📝 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.