Experiential Learning

Experiential learning enriches the student’s education because work experiences reinforce what is learned in the classroom. In addition, exposure to real-world experiences and career options promotes the student’s sense of independence, confidence, and marketability. It is consistent with the college’s Mission Statement, “To provide high quality and affordable educational opportunities and services ….that promote individual development and improve the overall quality of life…”

Cooperative Education (Co-op)

A co-op opportunity is a paid learning experience that gives students an edge by providing them with job assignments related to their field of study. In addition to being compensated, the student can earn one college credit for every 180 hours of work, up to three credits per semester.

Eligibility Requirements

• Currently enrolled at Cuyahoga Community College 
• Completed 12 credit hours of college coursework (includes transfer credits) with at least two courses related to your major field
• GPA of 2.75 or higher

Student Expectations

• Complete the Co-op Student Application of Interest  and submit to the Career Center (a career center representative will contact you)
• Participate in the co-op orientation process through the Career Center
• Upload your resume for final revisions and approval by a Career Coach at College Central Network
• Complete and sign a "Cooperative Education Agreement" form 

Faculty Co-op Coordinator and Instructor of Record

The Faculty Co-op Coordinator and Instructor of Record are roles that are integral to the success of the co-op program. We welcome your participation in the process. If you are interested please contact  Claudia Motiu, Director, Employer Outreach at claudia.motiu@tri-c.edu or 216-987-2893. Position descriptions and responsibilities are at the links above. 

Internships

An Internship is an experience referring to a partnership between students, institutions of higher education and employers that integrates academic study with work experience. Internships are of a specific and definite duration and provide a student the opportunity to explore areas of interest. Internships are currently non-credit courses and may provide students with compensation in the form of wages or salaries, stipends or scholarships. Students have the opportunity to build their resumes through an internship experience.

• One internship course is equivalent to 100 hours of relevant work.
• Internships may be paid or unpaid.
• Student minimum GPA requirement of 2.0 and completion of at least 12 credit hours.
• A Career Center coach will act as an internship coordinator.
• The student is supervised on the job by an employee of the company/organization for whom the student works and that supervisor is responsible for the evaluation of the student's performance in the internship.
• Students are graded as pass/no pass on their academic record based on employer evaluation.

To inquire regarding internship opportunities, please contact your Employer Relations Specialist, and post the internship on our job board at College Central Network.

Job Shadowing

Job Shadowing is an educational activity in which students spend time learning about a specific job or industry. They interact with professionals on the job while observing actual operations and procedures and gain an understanding of the company’s culture. The primary focus is to explore potential career interests.

Job Shadowing is for observation only. It is an informative opportunity to gain valuable knowledge about potential career paths and fields of study that might be suitable for them to pursue. Job Shadowing is a great way to help students align their educational and career goals.

To inquire regarding job shadowing opportunities, please contact Employer Relations Specialist Alison Ivey at the Eastern Campus.