Earn-and-Learn Internship Program

LAHC Student Internship Program

There are various types of student internship opportunities at ACC, but we’re calling our program the LAHC Earn-and-Learn Program. E&L students are paid as hourly employees, but do not typically receive course credit.

Administration

Creating an LAE&L Job

Each LAE&L proposal must identify task/assignment outcomes and educational outcomes (It’s the educational outcomes that make it an internship, rather than just hourly employment.) Both the assignment and the educational opportunities should be specific. E.g., “helps in the DC’s office” is too vague; identify a list of tasks to be assigned and performance criteria for the outcomes. Similarly, the educational outcomes need to state specific outcomes and metrics.

E&L Internships include periodic performance and educational review (at least semesterly), with a reevaluation of assignments and educational goals as appropriate. Proposer must identify method of follow-up with the student after program ends for data collection/outcomes purposes.

Key elements of a proposal

LAE&Ls must identify a supervisor who is responsible for:

• assigning tasks and monitoring work flow
• ensuring educational opportunities in the specific educational goals and objectives of the internship
• conducting periodic reviews, in consultation with the dean’s office.
• an updated proposal is required, and must be approved by the dean, should the supervisor change mid-assignment

As a baseline for planning, each E&L Internship requires funding at approximately $5000, for a maximum of 8 hours/week for 40 weeks per academic year (15 weeks each in the fall and spring plus 10 weeks).

Hourly money at the division and department levels should be redirected, where feasible, to the creation of student LAE&L opportunities.

Available LAE&L positions are Student Intern I, II, and III. In accord with Board endorsement of a Living Wage, Student Interns I, II, and III are paid at $13.00, $14.50, and $15.50/hour, respectively.

E&L Internships are open to any currently-enrolled ACC student with the interest and demonstrated foundational skills to accomplish the assigned tasks. Interns are selected by interview by a committee composed of at least the supervisor, the department chair or appointee, and a representative from the dean’s office. Interviews typically occur in April/May for Fall positions and August/September for Spring positions.

Applications typically include a letter of interest,demonstration/documentation of requisite foundational skills, and a recommendation by a professor in the student’s home discipline/division.

E&L Interns are hourly employees, so they require the usual paperwork. Hiring paperwork (minus the I-9, which has to be filled out in person) can be distributed in the interview extension email. The applicant can either have the paperwork filled out before arriving or fill out hiring documents before or after the interview. If possible, hiring documents should be collected and be ready for submission to HR the same day as the interview. International students must check in with the International Office before submitting hiring documents.

LAE&Ls will be placed according to skill levels required and experience as Student Intern I, II, or III.

LAE&Ls are capped at 8 hours per week, 40 weeks per academic year. This may be exceeded with justification, with dean approval.

A new proposal is required for each FY regardless of semester start.

Last updated 03.13.2020 mmdl