Internships and Workforce Services
What are Internships and Workforce Services?
An Internship is a high impact practice that offers valuable opportunities for students to gain practical experience, explore career paths, and make informed decisions about their future careers. Internships are often semester-long, structured programs offered by an organization or company that allows students to gain hands-on experience in a specific field or industry related to their program of study. Internships give students the opportunity to apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to practical work settings. Interns work under the supervision of industry professionals who provide guidance and support throughout the internship period. Additionally, a faculty internship supervisor is assigned to interns to support and mentor them during the experience. At Valencia, student interns are required to work a minimum of 80 hours per semester for every internship credit hour they are enrolled in. Students may earn up to four internship credit hours while attending Valencia.
Why get involved?
Internships offer several benefits that promote personal and professional growth for students. They equip students with skills, experience, and confidence necessary to advance in their chosen career paths. A few key benefits of internships include:
- Gain valuable experience while earning academic credit
- Gain an edge in the job market
- Develop and refine skills
- Network with professionals in the field
- Develop confidence
- Help clarify career goals
How to get involved
Getting involved in an internship requires planning in advance to ensure the best overall experience. In the semester prior to participating in an internship, students submit an application to determine whether they meet the following internship requirements:
- completed 12 credits
- 2.0 minimum GPA
- completed reading/writing course (if required)
- completed math course based on degree
- completed program-specific prerequisite courses
Once deemed eligible, students work with an internship coordinator who coaches and assists during the internship search process and eventually enrolls the student in the internship course after the student secures an internship.
Get Involved
To learn more about preparing for your professional career, please visit the Internships and Workforce Development website.