| 📝 User Guide: Virtual Internship Simulator with AI Chatbot | |
| 1. Introduction | |
| The Virtual Internship Simulator by Shift Mind AI Labs is a privacy-first, open-source, browser-based tool that enables students to immerse themselves in authentic, AI-supported internship experiences. It provides a safe environment for exploring diverse career roles, receiving instant feedback, and reflecting on learning—all without any data leaving the user’s device. | |
| 2. How to Use the Simulator | |
| A. Getting Started | |
| Access the Simulator: | |
| Open the web app in your browser (no installation or login required). | |
| Select a Career Role: | |
| Choose from a list of 18+ diverse professional roles (e.g., STEM, healthcare, business, arts, sustainability), or define your own custom internship role for a fully personalized experience. | |
| Set Up Your Internship Profile: | |
| Input your experience level, learning objectives, and select your desired challenge or difficulty setting. | |
| This information helps the AI tailor tasks and mentorship to your background. | |
| Enter Your OpenAI API Key: | |
| For AI-powered feedback and chatbot support, you must enter your OpenAI API key. | |
| Note: Your key and all data remain private—stored only in your browser’s local storage. | |
| B. Completing Your Internship | |
| Work Through Internship Tasks: | |
| Progress through a sequence of realistic, profession-specific tasks. | |
| For each task, read the scenario and submit your written response or solution. | |
| Receive Instant AI Feedback: | |
| After submitting, receive constructive, context-aware feedback from the AI mentor powered by GPT-4o-mini. | |
| Use this feedback to revise or reflect on your approach. | |
| Use the Built-in AI Chatbot: | |
| At any point, click the chat bubble to ask the AI for advice, clarification, or suggestions on your task or career role. | |
| The chatbot offers guidance, brainstorming, and encouragement. | |
| Visualize Your Growth: | |
| Upon completing all tasks, the simulator displays your Skill Radar—a visual summary of your strengths and growth across key professional skills. | |
| Earn digital badges for milestones, such as completing internships or demonstrating core competencies. | |
| Reflect on Your Experience: | |
| Complete the guided reflection section to deepen your learning and self-awareness. | |
| Receive AI-generated advice on possible next steps, career development, and skills to improve. | |
| Download or Save Your Results: | |
| Download your final evaluation, badges, and reflections for your portfolio or career planning. | |
| Start a New Internship (Optional): | |
| Restart the process at any time to explore a new role or revisit skills. | |
| 3. How This Tool Supports Educators | |
| A. Curriculum Integration | |
| Career Readiness: | |
| Seamlessly embeds career exploration and readiness into existing curricula, STEM programs, humanities, or PBL units. | |
| Assessment: | |
| Enables authentic assessment of problem-solving, communication, and critical thinking through student task responses and AI feedback. | |
| Differentiation: | |
| Students can select roles that match their interests, or design their own, supporting personalized and meaningful learning. | |
| Safe & Private: | |
| No account or login required; no personal data is collected or transmitted, making it safe for school use. | |
| Reflection & Portfolios: | |
| Final reflections, feedback, and badges can be used as evidence in digital portfolios or for parent-teacher conferences. | |
| B. Suggested Teacher Activities | |
| Assign students specific career roles aligned with curriculum themes or student interests. | |
| Use internship reflections as part of end-of-unit assessments. | |
| Facilitate class discussions comparing different internship experiences. | |
| Encourage students to set personal learning goals and track progress using their skill radar. | |
| 4. How This Tool Benefits Students | |
| Authentic, Hands-On Experience: | |
| Simulates real-world job tasks, challenges, and scenarios, building confidence and readiness for the future workforce. | |
| Personalized Mentorship: | |
| AI feedback and chat provide individualized guidance, mirroring real workplace mentorship. | |
| Self-Directed Learning: | |
| Students take ownership of their career exploration—choosing roles, setting goals, and reflecting on their growth. | |
| Skill Recognition: | |
| Badges and visualizations reward progress and can be shared in portfolios or on resumes. | |
| Career Reflection: | |
| Encourages self-assessment, growth mindset, and proactive career planning. | |
| 5. Best Practices & Tips | |
| API Key Management: | |
| Remind students to keep their OpenAI key private and never share it with others. | |
| Iteration: | |
| Encourage students to try multiple roles, compare experiences, and use feedback for continuous improvement. | |
| Reflection: | |
| Use the built-in reflection prompts for deeper classroom or small-group discussions about skills, challenges, and career interests. | |
| Portfolio Building: | |
| Have students save or print their internship evaluations and badges for ongoing career readiness documentation. |