Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Cooperative Education/Internship

Setting up YOUR Cooperative Education site may take months.

Cooperative Education

Virtual co-op experiences will need to align with the processes of the faculty handbook and the student handbook.

Cooperative Education also referred to as co-op is a wonderful opportunity to get college credit for field work 1 credit hour is equal to 30 hours in the field over the course of the term. Most coops are 3 credits and are about 7-8 hours per week. You will have a site supervisor as well as a college instructor. The college instructor will have a syllabus outlining their requirements and the site supervisor will have their expectations outlined in the learning objectives. It is up to the student to locate their own site and competitively interview for the opening. Faculty and I are available to assist you in finding a coop site. This field experience is a wonderful way to put classroom knowledge to use, build a professional reputation in the field, and earn a relevant work reference. PCC provides worker’s compensation insurance for non-paid experiences if not covered by the site.

State of Oregon Definition of Cooperative Education PCC – Uses the terms “Internship” and “Cooperative Education, Co-op” interchangeably

PCC – Panther Path – Internships. This PCC site outlines the information for finding an internship, Cooperative Education, and the Student Handbook. Check out the section – Starting a New Job or Internship for success tips www.pcc.edu/careers/internships/getting-started

• Information on how to maximize your internship experience
• Article – Choosing the Right Internship

Forms and Information

You will need the following forms to be registered for coop. Download the forms and save them. You may see a small arrow on the far rt. side (middle of the screen) click on the arrow. A list of things you can do with the PDF will open up – click on Fill and Sign on the Rt. side of the screen – this will allow you to fill out the form. This is a district form for all cooperative education courses – regardless of program. www.pcc.edu/careers/internships/getting-started

Paralegal

• Paralegal Training Agreement & Learning Objectives and Internship Manual
• Process and forms for Paralegal internships
• PL students should you wish to review your academic plan and Cooperative Ed. credit options please make an appointment to see Diana Blake www.bit.ly/paralegaladvising

Please print legibly on your forms for a quick turnaround and registration (a human being needs to read this).

• All email correspondence from the Employment Specialist will only be conducted on PCC email for student confidentiality.
• List the term, CRN, and your G Number
• Please complete all of the sections of the forms, including the lower portion of the training agreement.
• You and the employer must sign the forms before submitting them for registration. CJA: send to your coop instructor, FP: send to employment specialist.
• Once the completed forms are turned in (paper or electronic), they will be submitted for course registration.
• Please turn in the completed paperwork as soon as possible to avoid late fees or problems with financial aid.
• Paperwork turned in past the second week of the term will be approved on a case by case situation.

Criminal Justice Administration

www.pcc.edu/careers/internships/getting-started

Training Agreement and Learning Objectives

CJA 280 – 3 credit course (90 hours) over the course of a term (schedule is determined by the site):

• Prerequisites CJA 100 and (111 OR 113)
• Vance Stimler is the instructor for the Criminal Justice Administration Co-Op CJA 280A.
• Contact Info: 971-722-3033 vance.stimler@pcc.edu
• In addition to the 90 hours on-site
  1. Keep a log of coop activities and prepare a written report.
  2. Contact and meet with Mr. Stimler during the last week of the term and turn in your employer evaluation form.

Fire Protection

www.pcc.edu/careers/internships/getting-started

FP 280A – 3 credit course (120 hours) over the course of a term (schedule is determined by the site)

• Prerequisites FP 112 FP123 & EMS106
• Ryan Berg is the instructor for the FP Co-op. ryan.berg@pcc.edu 360-606-3963 cell
• Attend coop meetings, meet with the employment specialist once a term, and keep a reflection journal and log your time
• You must contact Ryan Berg 14 days prior to the meeting to cancel/reschedule
• You will need to be affiliated with a Fire department or district as an intern
• Don’t have a department? That’s ok see your Career Specialist (CA Career Center) SSB 106. Call to make an appointment with Tanya at 971-722-5600.
• Have a department. Great! Your next step is to attend the next Mandatory meeting for FP 280. You can get the dates from Tanya as well. Your Site Captains will know what you need to learn for every term you are enrolled
  • Attend an FP280 Mandatory meeting, these are typically held the week before finals week each term. You can email Tanya to get the dates for the next meeting, tmaldona@pcc.edu. It is also listed on the syllabus for returning students. Can’t make the meeting due to extenuating circumstances? Contact Capt. Ryan Berg ryan.berg@pcc.edu 14 days prior to the meeting.

Gerontology students: www.pcc.edu/ger

Sample Learning Objectives

• Criminal Justice Learning Objectives – samples

Fire students – Your captain/supervisor will outline your objectives

Internships and Study Abroad

OHSU Summer Research Internships – www.ohsu.edu/outreach/higher-education-programs

MECOP/CECOP

A unique program for undergraduate students in engineering and computer science, enabling them to gain real-world professional experience through two 6-month, paid internships while completing their degree program. Consider yourself eligible for the program if you are planning to apply to the upper division this coming April (for Fall 2022 admission). To learn more the MECOP website (www.mecopinc.org). Feel free to email Frank Goovaerts (fhg@pdx.edu) with specific questions.

International Internships/Study Abroad

• Federal Internships (domestic & international)
• Interning Abroad
• Go Overseas
• IES Internships
• CIEE
• CIS Abroad
• CAPA
• ISEP

Journaling Tips

Internship Journaling.pdf