What is an Internship? An internship is an opportunity for students to work in their chosen profession while attending school in order to gain valuable knowledge and work experience. Most often, interns are not paid for the work they do monetarily, but are instead rewarded by the sharing of knowledge, ideas, opportunities for their portfolio, networks and possibly a permanent job offer if the intern takes advantage of the opportunity to be a valuable employee.
When is the right time to take an internship? Students in Valencia Graphics Department are required to take an internship. Students cannot take an internship until they have passed GRA2182C Advanced Graphic Design II OR GRA2143 Advanced Web Page Design with a C or higher. Students probably won t qualify for a Graphics Internship until their final two semesters enrolled.
How do I register for an internship? You will not be able to register for an internship without taking these mandatory steps: 1. PRIOR to the semester you plan to intern, fill out the Internship Application through Atlas. Do this by the deadline announced on our blog. CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE PLACEMENT OFFICE WEBSITE. 2. You will be asked to select desired intern locations (if you don t have an employer already) from a database, submit a copy of your résumé for the internship office to send out for you, as well as provide the internship office with a copy of your unofficial transcript printed from Atlas. CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE LIST OF PLACEMENT EMPLOYERS TO CHOOSE FROM. 3. You will then attend the mandatory graphics orientation (this) where your successful completion of the prerequisite courses and the items on this list will qualify you to receive an override into the course. Your application, transcripts and resume will be taken to the internship office where, once processed, someone at the internship office will register you into the course.
What about my résumé? Chances are you have not yet taken Portfolio Review. This means that you will need to update your résumé so that it reflects your current knowledge, skills, contact information and work experience. Make sure there are no typos or grammatical errors and make sure it is written to appeal to someone wanting to hire a design intern. If your unsure of what it should say, read samples of job postings looking to hire entry-level designers for ideas. Whatever you do, spend a bit of time DESIGNING your résumé to reflect you design skills as well. A designer s résumé should be designed to demonstrate what you are capable of doing if you want a company to contact you for an interview. See samples of well designed résumés next page
Well designed résumés CLICK HERE TO SEE NICE RESUMES ON OUR FLICKR SHOWCASE: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vccgraphics/sets/72157594208954864/
What about my portfolio? Again, without having taken Portfolio Review, you might feel as though your portfolio isn t in it s best possible form. No need to worry, just take your most successful work with you and hope for the best. Print Portfolios: Display at least 7 of your best pieces printed nicely and mounted professionally in a temporary portfolio case with pages like in the examples shown on the next page. Interactive Portfolios: Since you probably haven t designed your personal portfolio interface yet, take a CDE or DVD with you that contains enough work to demonstrate your skills in design as well as web and Flash interaction. Call ahead to make sure the platform and software needed is installed on the computers where you will be interviewing, otherwise bring your own laptop to ensure your portfolio can be viewed. See samples of portfolio formats next page
Presenting your portfolio Only show your best work, interview effectively and dress like you want the job.
Getting the Interview What is an Internship? Finding an internship on your own. Responding to an internship interview request. CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE PHOTOS TAKEN DURING PORTFOLIO REVIEW An internship is an opportunity for students to work in their chosen profession while attending school in order to gain valuable knowledge and work experience. The Interview Most often, interns are not paid for the work they do monetarily, but are instead rewarded by the sharing of knowledge, ideas, opportunities for Bring with you: Your portfolio, extra résumés, your smile. their portfolio, networks and possibly a permanent job offer if the intern takes advantage of the opportunity to be a valuable employee. Dress like you want the job. Interview do s and don ts. What questions to ask. Show up on time.
I was offered the job! So what s next? I said yes! Now what? Should I accept the job if I have more interviews? Absolutely, if you would very much like to do so! However, make sure you are transparent with potential internship employers by letting them know in a polite way if you still have other interviews scheduled. It s okay to go ahead and begin working HOWEVER... Inform your Faculty Internship Supervisor (FIS) and Vertrilla Hunt in the Internship Office IMMEDIATELY! Ms. Hunt s contact information: vhunt@valenciacollege.edu; Bldg 5-230A; (407)582.2037 You will then need to have your new employer be in direct touch with the Internship Office to complete an Internship Agreement form to fax or email back to Vertrilla Hunt. Once your new employer sends this form to the Internship Office, and once your FIS has received a copy of that form, you will be contacted by your FIS to schedule an appointment to meet with your FIS to fill out your CLP.
What is a CLP??? CUSTOMIZED LEARNING PLAN AND EMPLOYER EVALUATION Circle the Term Student was Registered: Fall Spring Summer Fall Spring Summer CLP stands for Customized Learning Plan. This is the form that your supervisor at your new place of employment will use to evaluate you at the end of your internship. A CLP looks like this: 2007-10 2007-20 2007-30 2008-10 2008-20 2008-30 DIRECTIONS TO THE STUDENT: Complete this section and Student Section of Major Learning Objectives below. Student s Name Faculty Name Std Home Phone Faculty Phone/ Std Alternate Phone Faculty Fax No. Employer Name Intern Job Title Site Supervisor/ Total Hours Required of Internship Supervisor Phone One year educational/employment/career goals: Three-year educational/employment/career goals: 1. 1. 2. 2. DIRECTIONS TO THE EMPLOYER: Please use the scoring system at right to rate the student s job performance. Rating of Job Requirements/Internship Goals Rating Point Value How to Determine Excellent (E) 4 pts Exceeds Job Requirements Very Good (VG) 3 pts Often Meets Job Requirements Good (G) 2 pts Sometimes Meets Job Requirements Fair (F) 1 pt Needs Improvement Here, your Faculty Internship Supervisor will list four workplace objectives he/she feels you need to learn while interning 1. 2. 3. 4. MAJOR LEARNING OBJECTIVES PROGRAM OBJECTIVES -- (Developed by FIS) E(4) VG(3) G(2) F(1) PERFORMANCE RATING (Completed by the Employer) These are the objectives your new employer has indicated on the Internship Agreement form he/she faxed to the internship office EMPLOYER OBJECTIVES -- (Developed by Employer re: Specific duties assigned to this Student.) 1. 2. 3. 4. Finally, you will list four objectives that you personally are hoping to achieve while you are interning 1. 2. 3. 4. STUDENT OBJECTIVES (Developed by Student with FIS) CLP.v07-05 Subtotal Score for this Page
What should I expect from an internship?? Once your CLP is completed and faxed to your employer, make sure you sit down with them to discuss your CLP objectives and the objectives they have personally set aside for you. Arrange a weekly schedule and stick to it. Plan on spending about 10 hours a week there for approximately 8 weeks until you have worked a total of 80 hours. You should arrive on time prepared to work and learn just like a real job. Treat your internship as though it s a really long job interview. The odds are really high they might consider moving you to a full-time position once your internship is over, however it is entirely contingent upon how you functioned as an employee for them. Whatever you do, don t burn any bridges by being an unreliable intern Orlando is a small town and word gets around really fast if you are the type of employee they cannot recommend. Although you might not be paid by your internship monetarily, you are still gaining priceless work experience and opportunities that you otherwise would not receive without their time and desire to see you grow as a designer.
What is my grade based upon? CLICK HERE TO GO TO INTERSHIP SITE to download forms: valenciacc.edu.ipo/forms.cfm 1. 9 total Activity Logs 2. Signed attendance sheets (time sheets). This is just to verify you have worked the minimum 80 hours required to earn your Internship credit. 3. Two work samples (copies will do) of projects you have contributed to while interning. 4. A copy of the thank you letter you send to your employer when your internship is over. 5. The final CLP evaluation faxed from your employer. 1. 2. Internship Activity Log (F) INDUSTRY EXPLORATION ACTIVITY Internship Activity Log (N) FINAL WEEK Directions: Select two positions at the internship site that you would be interested in knowing more about. Speak with the individuals that are currently in those positions and indicate their responses in the spaces provided below. Turn your Activity Logs in to your faculty internship supervisor by the 5 th of every month after you begin your internship. Internship Activity Log (A) Directions: Please print your answers legibly if you want to receive credit for your answer. If additional space is needed, please use the reverse side of this page. Turn your Activity Logs in to your faculty internship supervisor by the 5 th of every month after you begin your internship. Student s Name: Student s Name: Directions: Please print your answers legibly if you want to receive credit for your answer. If additional space is needed, please use the reverse side of this page. Turn your Activity Logs in to your faculty internship supervisor by the 5 th of every month after you begin your internship. Internship Site: Internship Site: Today s Date: Today s Date: Student s Name: Position I Position Title: _ Education/training required: Internship Site: Today s Date: Major Job Responsibilities: Position II Position Title: Education/training required: Major Job Responsibilities: 1. Describe what you liked the most and least about your internship. 1. Describe the specific tasks you performed your first week. (Reminder: You must have developed a Customized Learning Plan with your faculty internship supervisor NLT than two weeks after the start of your internship. It is worth 25% of your grade). 2. Summarize what your internship has taught you about yourself and your career and industry as a whole. 2. Describe your work environment (formal, casual, dress attire, etc.). What do you like about where you are working? 1. What entry level jobs will give you the experience you need to prepare you for Position I and Position II? 3. 5. 1. 2. 3. 4. 1. 2. 3. 4. 1. 2. 3. 4. CUSTOMIZED LEARNING PLAN AND EMPLOYER EVALUATION Circle the Term Student was Registered: 2007-10 2007-20 2007-30 2008-10 2008-20 2008-30 Fall Spring Summer Fall Spring Summer DIRECTIONS TO THE STUDENT: Complete this section and Student Section of Major Learning Objectives below. Student s Name Faculty Name Std Home Phone Faculty Phone/ Std Alternate Phone Faculty Fax No. Employer Name Intern Job Title Site Supervisor/ Total Hours Required of Internship Supervisor Phone One year educational/employment/career goals: Three-year educational/employment/career goals: 1. 1. 2. 2. Rating of Job Requirements/Internship Goals DIRECTIONS TO THE EMPLOYER: Please use the scoring system at right to rate the student s job performance. MAJOR LEARNING OBJECTIVES Point Rating Value How to Determine Excellent (E) 4 pts Exceeds Job Requirements Very Good (VG) 3 pts Often Meets Job Requirements Good (G) 2 pts Sometimes Meets Job Requirements Fair (F) 1 pt Needs Improvement PROGRAM OBJECTIVES -- (Developed by FIS) E(4) VG(3) G(2) F(1) EMPLOYER OBJECTIVES -- (Developed by Employer re: Specific duties assigned to this Student.) STUDENT OBJECTIVES (Developed by Student with FIS) PERFORMANCE RATING (Completed by the Employer) 3. Would you recommend this internship site to a friend? Why or why not? 2. What are the job projections for these positions locally and nationally? For local projections, go to your Atlas login, then click on My Life Map and then My Job Prospects, or go to http://www.whatpeopleareasking.com/index.shtm. For national projections, go to www.bls.gov. To obtain additional information regarding career resources, contact the Career Center. 3. What type of product/service does this company provide? 3. What is the starting salary/wage per hour for these positions? (Go to: salary.com) Internship Tip: Do not get discouraged if the duties you are assigned in the beginning are not too challenging. Your supervisor needs to see what you are capable of doing before he/she can assign additional responsibilities. Activity.Logs.v12-05 4. CLP.v07-05 Subtotal Score for this Page Activity.Logs.v12-05 Activity.Logs.v12-05
What happens if I begin work late in the semester or don t finish my 80 hours by the end of the semester? You should not be leaving it entirely up to the Internship Office to find you an internship. You should be actively seeking one yourself as well and showing enough initiative to find a desirable internship employer. Doing so will also reduce the chance that this will happen in the first place. Let your Faculty Supervisor and the Internship Office know what you are doing to get an internship and to receive advice on what you might be doing wrong. If this does happen, don t worry. Your Faculty Internship Supervisor will give you a grade of I (Incomplete) when final grades are due. You will then have until the end of the next semester to finish your internship. Then based upon your performance and the paperwork submitted, your Faculty Supervisor will change your grade accordingly. You will not need to reregister or pay for the course again unless you don t finish your internship the second semester.
What if I forget all of this? Read this presentation again. It can be downloaded from the Valencia Graphics East Campus Multimedia Server in the Internship Take-Out Box. Contact your Faculty Internship Supervisor for any questions that still remain unanswered by this presentation. What if I m having problems at my internship? Most problems at internships are due to not asking the right questions during your interview that would avoid problems or misunderstandings related to your job responsibilities. Always try to communicate your concerns with your employer first. If you re having a difficult time finding a solution with your employer, contact your Internship Supervisor Immediately for advice on how the issue can be resolved. NEVER just quit or stop going to work!