Intern Program Information

The model for the AIC Hybrid Intern Program will request area businesses to provide scholarships for students who in turn would engage in meaningful internships with these businesses for up to 20 hours a week throughout the school year.

  • Businesses will develop job descriptions for opportunities to provide substantive work skills and business knowledge that will increase in responsibility each year over a four-year period.
  • The college will identify students suited to participate in internships and will share responsibility for their assessment and evaluation.
  • Both the college and the business partner will outline clear expectations for satisfactory academic and internship performance.
  • Ideally, the combination of scholarships provided by the business, discounted tuition provided by the college, and the students’ Pell and state support, will result in as close as possible to free tuition for the students.
  • Students benefit from greatly reduced tuition costs, while simultaneously learning professional skills as they move forward toward a college degree.

Vision

The PROGRAM offers selected students the chance to attend college tuition-free and to have a four year internship with a local partnering employer featuring progressively more responsibility each year. Students receive a high-quality undergraduate education while also learning real world work skills and gaining tangible experience growing with a local organization. Having been developed by their host employer, at the employer’s place of business, and according to the employer’s culture, values, and standards, students gain a unique advantage in competition for choice job placements.

We started with a basic premise. If you were going to have an intern who could eventually grow into a future employee, what skills and qualities would you want that person to have? Then we asked employers to partner with us to develop a group of work ready professionals, in a transformative experience taking four years. The result was the basic framework:

Basic Framework—Program Goals and Objectives for Each Student:
What do students need to master to be successful in the real world?

Demonstrate Strong Attendance:
Consistently meeting the obligations of one’s schedule, defined as the accumulation of uninterrupted sequences of being recorded as having been present when expected. “80% of success is showing up.”

Exhibit a Strong Work Ethic:
Being productive and engaged with the business of the day; consistently making a measurable contribution meeting a high standard of quality through one’s efforts throughout the duration of one’s scheduled time. Satisfying the other 20% of success–being present and involved.

Be Persistent:
Showing the ability to work through adversity and to continue to problem solve rather than giving up and becoming discouraged even when the challenges are daunting.

Be Reliable:
Faithfully following through on responsibilities and commitments.

Display Dedication:
Possess an ownership of the job, a commitment to the mission and to the goals of the organization that transcends the mere completion of routine tasks but reveals an appreciation for the larger aims being pursued.

Present with Professional Comportment:
Showing a professional bearing as a person who the organization can be proud to have represent them, one who is respectful in interactions with others, who can effectively communicate verbally, and has the polish to not appear uncouth.

Be Accountable:
Taking responsibility for the quality and quantity of the work performed, the actions taken, and the results and outcomes that result.

Lead:
Taking initiative, and, regardless of the individual style, finding a way to positively impact the team.

Have Self-Awareness:
Understand one’s own styles of leadership, learning, communication, decision-making, preferred method of receiving information, orientation to the external world, and ways of structuring one’s experience. Holding a fair appraisal of what deficits one has, which ones that they cannot change and how they can off-set them but also what strengths and opportunities are available.

Openly Receive Criticism and Feedback:
To graciously be able to hear positive and negative assessments of one’s work without becoming defensive and to process and apply it effectively to future efforts.

Work as a Team:
Acting as a collaborative, cooperative member of the work group, willing to contribute to the cause.

Write Well:
Utilizing the English language to effectively transfer information at a level of quality that is expected in the work environment.

Exude Competence:
To be recognized as a person whom, with appropriate training and resources, can be reasonably expected to appropriately execute basic responsibilities with confidence.

Harness Modern Technology:
Exhibiting the aptitude to use Microsoft office products, leverage social media, and the wherewithal to become proficient in new systems at the employer’s location.

Manage One’s Career:
Evincing a sense of purpose and direction of what they are working toward in a career, and having an accurate appreciation for what opportunities they have for growth.

Global Intercultural Fluency:
Signaling an awareness and openness to diversity, an ability to adapt to new environments, acclimate to the culture of a business organization, and adapt to change.

Think Critically:
Undertaking high-level analysis and assessment of circumstances and be able to identify appropriate conclusions in an objective, data-informed manner.

Skillfully Present:
Giving an overview of concepts and proposals verbally in a professional, compelling way.

Participating students are awarded a badge upon mastery, or levels of mastery that becomes a part of the Co-Curricular Transcript.

Next Steps:

  • Apply to the program using the link provided, completing all questions to the best of your ability.
  • Utilize the Freshmen Resume Template to create a resume.
  • Review the AIC Work Study Dress Code Poster and plan for a Business Casual or Professional Dress outfit for the interview day.

Contact the Saremi Center for Career Development for more information at saremicenter@aic.edu or 413.205.3237.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Who can I contact for more information?
Contact the Saremi Center for Career Development at saremicenter@aic.edu or 413.205.3237.

What should I wear?
Please dress Business Casual or Professional. Utilize the provided picture for examples.

What types of companies are participating?
For our pilot program, we are utilizing companies we have close relationships with on or near campus.

What type of work would I be doing?
In year one, it will be entry-level work designed to hone basic fundamentals toward taking on larger responsibilities in each of the following four years.

Where should I go for my interview?
Please go to the first floor of the Shea Library. View the campus map on our website for building location.

 

 

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