Internships are a great training and testing ground for both the employer and the student. Internships and co-ops may vary in academic credit offered, types of supervision, mentoring you receive, length of your work appointment, and the amount of learning you will do. The program lets you work for an employer to gain valuable work experience that relates to your major.

How do I find an internship or co-operative education or experiential education experience?

• Jefferson Community & Technical College Students - Apply for one of the Internship, Co-op or Experiential Education Program . The Mentor Program also provides an excellent opportunity to learn about careers.

What do you need to keep in mind when considering where to do an internship or co-op?

• Paid vs.Unpaid
  Usually internships are unpaid and a co-op education experience is paid.. These internships or co-ops can offer valuable work experiences and networking opportunities. These connections, training, and an understanding of the field can make the lack of pay less significant. Regardless of whether the internships are paid, check with your academic advisor to ensure you will receive academic credit for your work. Make sure you contact your academic advisor as soon as possible so that you have enough time to receive approval and to complete the appropriate paperwork.
  
• Term-Time or Summertime
  Some internships or co-ops are offered all year around. Others may be offered during the summertime. Organizations want to ensure that they have enough work to keep students busy and do not want students to compromise the quality of their academics while interning so summertime may be a better time to enroll in an internship or co-op. It is important to plan. Do not wait until the end of the spring term to think about a summer internship or co-op. Be prepared. Begin networking with employers during the fall semester and early spring semester. In some cases, employers interview for internships or co-ops a full year in advance.

How do you benefit ?

• You gain career-related experience
• You have the opportunity in the work place to explore your career options
• Make job contacts for future employment opportunities and references
• Develop your professional skills to enhance your resume

How can you make the most of your internship or co-op experience?

1. Be responsible. Show up on time, dress appropriately, work hard, and limit the amount of time you spend socializing.
2. Take initiative. If you do not have enough to work on, tell your supervisor you are ready to take on additional work. Volunteer for projects and ask to attend seminars or sit in on meetings (when appropriate). If there is something you want to do, ask.
3. Be self-sufficient. Impress your supervisor by completing your projects on time and doing them well. However, don't assume you know everything. If you knew everything already, you wouldn't need an internship.
4. Observe the company culture. A company's atmosphere can reflect the industry as a whole and your clue as to whether a career in the field is right for you. What kind of hours are employees working? Do people work together or separately? Do employees look stressed?
5. Network. Interact with coworkers whenever possible. Ask them how they got their jobs, what they do, and what kind of training they have. Also, find out what people think are the current trends in their industry, what books you should read, or what articles will tell you more about the industry.
6. Use your experience to land a job. If you want to work for the company after you graduate, stay in touch with your contacts. Even if you do not pursue a position with the company, the contacts you made during the experience can serve as references. Keep copies of presentations, articles, etc that highlight your internship experience. It will set you apart from applicants with no on-the-job experience.

Eligibility ( new )

• You must have completed 12 credit hours with a GPA of 2.0 or above
• Have completed an application, resume, and submitted two faculty recommendations

Related Links

• Internship Timeline
• Locating and Applying For Internships