INTERNSHIP INSTRUCTOR GUIDELINES
FOR
IMPLEMENTING/SUPERVISING INTERNSHIP COURSES
As adapted from Internship, a project conducted by
Athens Technical Institute.
Internship Objectives
1.To provide the opportunity for students to obtain practical experience and acquire references and mentors needed for future employment.
2.To allow students to apply skills they developed on campus in a practical setting, thereby providing a connection between theory and practice, or "bridging the gap" between education and work.
3.To provide guidance to students as they make the transition from classroom student to student-trainee and then to employee.
4.To provide students the opportunity to learn more about themselves as they relate to their chosen occupation or profession, i.e. identify their strengths and weaknesses, test their values and personal goals, arrive at decisions about the relationship of their jobs to other parts of their lives, develop a sense of responsibility and self-confidence, and acquaint themselves with the demands, rewards and opportunities associated with work.
5.To establish a network of communication between Central Georgia Technical College and the occupation for the purpose of acquiring feedback concerning changing technology and the quality of training needed for future employees.
6.To establish an CGTC public relations vehicle for business and industrial support which provides rewards in areas such as job placement, student recruitment, reference professionals in the field, input for improved instruction, training on specialized equipment, and community and political support.
7.To provide employers the opportunity to participate in the training of potential future employees.
8.To provide a well-trained student with the skills, knowledge, and attitude needed for successful employment in the occupation
9.To enable employers to become more aware of the training available at Central Georgia Technical College.
10.To keep the curricula up-to-date and more responsive to changing technology within the service area based on feedback from the affiliating agencies and the student trainees.
Internship General Guidelines
To ensure quality training, certain policies, procedures, and guidelines are necessary. Although each student's internship will be managed individually according to regulations within the program enrolled, the following guidelines will apply to all Central Georgia Technical College students enrolled in any internship courses, except in the health occupations programs.
Central Georgia Technical College's internship is referred to by different names throughout the programs. Although internship is the most commonly used name for the courses, practicum and OBI (Occupational-Based Instruction) titles are also found in some programs. Programs at Central Georgia Technical College which do not have an internship requirement within the State approved curricula may offer Internship under the DIS 150 - Directed Individual Study course as an elective.
The internship is an organized and planned experience in a business, institution, or agency for the purpose of allowing students to demonstrate their acquired skills in an environment not available in a classroom/lab setting. The experience students receive during the internship helps facilitate the transition from school to work, provides work experience needed to assist in a job search, produces references and professional contacts in the occupational field, and encourages good work habits. Employers who participate receive the opportunity to observe potential employees and become familiar with the programs' curricula. The technical institute receives valuable feedback from business/industry regarding trends in technology and manpower needs.
The internship program at Central Georgia Technical College varies in length according to the State Standards in each program. The internship is scheduled toward the end of a student's program of study and is coordinated by the internship instructor and the employer. A job-site supervisor is appointed by the employer and is responsible for overseeing the student's job performance.
The internship instructor makes periodic visits to the internship site to check the student's progress and discuss performance and/or problem areas. The student is given additional assignments and weekly reports by the internship instructor to document the hours required and to assist in the process of teaching desirable work habits.
Grades are assessed based on a written employer evaluation and completion of all weekly reports and assignments evaluated by the internship instructor.
The following programs have the internship as part of the curricula. Prior to enrolling in internship, students must have completed their required classroom/lab coursework as outlined in the State Standards.
Accounting*Advanced Air Conditioning
Aircraft Structural Maintenance*
Automotive Collision Repair*
Automotive Fundamentals*
Barbering
Biomedical Electronics Technician
Building and Facilities Maintenance*
Business and Office Technology*
Cabinetmaking
Carpentry* / Criminal Justice Technology
Early Childhood Care and Education
Advanced Early Childhood Care and Education
Computer Information Systems*
Cosmetology
Industrial Maintenance*
Industrial Maintenance Technology*
Management and Supervisory Development
Medical Assisting
Welding and Joining Technology*
*Internship is optional
Eligibility
Each program offering an internship option must clearly outline the requirements for eligibility. These requirements must be met before a student is allowed to register for internship.
Length
The length of the internship experience will be 270 hours for a 15 week semester. There is a maximum of 6 credit hours which may be earned through internship within one semester.
Approved Sites
Sites for internships must be approved by the instructor and the Director of Instruction. The sites must be reputable firms, agencies, or institutions which will agree to become the affiliating agency, must be representative of the occupation. The position must be considered in the field for which the student trained. The affiliating agency supervisory personnel must be willing to assist in training and evaluating the student.
Insurance
Accident insurance is mandatory for all students participating in internships, including internships under DIS-150. Insurance must be purchased through the business office, and proof of purchase must be kept on file by the internship instructor.
Orientation
Prior to the internship, students will be required to attend an orientation conducted by the internship instructor. During this meeting the policies, guidelines, and requirements for the internship course will be explained. Forms to be used and written assignments that students are expected to complete while enrolled in the internship will be reviewed. Students will complete the information sheet, and confer with the instructor about any areas of concern.
Student Conferences
Private conferences between the internship instructor and each student will be scheduled throughout the semester as needed. Also, group conferences may be arranged according to the individual program guidelines.
Internship Agreement
An internship agreement must be signed by the student, a representative of the affiliating agency, the internship instructor, and a Central Georgia Technical College official.
Affiliating Agency Selection
There are two ways that a student may obtain a job site for participation in internship. The first way is to have the internship instructor place the student in an approved job site (usually non-paying). The employer is under no obligation to offer that student a permanent position after the work experience training has been completed. The employer is also under no obligation to pay the student wages while on internship.
The second option is available when the student chooses to find a temporary paying or non-paying position. In order to receive academic credit, the job must be in an approved site and must also be in the career field for which the student trained. Under this option, the student must interview, negotiate salary, accept or reject jobs on his/her own and secure approval of the employer to participate in the internship. After the student does this, the internship instructor will contact that employer in order to acquire cooperation for job performance evaluations and visitation permission.
Work Schedule and Hours
When a student makes a commitment to work for an employer for the internship, that student should stay with that employer for the duration of the approved internship. Failure to do so without a very valid reason may result in a failing grade.
Students are to work the schedule assigned by the employer--not the school's schedule and will abide by the regulations of the affiliating agency.
Dress
Students should be required to dress according to the standards set by the affiliating agency.
Financial Aid
There may be changes for students receiving financial aid when they participate in the internship program. Students should be advised to check with their respective financial aid office to determine what their status would be.
Job-Site Visitation
Guidance in completing program competencies will be provided by regular visits by the internship instructor and by the student conferences with the internship instructors. Employers will be asked to provide feedback on the student's progress and strengths/weaknesses. Also, suggestions from the employers on ways to improve current on-campus training are greatly encouraged and appreciated. Internship instructors will visit a minimum of twice during the semester and more often as needed.
Final Evaluation
The student will receive an internship grade based on:
1.Completion of required course competencies
2.Written evaluation from the employer
3.Evaluation by the internship instructor
4.Student reaction and self-evaluations
5.Completion of internship written assignments
Internship Specific Guidelines for Instructors
How Training Sites are Found
The most important phase in the entire internship process is finding the right training site for each student. After the private conference between the internship instructor and the student, the search for an internship site begins. It may require extensive telephone calling, meetings with employers, and touring and evaluating business facilities before an appropriate site is found.
There are a variety of means to help in the search for a training site in the student's career field. Several ways are listed below:
1.familiarity with community business and agencies--Some may have participated in the program before.
2.students may be helpful--Some already have an idea where they would like to be placed.
3.recommendations from fellow instructors and advisory committee members
4.recommendations from the job placement office
5.yellow pages, Chamber of Commerce, contacts with local professional organizations.
A telephone contact is usually the first step in initiating the search. If the business is a small one, the proprietor or store manager is contacted. For a larger business, institution, or agency which is departmentalized, a call to the personnel manager is necessary. The reason for calling is briefly explained, and if the employer sounds interested, an appointment is made for a meeting between the internship instructor and employer. The meeting takes place at the business, institution, or agency and at that time, the program is explained in detail. The internship instructor should be concerned with the type of training the student would receive, who would supervise him/her, the attitudes of the employer and whether the employer is interested in giving the student a valuable experience or is only interested in free labor.
How Training Sites are Approved
If the internship instructor has a favorable impression of the employer and the employer wishes to participate in the program, it is then a good idea to ask for a tour of the facilities. This tour will help evaluate the facilities as to equipment, safety considerations, level of work activity, and employee attitudes. A sample of a work site evaluation sheet is included in this handout. It is also necessary that the employer be an Equal Opportunity Employer.
If the internship site is agreeable, final arrangements are clarified, such as: working schedule, dress code, best times for visitation by the internship instructor, starting date, and expected completion date, etc. The Internship Cooperative Work Experience Agreement should be signed.
Site Visits
Visits to the training site are an important part of the internship program. These visits provide the internship instructor an opportunity to discuss the student's progress with his/her immediate supervisor(s). During these discussions, the internship instructor also gathers information for feedback to the instructional program. At this time, they also talk with each student concerning the training experience in progress. This is an appropriate time to counsel a student on any subject of concern.
Student load usually determines the number of visits that can be reasonably made during a semester. However, the internship instructor should plan to visit each site a minimum of two times while the student is receiving training.
Visitation should be at the employer's convenience. Visitations are excellent opportunities to sell the employer on Central Georgia Technical College and to find out about other job openings within the company. Once the employer becomes familiar with the internship instructor, s/he will often call for graduates to fill vacancies.
Full-time Permanent Positions: An Alternative
There is another method of securing a job site for an internship. Some students prefer to find a permanent paying position on their own. In order to receive academic credit, the job must be in an approved site and must be in the career field for which the student trained. Students interview, negotiate salary and accept/reject jobs on their own. There should be an indication from the employer that s/he would be willing to participate in the internship. At that time the internship instructor contacts the employer in order to acquire cooperation for job performance evaluations and visitation permission. In order to receive academic credit, the students with permanent jobs must still complete all prerequisites, document their working hours, and complete any written tasks assigned by the internship instructor.
The advantages of a student finding a permanent position are that the student has a job, and the employer often finds it favorable to have school personnel checking on the student to make sure the student is performing well. The internship program is an incentive for the new employee to achieve, since both his/her job and academic grade depend on his/her performance. The only major disadvantages to this alternative is that the school has very little control over the type of training the student is receiving, and the internship instructor must depend heavily upon the employer's cooperation and goodwill to complete necessary paperwork and provide feedback.
Student Trainee's Responsibilities
The student trainee has several areas of responsibility once s/he is placed in a training site. First and foremost are job performance and demonstration of good work habits. The training received should be put to use at this time. The student trainee must follow all of the criteria established by the training site (punctuality, housekeeping, relationships with others, etc.) The student trainee should perform for the employer as though this was a permanent job. The employer assigns an experienced employee to act as a training supervisor who will be responsible for the student's learning experience. The internship program can be altered for students with special needs. Employers are informed of any special considerations required to ensure that these students receive a valuable training experience. The trainee is also responsible for submitting all paperwork on time.
A.The weekly report
Weekly reports are the responsibility of the student and must be turned in to the internship instructor at the end of each week. A time sheet reflects the type of work done and the amount of time that it took to do it. It is important that the trainee keep this record current. The weekly time sheet tells the internship instructor the tasks the student performs, how much time s/he spends doing them, provides attendance information, and furnishes valuable feedback to the institution concerning changes in the occupation.
B.Written assignments
Written assignments are used as training aids. These assignments relate to the student's particular occupation or any aspects of work in general. Resumes, organization charts, job descriptions, and time analysis charts are excellent examples of valid student assignments.
Evaluation
Evaluation is an important factor of any educational program. With periodic evaluation, strengths and weaknesses are identified and changes are, therefore, justified. With critical review, educational programs can improve their effectiveness and expand to meet additional challenges.
Evaluation of the Internship Program
The internship program should be evaluated on a regular basis. Internship students will be asked to evaluate the course at mid-term and at the completion of their internship. The forms used should be distributed to each student a week prior to mid-term and before the end of each semester, and must be returned along with other required reports (i.e. weekly reports and written assignments).