This document provides information about internships and co-ops from Jill Forest of Southern Polytechnic State University's Career Services. It discusses the benefits of internships and co-ops, including gaining relevant work experience, testing career choices, and improving employment prospects after graduation. Requirements for internships and co-ops through the university are outlined, such as having a declared major and a minimum GPA. The document also addresses common myths about experiential education opportunities.

1. JILL F. FOREST, M.A.
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF CAREER SERVICES
CAREER AND COUNSELING CENTER
SOUTHERN POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY
Experiential Education 101

2. “Give
Yourself
a Point”

3. EXPERIENTIAL
EDUCATION MYTHS
AND REALITIES

4. It will be easier
for me to get a
job after
graduation
with work-
related
experience

5. Why Intern or Co-op?
 Competition is tough – you want to
stand out!
 Companies strongly prefer
candidates with
work- related experience
 The pay is good.
 Test your career choice.
 Linked-In recommendations
and reference letters

6. Internships
 Part-time or full-time, job related to your
major
 Be a full-time student when applying
 Have earned 24 hours of credit (transfer
credit does apply)

7. I can find an internship
on my own.

8. You can but, you won’t have…
 Access To The Career Link
Database
 Affiliation with our
university (which is often
required)
 Email alerts about high
demand internships
 Networking opportunity
with Career Services

9. I can apply for a
Co-op my Senior year.

10. I must have a declared
major to be an
intern or co-op candidate.

11. Undergraduate Requirements
 Registered, full-time student (half-time for summer)
 Must have declared a major
 2.0 GPA or higher (most employers want higher)
 Completed 24+ semester hours towards a degree
(transfer hours count)
 Transfer students must have completed one
semester at SPSU and have an SPSU GPA
 (transfer GPA does not count)

12. You must have 3 full-time semesters
remaining before graduation
to apply for a Co-op

13. Co-Ops
 Alternate periods of work and study
 Must be a full-time student when applying
 Must have earned 24 hours of credit (transfer
credits count)
 Must attend Co-op Orientation
 Full-time student status while working

14. Benefits of participating in co-op
 Access To The Career Link
Database
 Resume referral – resume
goes directly to recruiter
 Possible tuition stipends
and/or bonuses for good
grades and possible
housing (outside metro Atl)
 Slightly higher chance of
securing offer after
rotations

15. Rotation with Summer 2014 start
Undergraduate Students
 Summer 2014 work
 Fall 2014 school
 Spring 2015 work
 Summer 2015 school (part-time)
 Fall 2015 work
Co-op requirements done!
GRADUATE STUDENTS
** Required to do 2 rotations

16. Name two requirements to
be in the Intern/Co-op
program.

17. Internships are offered
year-round.

18. Internships are offered…
 Full-time Summer
 Part-time Fall
 Part-time Spring
 Occasionally full-time
during school year.
 Very flexible

19. All Career Fairs Are the Same

20. A Few Who
Attended
 Mohawk Industries
 Macy’s Systems and Tech
 NCR Corporation
 Pond & Company
 CNN
 UPS Corporate
 Sherwin-Williams
 Southern Company
 Peace Corps
 The Home Depot
 Meditech
 LexisNexis
 Kia Motors
 GA Tech Research
 Georgia Power
 Georgia Aquarium
 General Motors

21. 2013-2014 Career Fairs
Fall Career Expo (at SPSU)
Wednesday, October 12, 2013
Spring Career Expo (at SPSU)
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
*GA Careers Consortium – Cobb Galleria
Wednesday, November 11, 2013
*GACE College-to-Career Fair – Cobb Galleria
Tuesday, April 15, 2014

22. Most Intern and Co-op
jobs are paid

23. Yes!
 Unless the internship
is for academic credit
OR is in a non-profit
field, you can expect
to be paid

24. The best time to look for a
Summer Internship is late
Spring Semester

25. January/February is the time
to apply for a Summer Internship

26. I don’t need to have
my resume critiqued

27.  is a marketing piece about you!
 Can and will rule you out if poorly
written!
Your resume…

28. Name one benefit of doing
an Internship or Co-op?

29. I can just “wing it” at a
job interview. It will all
work out.

30. Don’t’ let your nerves get
the best of you.
Feedback from SPSU Employers:
 Didn’t know anything about the company
 Didn’t know anything about the position
 Gave very short answers
 Dressed inappropriately
Mock Interviews & Workshops

31. CAREER SERVICES AT SPSU
www.spsu.edu/cccenter
Assist
students with
finding jobs
Full-time and
Part-time
Jobs
Internship
and Co-Op
Jobs
Career Fairs
On-Campus
Interviewing
SkillShops

32. CAREER AND COUNSELING CENTER
JOE MACK WILSON STUDENT CENTER
#A-170
678-915-7391
JFOREST@SPSU.EDU
WWW.SPSU.EDU/CCCENTER

33. Register with
SPSU’s CAREER LINK
 SPSU’s Jobs Database
 All jobs we receive are posted here!
 Part-time, full-time jobs, on-campus jobs
 **Co-Op and Internships