergraduates to enter as "Undeclared" or "Undecided" or something and choose a Major by the end of their Sophomore year.

My DD is in a university that operates like a LAC and DD has had at least one course, where prior to the course, she  had a possible interest in that as a career, and then after the introductory course, no way.  And this semester she is taking a course that surprised me, and she loves that one. 

[Lanny]

DawnM:   I Googled for Disney + College. There must be something more to this, that is not intuitively obvious, but  may be extremely beneficial to the  students who participate.  Is there more to it than the young woman we met who was  working inside one of the Gift Shops at WDW? Or college students doing other jobs? I suspect there is something more. What is it? This is the URL of their Home Page:

https://jobs.disneycareers.com/disney-college-program

When I   got the Google SERPs, there is a blurb that says it is a U.S. National Internship program.

The participants do get some college credits and they do get  paid an hourly rate and I believe they do need to pay for their lodging.

 

[DawnM]

UPDATE:

He has filled out the application, so we will see what comes of it!

[kristin0713]

My brother did this and so did his best friend.  They both had a blast, but my brother got fired halfway through for using his cell phone when  he was not supposed to.  They are very strict about not using phones on duty.  His job was an Animal Kingdom Safari driver/tour guide.  I can't remember what his best friend did but I believe it was a similar cast member job.  

[Lanny]

DawnM  that's wonderful.  They have classes and it is IMO a  very serious thing, not just getting cheap student labor to fill hard to fill positions in the parks.  I hope he will be accepted!  Good luck to him!

[daijobu]

I remember hearing about college internships for mechanical engineers.  These days they seem to be about software and ML:

Lucasfilm s/w engineer

Pixar computer graphics research

[RootAnn]

@DawnM Just to try force what you already said, I wouldn't be worried about how long it takes your son to finish his degree. Resumes can just list graduation date so it wouldn't likely be an issue. Plus, plenty of kids take longer than 5 yrs to get a degree, especially in engineering (since co-ops are common).

Great to hear the application is filled out!

[DawnM]

On 1/25/2020 at 6:44 PM, daijobu said:

I remember hearing about college internships for mechanical engineers.  These days they seem to be about software and ML:

Lucasfilm s/w engineer

Pixar computer graphics research

 

My best friend's son interned two summers in a row with NASA space center.  He loved it.

But my son is still "pre-engineering" with a strong bent to change his major at this point, so these are probably not for him.

[DawnM]

Ok, he made it through the online application.   And now he has made it through the online interview.  Next is the phone interview. 

I have read that there are 50,000 applicants for 12,000 positions, so we will see.

He watched several phone interview Youtube videos.  Most of them are girls.  Like 90% of them.  I am wondering how many male applicants they get percentage wise.

Edited January 27, 2020 by DawnM

[Lori D.]

11 hours ago, DawnM said:

Ok, he made it through the online application.   And now he has made it through the online interview.  Next is the phone interview. 
I have read that there are 50,000 applicants for 12,000 positions, so we will see.
He watched several phone interview Youtube videos.  Most of them are girls.  Like 90% of them.  I am wondering how many male applicants they get percentage wise.

Sounds like he has an extra good chance, being in the minority! 😄 

[DawnM]

1 hour ago, Lori D. said:

Sounds like he has an extra good chance, being in the minority! 😄 

 

Well, that is just what I am seeing on Youtube, it may just be that girls make more videos! But I am hoping it is in his favor.

[Lanny]

On 1/27/2020 at 6:37 AM, DawnM said:

Ok, he made it through the online application.   And now he has made it through the online interview.  Next is the phone interview. 

I have read that there are 50,000 applicants for 12,000 positions, so we will see.

He watched several phone interview Youtube videos.  Most of them are girls.  Like 90% of them.  I am wondering how many male applicants they get percentage wise.

 

If the majority of applicants are females and they are interested in diversity, being a male is a "plus" for him.  If the numbers you showed, applicants vs positions, are close to accurate, those are pretty good odds.

Good luck to him!

 

[DawnM]

On 1/18/2020 at 9:30 AM, Matryoshka said:

This.  My friend's dd did this program.  I could not understand why.  She is interested in some kind of law career.  She was working in a gift shop, or I think it was a gift cart, out in the heat.  How is that relevant professional experience?  She was paid like minimum wage and had to pay for her lodging and food in some workers' dorm, so the net pay is really almost nothing.  The jobs I heard about seemed to be what you describe - serve burgers, work at carts, run rides, dress up as characters.  Very normal summer jobs that without the Disney name would be considered crappy and very much non-resume building.  But Disney.  Sorry, not impressed.  Apparently for some people that keeps the stars in their eyes, but I don't get it.

My friend's dd ended up quitting the program partway through, as - guess what - it was a crappy, low-paid job that had nothing to do with her intended career.   Maybe if you want a job in retail, food service, or entertainment.  The ESPN thing sounds like it might be a different angle.   But what is described above and what my friend's dd did sounds to me like trading the Disney name to dazzle college students into working... amusement park jobs.

My dd had a job at a local amusement park when she was 16.  Same exact work, but she got to live at home rent-free at least.

 

My son isn't doing it for "stars in his eyes."  Disney has always been a place we enjoy, and what I really like about it is that there is a set program.  You don't need to go out and find a place to live, it is all set up.  You may work a mundane job you could have gotten locally, but you get to be at a great place to do it.  There are classes, seminars, etc....geared towards furthering information about all kinds of things.

I see it a bit like going to college and living at home vs. going to college and living in the dorm.   It is a completely different experience.  

[DawnM]

I did find out that the ESPN internship was for Juniors, Seniors, and grad students, so he doesn't qualify just yet.

[DawnM]

On 1/28/2020 at 8:51 AM, Lanny said:

 

If the majority of applicants are females and they are interested in diversity, being a male is a "plus" for him.  If the numbers you showed, applicants vs positions, are close to accurate, those are pretty good odds.

Good luck to him!

 

 

I highly doubt the odds are 9 to 1, but I did find it interesting that most of the Youtube videos were female.  I tried to find out the stats but couldn't.