Technology Department Internship Information

1. Technology Department Internship Information 2005 - 2006

2. Benefits of an Internship • Obtain practical work experience in your major field of study • Apply what you have been taught in the classroom to the “real world” • Test career choices • Strengthen your resume and gain a competitive edge • Begin networking contacts • Experience with job-hunting and interviewing

3. What is an internship? • Full-time work experience, usually in the summer between junior and senior year • Interns work under the supervision of a manager in a degree-related business • Interns must work 40 hours per credit hour • Each degree program specifies the minimum credit hour requirements for the internship • The class is graded as Satisf./Unsatisf. • Logs and reports to a supervising professor are completed during the internship

4. Eligibility for Internship • Students are asked to be in their Junior or Senior year with certain courses within the major completed • A student in good academic standing • Location and commitment of a suitable employer

5. Usual Internship sites Construction Companies Manufacturers Printers and Publishers Architectural Firms Photographic Studios Service oriented companies Energy related businesses NOTE: Sales positions are not typically considered appropriate internship placements.

6. What kinds of work do interns do? • Rotations through business duties to observe or perform actual work • Projects assigned by the workplace supervisor: • Project management • Estimating • Planning • Personnel issues • Supervising others

7. Do interns earn a salary? • We encourage companies to pay interns, but we do not require compensation. • Compensation is negotiated between the intern and the student – usually in the range of $7 to $12 per hour You will be billed for Summer School tuition, in the first summer session based upon your total credit hours of enrollment

8. Other requirements...... • You must be registered as a full-time student at ASU. • You may not enroll in additional course work during internship period without PRIOR WRITTEN APPROVAL by the Department Chair. • We discourage you from working in another job while you are in an Internship. • You will be assigned a supervising professor • You will have written assignments that are required for a satisfactory grade • You must keep daily logs • You must turn in summaries of your work bi-weekly • You must be evaluated by your work supervisor & your instructor of record. • You must complete a portfolio at the end of your work experience that includes documentation of your work, a final paper summarizing the experience, and copies of the logs.

9. Your grade is contingent on ..... • Satisfactory evaluations by employer/ supervisor and faculty supervisor. • Satisfactory completion of all academic requirements (learning objectives, logs and written report) • Completion of all administrative forms, registration, and payment of tuition and fees.

10. Getting started...... • Identify potential internship sites • CALL the manager to ask for an interview • DO NOT use email for initial contact • Leave messages and follow-up every day or so • Tips for avoiding ‘telephone tag’:

11. The interview ...... • Be prepared to discuss what you want to accomplish from the internship: • What you want to learn • What kinds of things you want to experience • Review ‘Sample Interview Questions’ – think about how you would answer these questions • Remember, your degree prepares you for supervision and you should find an internship that allows you to practice some of the management principles of your discipline. (working as a laborer on a construction site is not an appropriateinternship) • Make a list of questions that you want to ask the manager: • “What do you expect from an intern?” • “What kinds of projects could I work on?” • Be realistic about your expectations, while you want supervisory experience, expect to do some entry level work as well. Many companies try to move interns through every aspect of the company during the experience, thereby giving them a thorough understanding of the business.

12. The interview ...... • Give a packet of information regarding the internship request to the manager/employer: • Your resume with cover letter • Names and phone #s of 3 references • Department of Technology Internship Brochure* • “Info for Employers”* • Internship Agreement* (*From the Technology Department Website: www.tec.appstate.edu)

13. Required paperwork – The Internship Agreement • Once an employer has agreed to your Internship, fill out the top section • Sign the form and get other signatures: • Employer • Academic Program Coordinator • YOU MUST COMPLETE THE INTERNSHIP AGREEMENT BEFORE YOU WILL BE REGISTERED FOR TEC 4900!! • YOUR HOURS OF WORK TIME MAY NOT BE COUNTED UNTIL THE DAY YOU ENROLL IN THE CLASS

14. Final Words of Advice • The internship does not make or break your career • There are limited numbers of internships in the Boone area • Be willing to take a chance (it’s not a long-term commitment, like a job) • You get out of the internship what you put into it • Mr. Reichard, Dr. Connor and your Program Coordinator are here to help; not to find your internship for you

15. Department of Technology Program Coordinators • Appropriate Technology: Dr. Scanlin • Construction Management: Mr. Tiller • Architectural Technology: Mr. Tiller • Furniture Design: Dr. Connor • Interior Design: Ms. Mercer-Ballard • Graphic Arts & Imaging Tech: Dr. Williams • Technology Education: Dr. Taylor • Graduate Programs: Dr. Hoepfl • Technical Photography: Mr. Scarlata • Product Design: Dr. Land