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Internships: Yes We Can! 2011 CACEE National Conference Niagara Falls, Ontario June 2011 Karly Pinch & Karen Benzinger

Internships: Yes We Can!

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2011 CACEE National Conference Niagara Falls, Ontario June 2011 Karly Pinch & Karen Benzinger. Internships: Yes We Can!. Session Outline. Background What is an Internship? Our Internships Overview and Program Goals Characteristics (Similarities & Differences) - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Internships:  Yes We Can!

Internships: Yes We Can!

2011 CACEE National ConferenceNiagara Falls, OntarioJune 2011Karly Pinch & Karen Benzinger

Page 2: Internships:  Yes We Can!

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Session Outline Background What is an Internship? Our Internships

Overview and Program Goals Characteristics (Similarities & Differences)

Support of Student Learning Assessment & Evaluation Benefits & Challenges Co-Existence with Other Forms of

Experiential Learning Questions & Answers

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Background: UBC Karly Pinch, UBC

Arts Internship Program Coordinator

UBC Career Services Career skills building workshops, advising, online

resources, job posting On-campus work program Career fairs Employer info session Arts Internship Program

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Background: Windsor Karen Benzinger, University of Windsor

Director, Centre for Career Education

Career Services at UWindsor CCE, Business and Law

Centre for Career Education Workshops, events, on-line resources, job postings, advising Co-op (Engineering, Business, Kinesiology, Physics,

Computer Science) Practicum Support Volunteer Internship Program

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What is an Internship? Lack of consistency in use of the term Can be

Paid or unpaid Full or part time One semester or multiple semesters in length For credit or not Completed in any industry sector Done concurrently with studies or in a single block placement

Resource: Typology of Work-Integrated Learning in Ontario’s Postsecondary Sector Included in a new HEQCO report available at:

http://www.heqco.ca

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What is an Internship? Usually involves:

Student completing meaningful work in an organization

Skill development and career development for the intern

Performance assessment of the intern by the supervisor

Assessment of related activities by institution

Implication: Wide array of program models are possible

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Our Internships: Basic ComparisonArts Internship Program (UBC)

VIP (WINDSOR)

Faculty of Arts Undergraduate Students

All Undergraduate Students

Unpaid Unpaid8-12 hrs/week, at least 4 months 40 hours over 1 semesterNon profit and community focused organizations

Non profit and publicly funded agencies

Certificate from Dean of Arts office

Transcript Recognition

Runs each Summer & Winter Runs each Summer, Fall & WinterLaunched in Fall 2009 Operating for close to 20 years250 Interns to date 350 interns/year

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Arts Internship: Program Goals

Enrich Arts student’s educational experience by enabling them to take part in internship opportunities that will expand and clarify their career goals

Improve the preparedness of Arts students for fulfilling careers and increase their ability to work with and for their community

Expose Arts students to learning opportunities that fall outside of the typical “jobs” available for undergraduate Arts students

Enable Arts students to develop their professional skills through real-world application of their knowledge combined with support and feedback from supervisors

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VIP: Program Goals To provide students with access to experiences

within the community. To develop professional employment readiness skills

in students such (accountability, communication etc.)

To help students develop a network of contacts in the community.

To assist students in the identification or clarification of career interests and expectations.

To develop an appreciation for the value of volunteerism among students.

To teach students how to learn from a variety of experiences.

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Our Internships: General Comparison of Learning Outcomes

Arts Internship Program (UBC) AIP (UBC)

VIP (Windsor)

-Discover/confirm personal preferences re: careers

* *

-Indentify employability skills developed through VIP-Identify key strengths/skills-Demonstrate professionalism in the workplace

**

*

-Describe importance of community involvement

*

-Identify connections between internship & experience as a UBC Arts student

*

-Compose industry specific resume & cover letter-Develop skills & tools to assist with future job searches-Deliver a professional presentation

**

*

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Our Internships: Comparison of Tools Supporting Student Learning

Arts Internship Program (UBC)

VIP (Windsor)

Orientation Session Orientation SessionCode of Conduct agreement Reflective WorkbookLearning Agreement Mid Placement Round TableMid-placement check in by Coordinator

Resume/Cover Letter Assignment

Completed learning agreement and reflection piece

Marketing Your Internship Workshop

Final career skills and wrap up session

Performance Evaluation

Ongoing marketing opportunities Final Presentation

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Sample Evidence of Student Learning: Windsor 40% increase in portion of sample group

that self reported their intention to continue actively volunteering from those that had self-reported volunteering in the 12 months prior to their participation in VIP

89% of students were able to articulate a satisfactory or better answer to a behavioural interview question using the STAR formula and an example from their VIP placement

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Student Comments: Windsor “My VIP Experience proved to me that this is

my calling in life and that has motivated me to work even harder to achieve my goal to be a social worker”

“The VIP Program is a great career-building experience which allowed me to give back to the community and to network with business professionals”

“The results of [VIP Employer Evaluation] have motivated me to continue volunteering with this organization and others...”

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Student Testimonials: UBC

“I found it very valuable to gain experience in a non-profit organization. I was introduced to some of the struggles that these groups go through regarding funding and the economic environment. I also learned a great deal about the environmental initiatives that exist in Vancouver”

“I was able to apply skills I have honed in university to tasks that I found meaningful and relevant to others as well as myself”

“I gained practical hands-on experience doing a variety of tasks in an office environment. My experience here has helped me get a related paid job for the school year.”

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Assessment & Evaluation (UBC) Gather evaluation information from

students at multiple points in the internship to reflect on the program support

Students assess their own learning through the Learning Agreement

Employers are evaluated annually to reflect on the program support

Employers and students conduct feedback assessments at the end of their terms with each other

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Assessment & Evaluation (UBC) Students evaluate program based

on: Relevance of internship to long-term

goals Quality of support from AIP office Learning gained during the internship Effect of internship on future educational

and career plans Confidence in future employability

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Assessment & Evaluation (Windsor) Windsor uses framework based on

inputs, processes & outcomes Gathers data from students & employers

about Costs (inputs) Usage & satisfaction (processes) Learning (learning outcomes) Confidence (personal attribute outcomes) Likelihood to continue volunteering (impact

outcomes)

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Assessment & Evaluation: ToolsArts Internship Program (UBC)

VIP Program (Windsor)

Orientation evaluation Orientation SurveySite visits to interns and employers mid-way through term

Rubrics (Resume, Cover Letter, Presentation)

End of term evaluation (students)

Past Student Participant Survey

Yearly employer evaluation and survey

Past Employer Follow Up Survey

Ongoing individual conversations with students as needed

Reflection Workbook Evaluation Guide

MS Excel tracking sheets MS Excel Tracking SheetsReporting Templates

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Benefits to Students

Experience Career exploration Skill development Networking Learning Confidence

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Benefits to the Institution Increased student engagement Strengthened ties to the community Positive student feedback

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Benefits to the Community Increased exposure to the student

body Strengthened ties to the institution Short term assistance for low/no cost Connection to students with

potential to become long term volunteers or employees

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ChallengesNew Program: Arts Internship Program (UBC)

Established Program -VIP (Windsor)

New program, less awareness of the opportunities available among students

Certain areas of student interest are hard to develop positions for (accounting, engineering, etc.)

Low number of applications for some positions

A lot of variety in placements (area of interest, level of challenge, location, additional screening, etc.) to manage

Students who drop out or are terminated because of low incentive to finish the program or do an excellent job

While there is ‘carrot’, there is no ‘stick’ (no possibility of failing since it is not a course)

Difficulty for low-income students to do unpaid internships

Students aren’t covered under MTCU provided insurance like they are in course-based unpaid internships

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Co-existence With Other EL Many different ways of doing this Consider:

Different structure from other programs (# hours, employer sector)

Targeting the program to students in programs without other EL programs

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Co-existence With Other EL: UBCArts Internship Program

Arts Co-op AMS Internship Program

Only for Arts undergraduate students

Undergrad Arts students apply in 2nd or 3rd year

Open to all undergraduate students

Many positions, fewer student applications, high chance of securing internship

Competitive positions, especially for 1st term students

More positions than students

Interns are selected by employers

Students are selected by employers

Interns are matched by the program

Can be done in conjunction with classes/ part-time work

Full-time paid work for 1-2 terms at a time

Can be done in conjunction with classes/ part-time work

Allows student to complete degree on time

Extends degree by 1 year

Allows student to complete degree on time

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Co-existence With Other EL: WindsorCo-op VIP ProgramAvailable in Engineering, Business, Kinesiology, Computer Science and Physics

Open to all students, but targets areas that do not offer Co-op (about 50% are Arts & Social Science students)

Offers full-time paid opportunities (students do not take classes during a co-op term)

Positions are unpaid and part-time (students complete VIP in addition to regular course load)

Open to any employer Open only to non-profit and publicly funded organizations

Accepts positions from all over the Canada and some international

Accepts only positions that are a commutable distance from campus

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Exercise

What are the main challenges to starting an internship program at your institution?

What might be the main challenges once you have a program running?

How can we address these challenges?

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Conclusion

Internships can be structured in a wide variety of ways

Be creative....what makes sense for your campus?

Build support by building relationships and working collaboratively