INTERNSHIPS

An internship is any career-related work experience of limited duration that provides students an opportunity to gain experience before they graduate, while earning credit hours. The student works in a professional setting under the supervision of at least one practicing professional. Positions may or may not be paid. Students who do internships may work during the fall, spring or summer terms.

Benefits of an Internship

·         Personally: Boost your maturity and self-confidence; improve your communication and interaction skills; prepare for life after graduation; gain a greater clarity about your career.

·         Academically: Integrate classroom theory with real-life experiences; understand the relevance of your course work; increase your motivation to learn; use resources that are not available on campus.

·         Professionally: Explore a potential career field; develop career-related skills and abilities, including effective job search, resumé writing and interviewing techniques; establish a work history; observe professional people and behavior; build a network of professional contacts; gain a competitive edge for employment or graduate school admission.

·         Financially: (most co-op & internship placements are paid) Subsidize tuition costs.

Internship Eligibility Requirements

The student must:

·         Be in good university standing

·         Have completed freshman-level courses

·         Have at least a 2.0 minimum cumulative GPA and full-time student status

·         Check directly with their department for specific minimum work periods

·         Register with the Office of Career Services

·         Speak with internship coordinator about locating possible internship and co-op opportunities

·         Have résumé critiqued/reviewed by the Office of Career Services

·         Contact professors regarding letters of recommendations

·         Request official transcript

·         Complete application. Make sure that you pay attention to the DEADLINE

·         Have application reviewed by the Office of Career Services

WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR IN AN INTERNSHIP?

Questions to Ask Yourself

Before you begin to search for internship opportunities, ask yourself this question – what is your mission? What do you hope to gain from your internship experience:

·         A basis for a decision on an academic major?

·         To “try out” a particular career field?

·         To acquire broad exposure to an industry?

·         To develop specific skills?

·         To gain professional experience and a competitive edge?

Your mission could be one or any combination of the above, or something different. But it’s important that you are clear about why you are pursuing an internship. Once you have outlined your goals, think of ways you could realistically achieve them through an internship. Your focus will be essential in identifying appropriate internship opportunities and in cultivating a satisfying and rewarding internship experience.

Internship Listings will be managed via WSSU Career Services Link. You will need to specify if:

·         You are interested in viewing and applying for internship opportunities (paid, unpaid, for experience and/or academic credit) that are available on the Career Services link Internships.com.

·         You would like to interview on campus with companies that schedule interviews for internship positions.

CO-OPS

A co-op is a structured educational strategy integrating classroom studies with learning through productive work experiences in a field related to a student's academic or career goals. It provides progressive experiences in integrating theory and practice. A co-op is a paid work experience in a professional setting. Students who do co-ops may work during the fall, spring, or summer terms.

Co-op Eligibility Requirements

The student must:

·         Be in good university standing

·         Have completed sophomore-level courses

·         Have a 2.5 minimum cumulative GPA and full-time student status

·         Check directly with their departments for specific minimum work periods

If You Have an Internship or Co-op

• Request a job description from your supervisor
• Complete Student Learning Contract
• REGISTER for the co-op/internship course
• RETURN co-op/internship contract to the Office of Career Services and pick up Mid-term/Final Reports
• Make sure that you turn in your reports on time!
• Make sure that your supervisor turns in the Mid-term/Final Evaluations on time!