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, résumé 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.
        
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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.
          
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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.
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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: 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.

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!

 Interim - Yadira Rosales - MV Campus Counseling & Career Center, Gary Knutzen Cardinal Center
2405 East College Way
Mount Vernon, WA 98273-5899
Phone: (360) 416-7838
Email: Yadira.Rosales@skagit.edu

FAX: (360) 416-7676
To make an appointment call (360) 416-7654

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

Counseling & Career Center - MV Campus