Black Collegian Career Center

You can turn yourself into one of the most attractive candidates on the job market and place yourself in a highly competitive posture if you have some type work experiences. In fact, many companies who recruit college graduates will not even consider for an interview a student who has not participated in an internship or cooperative education program.

Applied learning programs such as internships and cooperative education programs (co-op) combine your academic learning with supervised practical experience and serves as a bridge from the classroom to the workplace. In other words, you’ll have the opportunity to apply what you’ve learned in the classroom in a professional work environment before graduating from college.

There are distinct differences between the two programs. Cooperative education is a professional development program that enables you to alternate sessions of full-time paid employment with sessions of on-campus study. You will have to extend your education to a five-year curriculum to accommodate an alternating schedule. Internships, on the other hand, allows you to earn academic credit and work experience on a semester by semester basis, and offer the flexibility that allows you to graduate with a four-year period.

To benefit from these programs, you need to start with the end in mind, and decide which program is best for you. Even though both types of programs give you an edge after graduation, you need to judge the programs based on what you will get out of your participation.

Internships fall into two categories, academic and non-academic. To receive academic credit, you must make sure that the work is associated with your major and that all parties, including the university, the employer, and you, agree to the terms. The institution usually determines whether your academic credit will be based upon a prescribed number of hours or post-internship reports describing your experience. A non-academic internship is a two-party agreement between you and the employer. You may receive relevant work experience, but no academic credits. Credited or not, internships have proven to be an important aspect of a sound education, a fact that Mark Oldman, co-author of two best sellers, The Internship Bible and America’s Top Internships, can’t stress enough. He says, "The days of viewing internships as an optional enhancement to you academic record is over. It is an essential component of your collegiate experience."

"When an employer sees that you have done an internship, it indicates that you have gained exposure to a particular industry. More importantly, it shows that you have the office skills and soft skills, such as how to be professional, and how not to step on toes when carrying out work assignments. These are things you can only learn on a job," Oldman said.

Extensive on-the-job training is offered through cooperative education programs. You must complete a certain amount of curriculum prior to beginning a co-op assignment because you are involved in work that is directly related to your field of studies, and you are expected to perform in tandem with professional counterparts.

Co-op students can choose from several plans to work either part-time or full-time. The most popular is called the alternating plan which allows you to alternate semesters of full-time study with semesters of full-time work. At least two work terms are required with this plan. The "half and half plan" or the parallel plan involves part-time work and part-time study. Then, there’s the summer plan which is similar to an internship because you work during the summer and are given the option to return a second work period.

One of the most distinguishing features between a co-op program and an internship is the pay. Co-op employers are encouraged to pay students a fair wage for the work they perform. You can expect to earn between $15,000 to $25,000 a year depending on the field of study and the amount of hours worked.

According to Nancy Evans (right), director of The University of Texas at Austin Engineering Career Assistance Program, "Many students use the income from their co-op assignments to offset the cost of their college tuition. Employers like to use students who are "in the pipeline" toward becoming a full-time hire."

"There is no question that graduates will have many more employment opportunities if they have co-op or internship experience," she said. "Companies want students who are able to hit the ground running, and they are willing to pay attractive wages to those who bring a certain level of expertise."

Internships and co-op programs both are experience builders that allow you to see a more direct relationship between a college major and full-time employment. The number of opportunities to participate in applied learning programs has increased over the years and the surge is expected to continue well past the start of the new millennium.

"Right now, there is an explosion of opportunities in the technology and internet areas," Oldman said. "Students are chomping at the bit to work in these fields."

He, along with his partner Samer Hamadeh, have been studying internship programs since 1992. They are founders of Vault.Reports.com, a career web site for internships and job seekers. Vault. Reports.com’s 1999 Internship Survey reported that

81 percent of the 1,023 college seniors surveyed completed an internship by graduation, and 66 percent participated in two or more internships prior to graduating.

In general, you’ll be better prepared to enter the world of work after you’ve participated in an internship or co-op program. Finding the right program to meet your needs can be very difficult. Here are a few tips to help you select an internship or co-op program that’s right for you:

• Before you start, ask yourself, what do you want from an experiential work opportunity? Never let your decision be based on money. Instead, consider how the internship or co-op program relates to your academic interests and goals.
• Meet with your academic advisor to examine your transcript to make sure your GPA meets the eligibility requirements. Your advisor can also help you determine if you can add work hours to your class schedule.
• Visit the career center for assistance in preparing materials for the application process including resume, cover letters, transcripts, special application forms if necessary, and recommendations. Depending on your field, you may also need writing samples and/or a portfolio.

You can also obtain assistance through INROADS, Inc., a non-profit organization that recruits minority high school and college students for participation in programs offered by companies in the United States and other countries. "Unlike other intern programs offered, INROADS has a national network that matches companies with students," explained Angela Johnson-White, (right) managing director of INROADS, Inc. in San Diego. "There is a development process to move you from student to full-time corporate employee."

"The key to making a student’s college experience successful is being able to bridge the theoretical learning with the job experience. They become more competitive because they have experienced corporate America and know what it is all about," Johnson-White added.

There are several places you can go to seek out internship and co-op opportunities. A good place to start is on campus. First, check out the job listings posted in your academic department or career center. The library has a wealth of information including career books, national listings printed in books, and data focusing on a certain field. Your college alumni association can provide you a list of alumni who are currently working in your specific area of interest. Call or write alumni to find out if they are aware of any co-op/internship opportunities. Using the Internet is one of the most convenient methods to research information. More and more, companies are posting career information and listing employment opportunities on the Internet.

Once you select the type of program you want to pursue, take an equal amount of time researching prospective employers. Before committing to an internship or co-op program you need to clarify certain aspects of your assignment. Find out what’s expected of you, the type of supervision/and or mentoring you will receive, and if you will be paid or given academic credit.

More employers are actively recruiting on campuses to seek out students with internship/co-op experience. Companies improve their personnel selection process because now, they can use actual on-the-job performance as a basis for permanent hiring decisions.

On the other hand, your participation in an internship or co-op program does not guarantee a job, but you will be prepared to compete in the marketplace. There are many other benefits you can reap from your internship and/or co-op experience.

For more information about internship and co-op programs, contact your career development office, or call/write:

National Commission for Cooperative Education
360 Huntington Ave., 384CP
Boston, MA 02115-5096
Phone: (617) 373-3770
Website: http://www.co-op.edu

The National Society for Experiential Education
1703 No. Beauregard St.
Alexandria, VA 22311
Phone: (703) 575-5475
Website: http://www.nsee.org

The Institute for Experimental Learning
1901 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Suite 707
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: (202) 833-8580
Website: http://www.ielnet.org

INROADS, Inc.
100 Peachtree Street, Suite 345
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: (404) 586-0352
Website: http://www.inroadsinc.org

"The Internship Bible"
Mark Oldman and Samer Hamadeh

America’s Top Internships
Mark Oldman and Samer Hamadeh

Linedda Cates-McIver is a contributing writer for the Times-Picayune newspaper in New Orleans. She is also the communications coordinator for New Orleans Public Schools.