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General Information
Cooperative Work Experience Education is a venture in which students, employers and Saddleback College work together to provide relevant, quality education and valuable work-related experiences for the student. It is called Cooperative Work Experience Education because it is dependent upon employers and educators cooperating to form a more complete educational program for the students. This is a unique plan of education combining classroom education with planned, supervised work experience and allows the student to earn college credit for work experience. This combination of instruction provides the student with educational opportunities that lead directly to productive employment in the community.
Students can use the On-line student workbook for all procedures and forms.
Student Benefits:
- Receive college credit for on-the-job experiences (paid or volunteer).
- Learn or improve employment skills under actual working conditions
- Apply classroom theory to "real job experience" thus gaining a perspective on career goals.
- Develop a better understanding of human relations as it relates to the workplace.
- Be able to test personal abilities in selected work environments.
- Refer to work experience education on resumes and future job applications.
In Cooperative Work Experience, the student's education, career and personal development advance simultaneously. Students earn college credit for what they learn and contribute on the job.
Employer Benefits:
The program helps maintain a flow of trained personnel into the occupational field, reducing the cost of employee turnover by employing people who are on a career path. The co-op students develop work objectives with his or her supervisor which furthers the employer's goal and the employee's work performance. The employer is provided with the opportunity to communicate business and industry needs to the college thus helping the college to remain current with industry standards.
Community College Benefits:
Cooperative Work Experience Education strengthens the relationship between the college and the business community. The interaction of student-instructor-employer provides valuable, current input concerning labor market conditions and the implications for curriculum. Student success and a skilled work force benefit the college and the community at large.
Shared Responsibility:
The student is responsible for regular attendance at work and college, appropriate appearance and performance, positive attitude and good human relationships, job skills, and educational progress.
The employer's responsibility includes providing a suitable work station, work experiences which have educational value for the student, supervision to help the student progress on the job and accomplish specific on-the-job learning objectives, as well as insurance and possible compensation as established by law.
The college provides organization, coordination, program supervision and maintenance of student records. A college instructor will visit and counsel with the student and employer during the semester and, together with the supervisor, determine the student's grade.
College Credit:
Students will receive credit toward their occupation certificates based on the individual certificate requirements (see Types of Programs for requirements). Units for CWE are based on total hours worked during the semester as follows:
75 hours = 1 unit |
- of paid employment |
150 hours = 2 units |
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225 hours = 3 units |
(maximum for general students) |
300 hours = 4 units |
(maximum for occupational/career students) |
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60 hours = 1 unit |
- of volunteer/unpaid employment |
120 hours = 2 units |
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180 hours = 3 units |
(maximum for general students) |
240 hours = 4 units |
(maximum for occupational/career students) |
Occupational Work Experience directly ties the student's employment to his or her occupational major. Each Occupational Certificate Program has specific CWE unit requirements. Please refer to Types of Programs for certificate requirements.
AT THIS TIME ONLY STUDENTS ENROLLED IN AN OCCUPATIONAL -VOCATIONAL CERTIFICATE PROGRAM ARE ELIGIBLE FOR CWE AT SADDLEBACK COLLEGE.
The CWE instructor will help you find appropriate employment to fulfill you program requirements. If you are currently working in the field of your major those work hours can also be used to fulfill the program requirements.
General Work Experience is available to students whose work is not related to their instructional major. Three units per semester with a maximum of six units may be earned during community college attendance. GENERAL WORK EXPERIENCE IS NOT OFFERED AT SADDLEBACK COLLEGE AT THIS TIME.
Enrollment:
If you are interested in the CWE program here at Saddleback College and you are currently taking classes that are part of a certificate program that includes CWE as one of the program requirements you can complete the following steps to get registered in the program: Contact the appropriate instructor for your program area (see "Types of Programs" pages) for admit information. If the instructor is not available call the ATAS Division office for help (949.582.4541).
Students must have an Add Permit Code (APC) assigned by their CWE instructor before they will be allowed to register for cooperative work experience classes. If the instructor is not available students can obtain this admit code from Elle Du Bois located in the Advanced Technology and Applied Science Division Office, TAS 207, or call (949) 582-4541 or 582-4990 for additional information and assistance.
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