By Dominic Arthur, Staff Reporter.
For students looking to beef up their resumes and jumpstart a possible career, Delta College is offering an internship/co-op that will help do so.
The ACE, Academic Career Experience, program is a program that current Delta students can apply for to gain “valuable, real-life work experience related to their academic or career goals” according to ACE Coordinator Beth Beauchamp.
“The [ACE] office will help students arrange part-time work schedules to accommodate their full or part-time class schedules,” Beauchamp said.
Juanita Ahumada, a Delta student, has been happily in the program for over a year and a half. “I have gained new contacts that have pushed my profile forward,” said Ahumada. “I think getting the opportunity to work in the field is great. It would be nice to have more companies in different fields offer co-op programs.”
The program has a variety of positions open in business-related fields, human services, communications, sciences, technical, and industrial fields.
“Students receive numerous benefits by participating in the ACE program. They earn college credit, earn money if enrolled in a co-op position, get hands-on work experience, practice on the job what they learned in class, determine if a field is a good fit, learn from a seasoned career professional, build a professional network of contacts, and enhance their resume and future marketability,” said Beauchamp.
In order to join, Delta students are required to maintain a minimum of 6 credits and a 2.0 GPA. Those requirements must be met in order to get a referral, placement, and continued employment through the program.
“Some employers require students to be enrolled in more credit hours and have higher GPA requirements. Once employed in a co-op or internship position, students must enroll in and successfully complete the appropriate two-credit ACE courses,” said Beauchamp.
Those courses are:
- ACE 101W Career Professional Development I
- ACE 102W Career Professional Development II
- ACE 201W or ACE 202W or ACE 203W or ACE 204W Career Work Experience
“In addition, students must commit to working at least 180 hours in a semester, which is about 12 hours a week,” said Beauchamp.
This is not the first year that the program has been available.
“The ACE courses students take while they are a co-op or intern have been restructured. The courses provide ongoing professional development, which will help students be successful in their current co-op or internship position and assist students in preparing for a career after graduation,” said Beauchamp.
Students can enroll as an intern for one semester. Positions may be paid or unpaid.
“Students are interested in a paid co-op position, they must enroll in the program for a minimum of one year. Students can also continue with co-op for a second year if desired. If students complete three semesters of co-op and six credits of ACE classes, they can earn an Academic Career Experience Certificate of Achievement,” Beauchamp
Earning these achievements shows an employer that students have career-related work experience, “which is an important credential to have in today’s job market.”
“I would tell them to join,” Ahumada said. “You thought that your resume was good, but they will show you how to improve. They help you think outside the box and are available to you at all times.”
Ahumada continued, “No matter how old you are or what experience you have, you will learn something you never thought of. Don’t think of this program as another class, think of it as a support group that is there to help you get that career you have worked so hard for.”
Students who meet the requirements can sign up for the program by following these steps:
- Go to www.delta.edu/ace_sl/co-op.
- Choose the “Apply…Instructions on How to Apply” link.
- Complete the “ACE Student Application” and the “Orientation
- Session and QUIZ.”
- Submit a current and professional resume to the ACE office by e-mail, fax, or mail
If students have NOT completed a semester of classes at Delta, they should submit their most recent transcript (high school or college) to the ACE office by e-mail, fax, or mail.
Students who are interested can contact the ACE office at 989-686-9474 or via email at ace_sl@delta.edu. You can also contact the office through their website at www.delta.edu/ace_sl/co-op.