Work Experience Education is a key element of Victor Valley College’s comprehensive approach to career development. Work Experience Education is a 16-, 12-, 8-, or -6 week course that enables the student to receive college credit for paid or unpaid work opportunities. This course helps students gain valuable on-the-job work experience while providing practical education, best practices in professional development, and academic guidance through the course of their work opportunity. The combination of practical experience and curricular development empowers students to be more competitive, efficient and valuable employees upon completion of this program and/or their academic program trajectory. The course is ideal for students who are cross-training at their current work-site for upward mobility, seeking career changes, or looking for entry-level occupational training through work-based learning experience such as through an internship. Work Experience Education transforms community business, industries, and public agencies into expanded educational training laboratories.
Students seeking Work Experience Education must secure their own internship, externship, volunteer or employment opportunity to be eligible to take this course. The employment or volunteer position must provide new or expanded responsibilities that align with the student’s educational or career goals. Work Experience Education courses are designed to support students in applying classroom learning in a real-world setting; therefore, verified employment is a prerequisite for participation. Students are responsible for securing a position that meets the course requirements and must provide documentation of their employment at the time of registration or during the initial class meeting.
Work Experience Education is offered in the following areas:
Business Administration, Child Development, Communications, Construction & Manufacturing Technology, Education, Kinesiology, Nursing, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology.
In the event a student has an internship, externship or job in one of the below areas, the student can request permission through the Office of Instruction for a course to be built. Requests to build courses are not automatically granted and are at the discretion of the Office of Instruction.
Agriculture and Natural Resources, Allied Health, American Sign Language, Art, Automotive, Biology, Business Education Technologies, Business Escrow, Business Real Estate, Chemistry, Computer Information Science, Criminal Justice, Electronics and Computer Technology, Engineering/Drafting, English, Fire Technology, Geography, Journalism, Mathematics, Music, Paralegal Studies, Philosophy, Photography, Physical Science, Physics, Public Administration, Religious Studies, Respiratory Therapy, Restaurant Management, Theater Arts, Welding.
For further information and individual guidance, contact the Work Experience Education Office or call (760) 245-4271, ext. 2591.
Credit is awarded on the basis of number of learning objective completed and the number of hours the student trains. Students will create/complete a minimum number of new learning objectives per unit enrolled; e.g., 1 units = 2 objectives, 2 units = 2 objectives, 3 units = 3 objectives and 4 units = 4 objectives. The instructor has the right to edit, delete, or add objectives at any time during the semester. Students need a minimum of 54 hours of work experience for each unit of credit. Students may utilize their present work-sites.
Benefits of the Work Experience Education Program
- Practical experience
- An opportunity to apply classroom learning on the job
- College credit
- Career guidance in a realistic setting
- A chance to learn what you do well and what you enjoy doing
- Orientation to changing job conditions
- New ways of getting ahead
- Opportunity to experience socialization in the work place
- Transferable college elective units
Students will need a minimum of 54 hours of paid or unpaid work for each unit.
Worksite hours required:
1.0 unit = 54 total hours = 4 hours/week avg.
2.0 unit = 108 total hours = 7 hours/week avg.
3.0 unit = 162 total hours = 11 hours/week avg.
4.0 unit = 216 total hours = 14 hours/week avg.
5.0 unit = 270 total hours = 17 hours/week avg.
6.0 unit = 324 total hours = 21 hours/week avg.
7.0 units = 378 total hours = 24 hours/week avg.
8.0 units = 432 total hours = 27 hours/week avg.
Students may earn between 1 and 8 units of Work Experience Education credit per semester, depending on the number of hours completed. Students may enroll again in Work Experience Education classes but may not exceed 16 units total. A maximum of 16 units of Work Experience Education credit may be used towards the AA/AS degree as elective credits only. These units also transfer to the CSU and some UC’s as elective credits only.
Students must utilize their present work site, or internship site if selected. We do not place students at work sites.
To be eligible for Work Experience Education, students must:
- Be enrolled as a Victor Valley Community College student.
- Spend at least five (5) hours a week at a work site.
- Have consent from their work-site supervisor to participate.
- Pursue a planned program of Work Experience Education that includes new or expanded responsibilities or learning opportunities beyond those of previous employment and training.
- To have Work Experience Education staff confirm your eligibility, complete our Work Experience Education Eligibility Questionnaire. You will be contacted once the questionnaire is submitted (the questionnaire is an online webform).