(Archive September 2017) Go Further With Internships and Work Study Programs

By Deidra Brown | Observer Contributor

Mount Wachusett Community College provides students with many opportunities to participate in internships and work studies. Internships and work studies at MWCC suit students of all degrees and programs.

Although internships and work studies are similar, they do have distinguished differences. Work studies are paid positions on-campus that have been awarded by financial aid, while internships are usually unpaid (non-profit) positions that take place typically off-campus. It is common for internships to be provided by the professor and are required as curriculum depending on the program or major.

Patricia Brewerton, Coordinator of Career Planning and Placement, works frequently with students building resumes. Brewerton shared the importance of taking up work studies, stating that they teach students the needed “soft skills” such as work ethic, being prompt, and being able to multitask.
Benefits come with internships as well, such as more work experience leading to less training needed. “Degrees are not enough… there are more qualified candidates than there are jobs these days” Brewerton underlined.

The work environment is tight, and employers want the most experienced. Brewerton also shared that employers value non-profit internships because it portrays the candidate as motivated and committed.

Being an intern or a work study student for the Marketing Department is a great choice for students looking to get experience in the work environment, especially for students pursuing a career in journalism.

Marketing Department representatives Stephanie England, the Assistant Director of Marketing, April Ondis, Director of Marketing, and Vice President, External Affairs, Communications & K-12 Partnerships, Lea Ann Scales, shared what students can expect coming into the Marketing Department.

Interns and work studies can look forward to being proactive, writing copies for postcards, or assisting in planning events. Students may even “take a photo for Instagram and come up with a great text overlay that’s humorous or thought-provoking” as April Ondis, Director of Marketing, mentioned.

Along with internships allowing students to have a wider experience before officially starting their careers, Scales shared that many employers prefer to see resume reels with published works rather than reels of school project, which is why internships and work-studies are important.

Internships and work studies can lead to many opportunities for students. “The people that are going to be successful are the people who seek those opportunities out.” Vice President, Lea Ann Scales said.