2011-12 College Catalog - South Florida State College

sfcc
Career Development Center
Student Work-Based Learning Opportunities Cooperative
Education (Co-op), Internship, Work Study and Job
Placement - Several different types of student employment
and experiential learning opportunities are provided at SFCC
to assist you with career decision-making and transition from
college to career. Student work-based learning experience
can provide you many benefits, including:
• Opportunity to learn first-hand about careers or
industries and to make connections that may lead you
to future employment prospects.
• Verifiable work experience for inclusion on your resume.
• A venue in which to develop and practice a range of
transferable basic skills.
• A way to explore your career options to help you make
sound career choices.
• Extra income to help reduce your college expenses.
Cooperative Education (Co-op) - Cooperative Education
is designed to make your educational program more
relevant and meaningful by integrating your classroom
curriculum with academically related periods of practical
experience related to your major field of study and career
objectives. This program is called Cooperative Education
(Co-op) because it involves a cooperative alliance
between SFCC, local employers, and you. Classroom
learning is supported and reinforced by a series of working
experiences in business, industry, health, or public sector
agencies. You may earn college credit and grades while
working in a position related to your academic and career
goals. Co-op strengthens understanding, clarifies interests,
supports personal growth, and enhances your professional
preparation.
A Co-op placement can be arranged either part time or full
time while you are concurrently attending college. Most co-op
positions are unpaid, however, you may be able to apply
regularly scheduled hours at a related job to meet co-op
requirements in some situations. You may earn a maximum
of seven credit hours toward an associate degree, over
several college terms, through co-op participation. Some
occupational certificate programs include co-op or internship
as a mandatory component of the program.
To participate in liberal arts Co-op (Co-op provided through
the Division of Arts and Sciences)*, you must:
• be a current SFCC student in good standing who is
registered for SFCC classes during the term of the Coop
experience;
• have successfully earned at least 12 college credit hours
at SFCC;
• hold an overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or
higher;
• meet all requirements of the selected employer worksite
(this may include orientation, background screening,
interview, or other items); and
• register for the Co-op course with approval of the
Director, Career Development Center.
*Note: The Division of Applied Sciences and Technologies
has different policies, procedures and guidelines for Coop
experiences associated with its various occupational
certificate programs. Please contact the dean of applied
sciences and technologies for more information about those
Co-op opportunities.
Internship - An internship is similar to Co-op with one
importance difference: you do not earn college credit for
participation in an internship. An internship is a method
through which you can gain valuable, intense experience in
a workplace in the career field you are pursuing. This may
help you confirm your career choices or explore other career
options, network with potential employers, and gain valuable
knowledge and skills to enhance your future employability
opportunities. Most internships are unpaid experiences. An
internship can be arranged in almost any occupational field
or career. If you are interested, contact the Director of the
Career Development Center at (863) 784-7410.
Work Study Employment - Work Study provides parttime
employment to help students earn funds to assist with
educational costs. The Work Study Program allows students
to work in on campus departments, assisting with clerical
work and other duties as assigned. Students earn $7.31
(current minimum wage) per hour for a maximum of 15 to 20
hours per week.
To be eligible for most types of Work Study you must:
• be a current SFCC student in good standing and
currently be enrolled at SFCC for at least the equivalent
of half-time student status (a minimum six credit hours
in during fall and spring terms, and six hours during the
combined summer A and B terms);
• have a current FAFSA on file in the Financial Aid Office;
• document an unmet financial need (via FAFSA, etc.) as
determined by Financial Aid Office; and
• hold an overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or
higher.
For more information about Work Study contact the Financial
Aid office at (863) 7847254. To apply, contact the Career
Development Center at (863) 784-7410.
Community Employment Opportunities - The Career
Development Center at SFCC maintains an online
Job Board, on which a variety of part-time and full-time
employment opportunities are posted. Check the Job
Board frequently at http://www.southflorida.edu/student/
resources/career/jBoard.aspx to review job postings. If
you are interested in a posted position, contact the Career
Development Center for an appointment. The Career
Development Center can also assist you with resume and
cover letter preparation, interview practice, and job hunting
strategies workshops.
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