Internships & Cooperative Education

Internships Available

Reach out to the Internship manager as early as possible to prepare for an upcoming academic internship.

We recommend meeting with the Internship manager 1-2 quarters prior to the quarter you want to complete your internship.
It is never too late to explore opportunities, so reach out to the Internship manager for support with identifying and applying to internships.

Program overview

Internships are opportunities for students to gain valuable work experience that can serve our local workforce. These experiences foster a student's academic and professional growth, while earning academic credit. Students earn credit for the demonstration of learning that occurs during an internship experience. Internships are required for some professional-technical programs of study and are also valuable for students seeking to develop their academic and professional skills.

By pursuing an internship, students can:

Explore a new career field of interest
Confirm that their career choice is a good fit
Apply new skills gained in the classroom
Gain practical and relevant work experience
Build their resume, portfolio and professional references
Increase their marketability when job searching

FAQs

What is cooperative education/internships?

An internship or cooperative education is an academic program combining course learning with real on-the-job applications of learning through work experience. Students are awarded credit through demonstration of learning that occurs in the work experience. Internships/cooperative education helps you develop a work history and valuable employer contacts for jobs after graduation.
Why is it important?

During internships and work-based learning, you can both gain exposure to a new career field and apply classroom knowledge to real-world situations. These experiences provide a rich learning experience, and build confidence with newly developed technical skills, foster critical workplace skills, and gain a deeper awareness of yourself as a professional. Internships make you a stronger candidate to employers by acquiring relevant work experience, gaining professional references, and demonstrating professional capabilities.
Why should I take an academic internship course?
- Explore an area of study you are interested in pursuing
- Gain practical on-the-job training in your program
- Be more competitive in transferring into your degree program at a university
- Develop entry level professional skills to be employable
- Increase marketability for entering a new occupation
- Build a portfolio that demonstrates your skills and accomplishments in the field
- Complete a professional-technical degree or certificate at Whatcom Community College
- Establish community and professional connections and networking
How do I sign up for an internship?
Meet with an advisor to discuss your degree plan and how an academic internship may fit within your degree. Below is a common list of choices:
- Accounting (ACCT 190)
- Business (BUS 190)
- Computer Information Systems (CIS 190)
- Criminal Justice (CJ 190)
- Early Childhood Education (ECED 120, 290)
- Education, for transfer or education para-professional students (COOP 190)
- Environmental Studies, Sustainability, Biology and related sciences (COOP 190)
- Finance (FIN 190)
- Hospitality & Tourism Management (HTBM 190)
- Paralegal (PLS 190)
- Visual Communications (VISCM 190)
- Software Development (SD 290)
Then meet with the Internship manager to discuss options for internship experiences, the requirements for academic internships, and the process for applying to an internship.
What is Co-op 180 (Preparing for Career Work Experience)?

Co-op 180 prepares students to develop and perform in a career-relevant internship or job placement while heightening their job retention skills. Students will assess their goals and values through research and networking while assessing their employing community. They will learn to complete a professional application process, including resumes, cover letters, and conducting a quality interview for an internship/job. Also, students will analyze and discuss job retention skills from employer and employee perspectives, teamwork and common communication issues in diverse workplaces.
What is work study?

Students eligible for Financial Aid typically are eligible for the work study grant as part of their aid. This allows them a part-time placement on or off campus for the academic year. Visit the Financial Aid Office in Laidlaw Center 135 for more information.
What should a student do if interested?

Interested students are encouraged to plan ahead to secure an internship/co-op placement in their field of study. For more information contact the internship manager at internships@whatcom.edu, who will guide you toward a field placement.

More FAQ's »