Cooperative Education - Mount Vernon Campus

Work Based Learning

Click the links below to learn more about Cooperative Education at SVC

Cooperative Education (Co-op Ed) helps students apply classroom knowledge and theory to practical work situations via a paid or volunteer employment position that is related to the student's classroom study, educational, and career goals. The Cooperative Education program is a requirement for all students who earn an Associate in Technical Arts Degree.

Value for Students

Student benefits from a good Co-op Ed experience...

Enhances classroom learning by integrating academic curriculum and real-world occupational experience.
Confirms or redirects students' career decision-making through on-the-job experience in a chosen field.
Improves job opportunities by giving students valuable work experience and contact with potential future employers.
Teaches valuable job-search skills such as career assessment, resume writing and interviewing techniques.
Encourages completion of college for all students - from top performers to traditionally non-college bound students - by linking school to work and by providing networking links to future careers.

Value for Employers

A Cooperative Education intern at your business can benefit you by:

Providing an excellent pool of well-prepared employees.
Improving your hiring process by using actual on-the-job performance as a basis for permanent hiring decisions.
Increasing cost-effectiveness of recruitment and training.� Employers can save costs to identify and train personnel.
Improving workforce diversity through access to minority students for permanent employment.
Enhancing human resource flexibility with effective short-term employees.
Strengthening company relations with colleges and students.

How Do I Get Started?

To complete your Cooperative Education class requirement, you must:

Get permission from your Faculty Chair or sponsor
Determine the number of credits you'll need (Your academic or faculty advisor can help you.)
Contact the Co-op Ed Coordinator for an Access Entry Code to register for the class
Register for the appropriate class. Ensure the desired number of credits is selected
Complete the Online Orientation or schedule an appointment with the Co-op Ed Coordinator
Find a suitable paid or unpaid internship placement on or off campus
Complete a Learning Contract with the employer and turn it in to the Co-op Ed Coordinator
Create and submit your Learning Objectives for the quarter
Begin working for your Co-op Ed employer do a good job
Complete the reflective writing component(s) of your Co-op Ed experience
Complete and turn in all necessary forms and assignments by the published due dates

These steps apply to the following professional/technical program majors (AT 199, BMT-199, CAHM 199, CIS 199, CJ-199, DSL 199, ECE-199, ENVC 199, MIT-199, OFTEC 199, WT 199, etc.) at the Mount Vernon campus.

ET, FIRE, HSERV, & PARLG students should consult with their respective faculty about their Cooperative Education requirements.

Whidbey Island students should contact the Whidbey Island Co-op Ed Coordinator for specific instructions.

How many hours do I need to work?

The general requirement is 50 work hours per credit for Cooperative Education. These hours can be obtained at the selected work site or can be reduced by participating in the Weekly Online Seminar.

Most students have two credit options for fulfilling Co-op Ed requirements:

- 30 hours of work per credit WITH participation in the weekly Online Seminar.

- 50 hours of work per credit WITHOUT the Online Seminar.

30 Hours/Credit Option: One credit is awarded for every 30 hours of work during the academic quarter. For example, a student taking a three-credit Co-op199 class must work 90 hours over a 10-week academic quarter. That averages to nine work hours per week. Students choosing this option must also participate in the weekly online seminar facilitated by the Co-op Ed Coordinator via Blackboard.

50 Hours/Credit Option: One credit is awarded for every 50 hours of work during the academic quarter. For example, a student taking a three-credit Co-op 199 class must work 150 hours over an 10-week quarter. That averages to 5 work hours per week. Students choosing this option are not required to participate in the online seminar. Instead, they will submit a mid-term paper about their work experience.

Finding Your Internship

Cooperative Education Students must find their own work placements.

The skills needed to find your Co-op Ed job site are the same as those you will need to secure a paying employment position when you are ready to begin your new or next career. Our Career Services Department is ready to provide you with tools and assistance to find your work placement. Here are some tips to help you get started:

Talk to your faculty: They have many contacts in the business community and can often provide you with great ideas and suggestions to find a place to work.

Find a company you'd like to work for: Check the yellow pages and ask other students, friends or associates to suggest good places for you to learn your trade. Once you find an organization you'd like to work for, contact them for an informational interview. Tell them you are a college student looking for a chance to demonstrate and fine-tune some classroom skills in a real-world work setting. Ask for an interview to discuss how you might be able to work as an intern, exchanging your skills and knowledge to help their business for college credits needed to complete your degree or certificate.

Register in Cardinal Career Connect: Many Skagit Valley companies use this system to post internships.

Talk to the Cooperative Education Coordinator: He can provide you with help in your job-search techniques, offer advice and possibly refer you to businesses seeking interns in your career area.

Since finding your job site is your responsibility, begin the process as early as possible and keep accurate lists of contacts, references and referrals. And share them with your fellow students by networking effectively!

Contact the Co-op Ed Coordinator

Jim Jolly, Co-op Ed Coordinator - MV Campus

Counseling & Career Center, Gary Knutzen Cardinal Center

2405 East College Way

Mount Vernon, WA 98273-5899

Phone: (360) 416-7684

Email: James.Jolly@skagit.edu

FAX: (360) 416-7676

To make an appointment call (360) 416-7654

Useful Websites and Links

Jim's Favorite Web Links

SVC Career Services - Link to your Career Services Team

Cardinal Career Connect - SVC's Online Job & Intership Board

Quintessential Careers - Top-rated Job Search Strategies Website

Washington Occupational Information System - Information About Jobs & Career Search Info

Washington Workforce Explorer - Local Labor Market Info

WorkSource - Job Listings

LinkedIn.com - Preferred Social "Professional Career" Networking Site

Find the Counseling & Career Center

Career Center Entrance with Tiled Floor and Brick Walls

Counseling & Career Center - MV Campus

Gary Knutzen Cardinal Center Building

Quote bubble that reads: What I hear, I conceptualize. What I read, I understand. But what I do, becomes a part of who I am.

Finding Your Internship

Finding a place to perform your Cooperative Education experience can be the most challenging step in completing yor degree program. You'll need the very same skills you would use to find any job to find your internship. If your skills could stand some improvement, contact the nice people in Career Services, who can give you tips on where to look, creating an effective resume, preparing for a job interview and more. Located in the Counseling & Career Center on the Mount Vernon campus, we're with you every step of the way! Call (360) 416-7654 for an appointment.