Work Based Learning

Most students expect to work after college graduation. However, your job search shouldn't begin when you graduate. Career planning and preparation throughout your college studies will give you a clear advantage over other job applicants. Work-based learning experiences can help you make career decisions, network with potential employers, select courses of study, and develop job skills relevant to future employment. Through the interaction of work and study experiences, your academic knowledge, personal development, and professional preparation will be enhanced.

Through our internship programs, SMC is committed to enhancing our curriculum by assisting you in preparing for a successful career, helping you gain “real world” experience and providing work based learning opportunities so you can experience the connection between work and learning while attending SMC.

Internship Programs

“A win-win partnership for business and student”

The Internship Program provides a valuable training and learning experience for the student, as well as career orientation, preparation for entry-level employment and modernization of specific job skills. SMC’s Internship Program is a bridge to student success in the workplace, as well as an effective partnership between business and education.

Internship vs. Apprenticeship

An internship is an opportunity for a student to gain practical, real-world experience in an occupation while under the supervision at a business placement site.

An apprenticeship is a relationship between an employer and an employee during which the worker (or apprentice) acquires trade and craft skills and knowledge.

Internship Program Facts

• 48-384 hours (depending on student’s program) of real-world training and learning at a training site.
• Flexible training schedule, minimum of 10-15 hours per week is required.
• The student is given academic credit when the internship is successfully done.
• Training can start and end anytime of the year and is not structured by a semester.
• Student is enrolled in on-campus classes related to his/her career field.
• The student can complete up to 12 credit hours of internship.

Quality Program

SMC ensures a quality program through:

• Communicating regularly with the business and the student.
• The business, student and Internship Coordinator sign a training contract.
• The student and business complete internship objectives that describe the skills and learning experience that will take place at the training site.
• Verifying weekly the training hours and tasks to ensure the student is meeting goals and objectives.
• The business and the student complete evaluations.
• The student submits a final report summarizing the internship experience.