Many high schools, colleges, universities, and private companies and organizations provide student work experience opportunities. Some colleges have work experience programs that help students learn basic job skills. Many university programs give students who work in related fields academic credit. Some businesses and organizations hire interns or part-time employees with specific majors. Students often receive on-the-job training in specific industries, such as engineering.
Students who need or want to work in high school may have access to a student work experience office at their schools. Some high schools allow students to fulfill elective requirements working. For example, a student might choose to work for a few hours a day at a preschool to earn spending money while also exploring options for a future career in early childhood education.
A student can begin contacting a local college’s work experience office to gain student work experience at the college level. Jobs are usually on campus and are designed to help students develop job-specific skills. Students can start in entry-level positions and progress to higher levels of responsibility and skill development with the help of faculty and college staff. Many students can prepare for the workforce while earning money gaining work experience in a supportive college environment.
Universities also provide administrative and assistant teaching positions for students to gain work experience. For a student interested in becoming a future educational administrator, applying for a position in a university admissions office, for example, provides valuable experience. Another example of an on-campus job opportunity is conducting research for a professor. Graduate students who assist professors in the preparation of class materials and the facilitation of discussion sessions frequently gain valuable work experience as well as academic credit.
Part-time jobs or internships at some nonprofits and private businesses can also help students gain work experience. Some employers attend on-campus job fairs and actively recruit students who are interested in specific majors. A large company’s marketing department, for example, might be interested in marketing and communications majors to help with administrative tasks associated with marketing campaigns. Interns interested in community or socioeconomic development might be advertised a nonprofit organization.
Specific industries provide students with hands-on work experience in conjunction with university programs. For example, some engineering firms form partnerships with reputable universities and hire students. These opportunities allow students to enter the workforce and increase their employment prospects after graduation strengthening key job-specific skills.