Internship

The Internship

Internship provides students with the opportunity to explore a particular career interest, develop important workplace competencies, apply new skills they have learned, develop their English skills (and in some cases, their native language skills) in a professional work environment, and grow in confidence and maturity.

The Internship Schedule

Internship runs for approximately twelve weeks, from late February to late May. The students are required to work twelve hours per week in the afternoons. Most students work on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 1 to 4 PM, but a modified schedule can be arranged if those hours are not compatible with the needs of the internship site.

The Role of the Mentor

The internship mentor trains the intern to fulfill the requirements of the job and provides orientation to the workplace and that particular career field. The mentor treats the intern as a member of the team and holds the intern to the same level of accountability as the other employees. The mentor ensures that the intern meets his/her responsibilities to the organization and provides the intern with valuable experiences from which to learn. The mentor will be asked to assess the intern’s progress in a brief evaluation form at the midpoint and at the end of the internship semester.

The Role of the Intern

In exchange for mentoring, the student provides the institution with reliable service. The intern is expected to be prompt, to be at internship every day that he/she is scheduled, to inform the mentor in advance if he/she will be absent, to follow through on instructions, to show initiative, and to maintain a positive attitude. The intern is expected to use the internship as a learning experience, and to observe, ask questions, and complete extensive school assignments related to internship.

The Role of the Advisor

The internship advisor is the teacher who meets twice weekly with the interns in an Internship Seminar course. The advisor maintains regular contact with the mentor by telephone and at least two site visits during the course of the internship. The site visits allow the advisor to confer with the mentor and the intern about the student’s progress at internship and about the internship-related assignments and projects being completed for school. In addition, the advisor mediates any problems or difficulties that may arise during the course of internship.

The Internship Seminar

Prior to beginning internship, students study various aspects of the world of work. Curricular components include:

• Self-Exploration: What are my interests, talents, and skills?
• Career Research
• Resume Writing
• Interview Skills
• Time Management
• Work Ethic and Job Responsibility
• Workplace Etiquette
• Cooperation, Communication, and Conflict Resolution
• Inquiry and Reflection

Once internship begins, Internship Seminar becomes a forum for students to discuss and reflect on various aspects of their internship experiences. In Internship Seminar, the students develop projects related to the work done at their internship sites.