• Internships are cooperative activities in which students learn while on-the-job. An internship involves completing a set of work tasks to earn college credit and gain insight into a career. Internships may be paid or non-paid.
• An internship allows you to make informed decisions about your career and enables you to change career goals prior to graduation if the present career track doesn’t measure up to your expectations.
• In addition to the experience an internship provides, you may gain valuable business contacts and references for use in future job searches.
• Students who complete an internship often do significantly better in both salary and opportunity with real work experience behind them.
• Gain hands-on experience
• Learn to apply classroom theory to the real world of work
• Develop workplace skills
• Receive college credits
• Make valuable contacts for your future
• Add experience to your resume
• Has the opportunity to earn money while learning
• Increases employability and earning power
• Provides a direct relationship between the classroom and employment
Cooperative Work Experience Education (CWEE) is a unique academic program in which the student, employer, and college cooperate to combine study and practical work experience to develop students’ marketable skills and prepare them for a career. Through this program, educators and employers work together to assist students in achieving the broader, more sophisticated and basic academic skills required in today’s industry and marketplace.
CWEE is a program that provides students the opportunity to earn credit for working at an internship and to find and obtain an internship through our database.
All College of the Canyons students are eligible to become an intern. Students must have a minimum 2.5 GPA to apply to internships on our website. They must also be over the age of 18 and/or a high school graduate.
• Student interns must enroll in the CWEE program prior to the start of the internship.
• Attend a mandatory CWEE information meeting, class session and follow-up advisor meeting with the CWEE staff.
• Interns must submit timesheets and career-related projects to the CWEE office or faculty advisor by the deadlines indicated in the syllabus.
Students must have a 2.5 GPA minimum to apply to internships. Some employers may require a higher GPA than 2.5, this information is generally found in a specific internship listing under qualifications.
Students do not have to be over 18 if they are a high school graduate.
Students do not need to be a high school graduate if they are over 18.
There is no fee to use our database. However, if you enroll in CWEE, a list of student fees can be found at the Student Business Office.
Yes. There is one mandatory class meeting during the first week of the session. However, CWEE is primarily independent study.
There are no textbooks for the class.
Yes. The number of assignments is determined by the number of CWEE units you register for. For example:
- One unit has five assignments
- Two units has six assignments
- Three units has seven assignments
- Four units has eight assignments
These are examples and the number of assignments are subject to change.
Yes, there are many important CWEE announcements that are communicated via email. It is important that you have an up-to-date email address on record with College of the Canyons to ensure that you receive any time sensitive emails required for your success in the program.
CWEE units are considered elective units towards an AA at College of the Canyons. Certain programs such as Culinary Arts, Welding, and Automotive Technology require a certain number of CWEE units to graduate. Check with your counselor or program advisor for more information.
CWEE-188 and CWEE-189 courses transfer to the CSU system as elective units. However, you should consult with an academic counselor for potential unit limitations.
No. CWEE provides a resource for students to apply to internships and receive credit for either a job or internship. To be eligible to enroll in a CWEE section, interested students will need to search and apply for internships.
In the past we have offered internships at Congressman Buck McKeon's Office, KHTS 1220 AM, The Signal, KTLA, Warner Bros., Universal Music Group, Merrill Lynch, and Universal Studios. This is just a small selection of companies that have found interns through our program.
Interns work in positions where they do not displace regular employees and under careful supervision. Projects and positions vary by field but interns can expect to work hands on using skills and experiences that they have learned in a classroom setting. Internships are about gaining hands on experience in a particular field.
Companies hire interns for several reasons. Employers often see internships as a way train a new workforce with the skills that they deem the most valuable. Employers also use internships as an extended job interview and may convert interns to paid positions once the internship has concluded.
Yes. Employers are required by the Fair Labor Standards Act to guarantee that their positions offer meaningful and valuable work experience. Students who participate in internships will apply what they have learned in a classroom setting to real hands on work experience. They will also gain a variety of new skills that can only be learned in a work-based setting.
Of course! Internships are an excellent way to test drive new career paths, gain experience, and learn new skills. To learn how to effectively create or improve your resume, contact or stop by the Career Center for help!
No, you may only receive credit for an internship that you are actively working.
No. Students are limited to one internship per a semester.
It depends, students should not exceed 16 units of Occupational CWEE and 6 units of General Studies CWEE. To find out if you are eligible to enroll again you should contact the CWEE office or verify the amount of CWEE units you have taken with your COC transcript.
CWEE can be taken for a maximum of 16 units in total at College of the Canyons in Occupational credit and 6 units in General Studies credit.
• By searching and applying on-line through the CWEE website at www.canyons.edu/cwee.
• Students may also research and apply to internships on their own and if accepted, use the CWEE program to earn college credit. One method of doing this is by searching the Internet for specific company names and looking for a link to a job opportunity/internship page.
• Students may attempt to network with current professors, local businesses, and college counselors to find an internship related to their interest. Students can remind employers that College of the Canyons will cover Worker’s Compensation costs while they are enrolled in the CWEE program.
COC students can search for internships here by ID number, keyword, major, paid or unpaid, or location. Then select an internship and read its description. If it meets your interest, click the "Submit an Application" button at the bottom of the internship and complete the application.
Currently our database has a listing of over 300 internships in a variety of fields.
Applications are due by the deadline to add CWEE for the given semester unless specified in the application.
Internships can be either paid or unpaid. To search only for paid internships on our website you can check the Paid Only checkbox.
Hourly rates of pay are determined by the employer and vary by internship.
Internships may be full-time or part-time, determined specifically by the employer. Typically internships are part-time.
The duration of an internship is determined by the employer, but will generally last the entire duration of the semester. Check a specific internship listing for details.
All college courses are completed in one semester or less. At COC, Fall and Spring semesters average 16 weeks in length. Additionally, COC offers and 8 week "late start" session each Spring and Fall. The summer session tends to be between 6-10 weeks. If winter session is offered that is typically a 5 week period.
If students are unable to find an internship from our website which interests them, students may want to attempt to network through professors, local businesses, or by other means.
Yes, if our database does not have an internship that you are interested in, you are encouraged to network with professors, family members, and local businesses to set up an internship. Students may want to mention to potential employers that unpaid interns are covered by College of the Canyons’ workers compensation insurance when enrolled in the CWEE course.
While having a job or internship is not necessary to attend the orientation, having a job or internship is required to be enrolled in the course. Students are recommended to only enroll in the course if they have an internship or a job.
• If you receive a call for an interview and/or are accepted as an intern, please contact our office as soon as possible.
Tips for maintaining/completing a successful internship:
• Prior to enrollment in the CWEE program, speak with your supervisor to confirm the number of hours you will be interning over the course of the semester.
• Enroll in the CWEE program based on the number of hours worked in a semester and whether you are a general studies CWEE student or an occupational CWEE student.
• Follow and adhere to all policies and guidelines set forth by the employer.
• Follow and adhere to all policies and guidelines set forth by the CWEE program.
• Be punctual, courteous, and respectful in the workplace.
• Be motivated and committed to your internship. Take initiative yet know your boundaries.
• Some interns like to create a journal of their internship experience and gather information to be used in a portfolio or when updating your resume at a later date.
If your employer requires you to be enrolled in CWEE to receive workers compensation coverage then you must register for CWEE in the next semester. However, consider the limitations of 16 units maximum for CWE-188 and 6 units maximum for CWE-189.
If you have exhausted your CWEE repeats and are unable to register for CWEE, this is a good time for you to approach the employer to consider hiring you even if only temporarily.
Since CWEE requires all program participants to have another individual act as a supervisor, self-employed positions typically do not qualify to participate in the CWEE program.
Employers will be required and must be willing to do the following:
• Meet with a CWEE faculty advisor.
• Sign off and approve the student’s workplace project objective(s).
• Sign timesheets verifying the amount of hours a student has worked.
Internships are available in many majors. If you are looking for an internship that is not available on our website, then you are encouraged to network with professors and local businesses or search websites to find an internship that you are interested in. Be sure to check our internship database as employers post new internship listings everyday!
Remember, if you are interested in an internship that is not associated with your major you may register for the internship as a "general work experience" under CWEE-189.
Companies can post internships on our website. All companies offering unpaid internships must ensure that their positions fulfill the following guidelines designated by the Fair Labor Standards Act.
1. The work performed is an extension of a trade studied by the student. Although the training might include equipment and procedures specific to the employer, it must consist primarily of experiences similar to those offered in a vocational school. It's not enough just to put the interns to work with supervision.
2. The training must be primarily for the benefit of the intern. For example, the intern earns college credit or valuable work experience. That means the intern can't just be making coffee, running errands, or catching up on filing. Although such tasks might be incidental to the position, the majority of the experience must be designed with the intern's education in mind.
3. The intern must not displace regular employees and must work under close observation. Farming out work to unpaid interns after a regular employee quits would raise a red flag.
4. The employer gains no “immediate advantage” from the student’s work. The courts consider billing clients for work performed by an intern an immediate advantage. Although an internship program will benefit an employer's business over the long term by providing a pool of trained applicants with familiar work habits, it's not meant to be a source of free labor.
5. The employer makes no promise of future employment.
6. The intern understands that he or she is not entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship or in training.
Currently our website offers over 300 internships in a variety of fields.
Yes, for more information International Students should contact the ISP office to determine their eligibility. The CWEE staff will consul with the International Students department to confirm eligibility based on VISA guidelines.
You may wish to contact the Career Center or visit Perfect Interview to prepare!
Here are some tips for a successful interview:
• Research the company prior to your interview – always be prepared!
• It’s best to know the directions to the workplace ahead of time and ask if there’s a suite number. Confirm parking information (i.e. where it’s best to park, if there’s a fee to park etc.).
• Dress for success – be conservative and professional.
• Be punctual. Allow yourself ample time to get to the office a few minutes earlier than your scheduled appointment time.
• It’s best to bring an updated resume to your interview.
• Sending a thank you note to the employer within 24 hours of the interview will leave a good impression.
· If you are continuing your internship, you may re-enroll in the CWEE program. Interns working within their major (Occupational CWEE) may earn up to 4 elective units per semester (depending on the number of hours worked in a semester) and continue the program each semester up to a total of 16 units. If your internship is not related to your major (General CWEE), you may earn up to 3 units per semester and continue to earn up to a total of 6 elective units.
· Update your resume with your internship experience.
· You may want to create portfolio using information gathered during your internship.
· Collect possible future contact information and if applicable, ask for a letter of recommendation.
· Send a letter or note of thanks upon completion of the internship.
· Provide the CWEE office with testimonials and pertinent information that may be of interest for future interns.
Effective Spring 2012 registration, students must attend a CWEE information meeting before they may register for a CWEE course. Because CWEE students must follow state mandated regulations, it is important for students to fully understand the expectations before they may register for a CWEE course.
After a student has attended an information meeting, eligible students will be approved to register for the appropriate CWEE course. Students may register for the course on their Admissions and Records assigned registration date utilizing their "MyCanyons" account.
Students may enroll through the following means:
- Online ("Express Registra"_blank" style="text-underline: single" href="http://my.canyons.edu"> http://my.canyons.edu/
- Select Log In or Student if you need to create a new login ID or have forgotten your login information.
- After you are logged in, select Register/ Add Classes under the Registration header.
- Select Express Registration.
- Enter desired CWEE Section number.
- On the Preferred Sections page select Register from the Action drop down menu. On this page you must manually select the number of units you wish to enroll in.
- Online ("Search and register for classes")
- Go to URL: http://my.canyons.edu/
- Select Log In or Student if you need to create a new login ID or have forgotten your login information.
- After you are logged in, select Register/ Add Classes under the Registration header.
- Select Search and register for classes.
- Select the semester you wish to enroll in from the drop down menu and choose C W E as the subject.
- Select your desired section number and push the submit button at the bottom of the page.
- On the Preferred Sections page select Register from the Action drop down menu. On this page you may also select the number of units you wish to enroll in by manually changing the units.
- In-person at the Office of Admissions and Records (661) 362-3280
Students can generally enroll in CWEE somewhat later in the semester. Students should check the semester’s specific enrollment deadlines for CWEE.
If you are working in a position related to certain vocational majors you should register for the appropriate CWE-188 course listed below.
If your major is not listed in the associated CWEE course below, you will register for CWE-189GNRL
At the CWEE Information Meeting, the facilitator will help you determine the right course for you.
- CWE-188 AUTO: Automotive Technology
- CWE-188 CNST: Construction Management or Building Inspection
- CWE-188 CPNT: Computer Networking
- CWE-188 CULA: Culinary Arts
- CWE-188 GMD: Graphics and Multimedia
- CWE-188 MEA: Media Arts & Entertainment, or Animation
- CWE-188 MFGT: Manufacturing
- CWE-188 PHOT: Commercial Photography
- CWE-188 PLGL: Paralegal
- CWE-188 SIGN: American Sign Language Interpreting
- CWE-188 WELD: Welding
The deadline to enroll depends on the semester. Students must attend a CWEE Information Meeting before they may register. Keep in mind you must sign up for an Information Meeting on the CWEE website.
No. Students may only enroll in one section number per semester.
Students may enroll in 1-4 units. For each unit a student is enrolled, students must ensure that they complete 60 hours (if unpaid) or 75 hours (if paid) for each enrolled unit over the duration of the semester; refer to the translation chart below.
Units Hours required for Paid Hours required for Unpaid Number of Assignments Required 1 75 60 5 2 150 120 6 3 225 180 7 *4 300 240 8 *Reserved for CWE-188 students.
Students are only able to increase the amount units until the last day of CWEE enrollment. If a student wants to decrease the amount of units, he/she has until the drop with a “W’ deadline. Both of these dates are available here.
If a student is working in a paid position, it is recommended that they drop the CWEE course and reenroll on their own in the desired amount of units. If a student is working in an unpaid position, he/she should contact or visit the CWEE office.
If the drop deadline has not passed, you will need to contact the CWEE office for permission to drop if you are an unpaid intern. Otherwise, CWEE can be dropped like any other course.
If it is after the drop deadline but before the drop with a “W” deadline, you will receive a “W.”
As with all other classes, after the withdrawal deadline, students will not be able to drop.
Yes, students may only register if they are currently working a job or an internship.
If this situation arises it is important to inform your CWEE faculty immediately to discuss options. Each situation is unique and extensions may be granted depending on the circumstances.
At the information meeting the facilitator will explain CWEE policies that are required by the California Education Code. Students are made fully aware of the requirements and that failure to produce the required forms and signatures may result in a failed grade or being dropped from the course EVEN IF THE STUDENT HAS COMPLETED ALL OF THE ASSIGNMENTS.
Several helpful Youtube videos can be found here. Additionally, the last few sections of the handbook are provided as a resource for developing projects. Students are also encouraged to discuss project ideas with their supervisors and faculty advisor.
• Follow and adhere to all policies and guidelines set forth by the employer.
• Follow and adhere to all policies and guidelines set forth by the CWEE program.
• Be punctual, courteous, and respectful in the workplace.
• Be motivated and committed to your internship. Take initiative yet know your boundaries.
• Some interns like to create a journal of their internship experience and gather information to be used in a portfolio or when updating your resume at a later date.
Students are provided Timesheets at the mandatory orientation. You may also download the form from our website. The CWEE office will only accept the provided timesheets.
Timesheets can be downloaded from the website. All other documents must be picked up at the CWEE office (STCN-123).
Instructions can be found here.
• Provide additional support to overloaded employees and are an excellent worker pool
• Reduce recruitment and training costs
• May become reliable and skilled permanent employees
• Contribute to the success of the business through increased productivity
• Introduce innovative, fresh ideas and talent
Companies interested in posting internships through CWEE can do so by creating a login here. From the employer side, employers can create new internship listings. These listings will not be available to students until they are approved by the CWEE director.
Home-based businesses typically will not qualify to participate in the CWEE Program.
Employers will be expected to ensure that students receive a minimum 60 hours per semester if the position is unpaid and 75 hours per semester if the position is paid.
Unpaid interns are limited by the amount of units they are enrolled. If the position is related to their major they may work up to 240 hours per semester but must work a minimum of 60 hours to meet program requirements for 1 unit.
Employers are encouraged to contact the student for an interview. If you decide to hire the student, you should refer the student to our office and contact us so that we can advise the student on how they should enroll.
Internships should provide students with opportunities to understand important concepts, develop essential skills, and apply what they learn in the classroom to real-world problems and opportunities in the workplace. Supervisors should ensure the assignment of challenging projects and tasks, which would be recognized within the business/industry as a valuable experience. Whenever possible the intern should be included in meetings and organization events. Interns are expected to learn generally accepted business principles, standards and work ethics.
Employers will be responsible for the following:
• Reading and signing the Employer/Supervisor Letter.
• Signing and reporting hours worked on the CWEE timesheet.
• Approving the intern’s workplace project.
• A jobsite meeting with a CWEE Faculty Advisor.
Internships typically last for the entire semester but ultimately conclude when the intern has completed their hours. If the intern is unpaid they will need to enroll in the next semester to remain covered under worker’s compensation.
Employers are encouraged to contact students for interviews by e-mail or phones. Employers are also encouraged to request unofficial transcripts, resumes, and references when scheduling an interview.
If the intern is not working out or a situation arises please contact the CWEE office as soon as possible.
Employers can request password retrieval and edit/create listings here.