Revised May 17, 2017 (v3)
Industrial Studies Internship Handbook
Contact Information Industrial Studies Internship Coordinator
Department of Industrial Studies University of Wisconsin-Platteville
418 Pioneer Tower 1 University Plaza
Platteville, WI 53818-3099 Phone (608) 342-1246
Fax (608) 342-1254 https://www.uwplatt.edu/industrial-studies/internships
Revised May 17, 2017 (v3)
Table of Contents Table of Contents ..................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Terms and Definitions ................................................................................................................ 3 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 5 Purpose of the Internship ............................................................................................................ 5 Portrait of a Successful Internship ............................................................................................. 5 Prerequisite Requirements .......................................................................................................... 6 The Internship from the Employer’s Perspective ....................................................................... 6 The Internship Program Operation ............................................................................................. 7 University Credit ........................................................................................................................ 7 Locating Internships ................................................................................................................... 7 Types of Internships ................................................................................................................... 7 Grading Information ................................................................................................................... 8 The Intern’s Responsibilities ...................................................................................................... 8 On-the-Job .................................................................................................................................. 8 Assignment of Intern Evaluator ................................................................................................. 9 Goals and Learning Outcomes ................................................................................................... 9 Weekly Progress Reports ........................................................................................................... 9 Visitations ................................................................................................................................... 9 Checking Your UW-P Email & Passwords .............................................................................. 10 Employer's Midterm and Final Evaluations ............................................................................. 10 Final Paper ................................................................................................................................ 10 The Employer’s Responsibilities ............................................................................................. 11 Goals and Learning Outcomes Form ....................................................................................... 11 Weekly Progress Reports ......................................................................................................... 11 Employer’s Midterm and Final Evaluations ............................................................................ 11 Visitations ................................................................................................................................. 11 The University’s Responsibilities ............................................................................................ 12 Registration Procedures ............................................................................................................ 12 Instructions for Completing the Forms .................................................................................... 14 The Approval and Work Agreement Form .............................................................................. 14 The Resume .............................................................................................................................. 14 Points to Remember When Completing Job Applications ....................................................... 15 Goals and Learning Outcomes Form ....................................................................................... 15 Weekly Progress Report Form ................................................................................................. 15 Employer’s Midterm and Final Evaluation Forms ................................................................... 15
It is the policy of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville not to discriminate on the basis of sex in its educational programs, activities or employment policies as required by Title IX of the 1972 Educational Amendments. Inquiries regarding compliance with Title IX may be directed to the Human Resources Department, University of Wisconsin‑Platteville, Platteville, Wisconsin 53818.
The University of Wisconsin‑Platteville, in compliance with Federal regulations implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, does not discriminate against the handicapped in admission or access to or treatment or employment, in its programs and activities. Inquiries regarding this policy should be directed to the Affirmative Action Officer in the Human Resources Department, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Platteville, Wisconsin, 53818.
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Preface An alternate title for this handbook might be “Everything You Need to Know for a Successful Internship
Experience!” The Internship Handbook guides students in the Industrial Technology Management major preparing for INDS 4990- Industrial Studies Internship. All information necessary for successfully completing the internship/coop is to be found in the Internship Handbook.
The Department of Industrial Studies fully expects companies contemplating the hire of an ITM student as an intern will have their human resources director and supervisors read the Internship Handbook. Companies usually have established policies for employing interns. The Department of Industrial Studies views every internship as a partnership between the employing company, the student, and the University. At a minimum, the worksite supervisor—to whom the intern reports—must understand his or her responsibilities in evaluation and reporting processes required for the internship.
Employers who would like to learn more about the Department of Industrial Studies and programs of study may visit the department’s website (see below). All internship forms and accompanying documentation are found at the following websites:
• University of Wisconsin-Platteville ....................................................................... https://www.uwplatt.edu/ • Department of Industrial Studies ................................................. https://www.uwplatt.edu/industrial-studies • Internship forms & Handbook .................................. https://www.uwplatt.edu/industrial-studies/internships
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Terms and Definitions Academic Advisor – the UW-P faculty or staff person assigned by the Industrial Studies Department to advise a student
on academics throughout his/her college career. The Academic Advisor is not automatically assigned as the student’s Internship Evaluator, although the Internship Evaluator could be the student’s Academic Advisor.
Co-op – an internship extending from one academic semester or session into the next semester or session. (ie. begins summer session and continues into fall semester; begins spring semester and continues into summer session; or begins fall semester and continues into spring semester).
D2L – “Desire2Learn.” D2L is UW-P’s course management software. During the internship, students registered for INDS 4990-Industrial Studies Internship receive access to the D2L course/section associated with the student’s emphasis. Once registered and access to D2L (i.e., course is active) is granted, the student places copies of the Internship Work Agreement Form, Resume and Goals and Learning Outcomes into the D2L Dropbox. The Internship Evaluator monitors the student during the internship exclusively via D2L. Because D2L follows the academic calendar, the D2L Dropbox opens at the start of an academic semester/session, and closes at the end of the same semester/session. Co-ops extending from one semester/session into another require two separate Internship Work Agreement Forms, one for each semester/session and the separate D2L courses.
Employer – the company, government agency or institution hiring student as an intern, providing direct supervision of intern throughout the internship or coop.
Internship – the on-the-job work experience required of every Industrial Technology Management major. A minimum of 3 credits is required to graduate. Students may take a maximum of 8 credits of INDS 4990-Industrial Studies Internship. The term “internship” applies to both a single semester/session internships and multiple semester/session Co-ops.
Internship Coordinator – the person appointed by the Department of Industrial Studies to direct the internship program.
Internship Evaluator – the UW-P faculty/staff person assigned by the Internship Coordinator to monitor intern’s progress, to visit (when possible) the intern’s job site, ultimately evaluating internship, assigning a final grade.
Internship Work Agreement Form – the Internship Work Agreement Form initiates the internship process. The student discusses potential internships with employers. Once the decision has been made, student gives a completed Internship Work Agreement Form to the Academic Advisor. The Academic Advisor approves and passes the Internship Work Agreement Form to the Internship Coordinator. After approval, the administrative assistant removes the INDS 4990-Industrial Studies Internship hold. The student is notified that he/she may enroll in INDS 4990-Industrial Studies Internship through PASS.
Mid-term Evaluation – required evaluation of the intern’s performance for the first half of the internship, signed by the immediate supervisor and uploaded to D2L Dropbox. For internships, this is uploaded approximately 7-8 weeks into the internship; for coops this is uploaded approximately 15 weeks or end of the first session/semester.
Final Evaluation – required evaluation of intern’s performance for second half of internship, signed by immediate supervisor and uploaded to the D2L Dropbox. For internships, this is uploaded the last week of the internship (approximately week 14-15); for coops this is the last week of second session/semester (approximately week 27-30 week).
Final Paper – a required paper written by intern before the end of the internship summarizing the work experience. The format and contents of final paper are found on page 10 of the Internship Handbook. The Internship is not considered to be complete until the final paper is uploaded to the D2L Dropbox by the intern.
“Required hours” – one credit requires a minimum of eighty hours of work. However, the intern is expected to work the entire semester/session. Consequently, the clock hours worked will exceed the “required hours.” Financial aids and the VA require the internship to be a full-time educational experience-regardless of credit hours! Financial aids and the VA define full-time as 36 hours per week/15 weeks (fall/spring) or 36 hours per week/12 weeks (summer).
Weekly Report – a required report documenting intern’s hours and activities for previous work week. • Fall/spring semester ........................................................................ 15 weekly reports minimum • Summer session .............................................................................. 12 weekly reports minimum
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Worksite Supervisor – the full-time professional working for the employer to whom the intern reports. The worksite supervisor normally signs Weekly Reports, Mid-term Evaluation, and Final Evaluation.
Introduction The purpose of this handbook is to clarify the requirements of the Industrial Studies Internship with respect to the
responsibilities of all parties involved. The internship is a three-way partnership including: student, employer, and the University. Every student in the Industrial Technology Management major is required to complete a minimum of three credits of internship.
The Department of Industrial Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville offers four emphases. Industrial Technology Management majors choose from one of four emphases: • ITM-Building Construction Management Emphasis ..................................................... INDS 4990, Section 01 • ITM-Building Construction Safety Management Emphasis .......................................... INDS 4990, Section 02 • ITM-Manufacturing Technology Management Emphasis ............................................. INDS 4990, Section 03 • ITM-Occupational Safety Management Emphasis ........................................................ INDS 4990, Section 04
Purpose of the Internship The Industrial Technology Management internship is designed as a culminating experience for students in the
Department of Industrial Studies. As such, the internship is expected to integrate formal academic studies with practical, hands-on, on-the-job work experience. Internships are recognized as a “high impact practice.” When the internship is successful, it melds theory and practice in one’s chosen field of study. Because this culminating experience is a high impact practice, University credit is awarded for each successful internship experience.
Portrait of a Successful Internship Successful internships are measured by the student’s job performance, professional development, and positive
contribution to employer’s objectives. Successful internships lead to more meaningful work experiences that strengthen resumes, raise employer’s interest in hiring UWP interns, and launch the student’s career.
The student’s performance throughout the internship is assessed twice by the Worksite Supervisor. Through a Mid-Term Evaluation and a Final Evaluation the student’s ability to achieve positive results while exhibiting appropriate behaviors is assessed. Allowing the Worksite Supervisor to assess the intern in an honest fashion clarifies expectations for success.
Job responsibilities are what the student needs to get done. Working together, the employer and the student make sure job responsibilities are clearly defined. The Goals and Learning Outcomes form completed and placed into the D2L Dropbox at the beginning of the internship clarifies this relationship.
Critical competencies are how students succeed at their responsibilities. Examples of critical competencies include, but are not limited to:
• working with people (following through on commitments, integrity, concern) • organizational effectiveness (ability to get things done within organizational structure) • applied learning (ability to apply prior learning to current tasks or job) • fostering open communication (listening skills, clarity, precision of detail & fact)
Although many of these can be learned within a classroom environment, there is no question that the student will receive the greatest benefit developing these competencies in a real-world environment during the internship.
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Internship Prerequisites Students may begin their internship ONLY after the following requirements have been met:
A. Completion of basic skills courses: • English 1130 Freshman Composition • English 1230 Freshman Composition • Industrial Studies 1010 Principles of Safety and Risk Management • Speech 1010 Public Speaking • Math (3 credits minimum)
B. Other minimum requirements: 1. Be in good academic standing. 2. Be classified as a junior (60 credits) or higher. 3. Have successfully completed INDUSTDY 1010 Principles of Safety and Risk Management plus a minimum
of 15 additional credits of Industrial Studies courses. 4. Be approved by student’s academic advisor (special situations may also have to be approved by the
Internship Coordinator). 5. Registering for the appropriate number of internship credits prior to the start of the internship experience by
going into PASS and enrolling in INDS 4990-Industrial Studies Internship—when permission is granted.
C. ALL internship forms/paperwork are placed into the appropriate D2L Dropbox. Only after all of the above have been done, will the internship be considered official. Giving an Internship Work Agreement Form to your Academic Advisor in not sufficient to be considered an official internship. That is only the start of the process!
The Internship from the Employer’s Perspective An internship is an extremely flexible program of benefit to the employing company as well as the intern. There is no
written agreement between the University and the employing company. The internship is an on-the-job experience integrating formal coursework and concepts with practical experience. The internship may be taken for a maximum of eight credits but students are only required to have three credits within the emphasis. Repeated assignments with the same employer should become progressively more advanced to qualify for additional credits.
An internship may be arranged to be: full time or part time; during the summer, the semester, or both; rotated assignments or in a single area; and in varying degrees of productivity and training. The employer sets the employment parameters. Students apply directly to the employer who selects the student according to the employer’s needs. The Internship Coordinator, in consultation with Academic Advisors, may screen applicants to match the needs and abilities of both the employer and the students to reach mutually beneficial arrangements.
It is important to point out potential benefits for the employer involved in internship programs: 1. The students involved are highly motivated, eager to learn, intelligent, dependable, and aspiring—they are "high
yield" employees whose contagious enthusiasm can motivate present employees. 2. Using interns can make for more economical use of professional employees by providing release time from routine,
incidental, and less demanding assignments. 3. The employer can experiment with new positions without making expensive, long-range commitments. 4. Internship programs provide an excellent source of skilled, temporary personnel. 5. Interns can provide full time, part time, intermittent, or continuous coverage of positions throughout the year. 6. Internship programs provide an effective and economical recruiting device for obtaining proven talent. 7. Small and medium size companies can make internships the basis for management development programs.
Graduates who have interned with a company show the need for less job orientation and training, have reduced turnover rates, are more loyal, and progress faster and further than graduates who have not interned.
8. It is a way of keeping up with new methods, theories, and concepts related to the employer's business area. 9. It provides the opportunity to promote the company on campus through returning interns—good will ambassadors
and "image builders." 10. Closer and better relationships and communication between the academic and economic sectors of our society can be
developed.
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The Internship Program Operation University Credit
The internship is listed in the university catalog as INDUSTDY 4990-Industrial Studies Internship. ITM students must complete a minimum of 3 credits of internship, up to a maximum of 8 credits. Each credit of internship requires a minimum of 80 clock hours of work.
The student may earn internship credits in several ways: 1) a single semester or summer session internship, 2) two consecutive semesters of internship, also known as, a “co-op”, or 3) a combination of 1 & 2 above. Internship situations range from a single experience at one work site during the summer, to highly selective training programs used by employers to recruit the most qualified employees.
Locating Internships The responsibility for locating the internship position falls upon the student. The student may wish to consult with
his/her Academic Advisor, college professors, and/or the Internship Coordinator prior to selecting the internship. Substantial resources available to students seeking an internship, include, but are not limited to:
1. The twice-annual ACAC Career Fair provides numerous contacts, 2. Campus recruitment visits by companies and potential employers, 2. Membership in student organizations and clubs, 3. Membership in professional associations, 4. UW-P Academic and Career & Professional Development Office (CPDO)—job/internship postings on the
Pioneer Career Network, 5. Job postings announced in classes and/or posted to 4th floor Pioneer Tower lobby bulletin boards, 6. Past Industrial Studies internships posted in 3-ring notebook, 4th floor Pioneer Tower lobby, 7. Previous or current employers, 8. Fellow students returning from internships, and 9. Family and friends.
Seeking, applying for, and obtaining employment are professional skills students need to learn. The student should not go about this blindly. The student should visit with his/her Academic Advisor in the year prior to when the internship will be taken. The Career Center also offers no-cost workshops on interviewing, writing resumes and job-seeking skills.
It will not be acceptable for a student to have a relative as a supervisor or superior for obvious reasons. Nor is it recommended that a student seek an internship experience in a family-owned or family-operated company.
The Department of Industrial Studies and the University are under no obligation to provide employment for the student. In fact, most students would not be happy if an internship were assigned to them.
Types of Internships The size of company chosen for the internship should be large enough to include technical requirements and
managerial functions. The ideal job presents a variety of progressive experiences through job rotation and/or observation. Ideally, job duties will directly relate to the student's career aspirations and emphasis. Ultimately, the student must be able to perform as good or better than any other new employee would be expected to perform.
The best internships are those where the student quickly learns the fundamentals of each job, assumes additional responsibility, culminating in some managerial role. After a student completes the internship and graduates, his/her goal is an entry-level management position in a company. For example, a building construction student may start the internship experience “sawing boards and pounding nails” but expects to conclude the internship by supervising others who are “sawing boards and pounding nails.”
Work experience occurring before the student's entrance into the degree program cannot be accepted for internship credit. Nor will work experiences that occur before officially enrolling in the internship program be accepted. Engineering Co-ops are not necessarily equivalent to Industrial Studies Internships. Consequently, the Internship Coordinator will evaluate Engineering Co-ops on a case-by-case basis to determine if the co-op meets requirements equivalent to those of the Industrial Studies Internship. Students seeking to substitute the Engineering Co-op for the Industrial Studies Internship must provide documentation demonstrating equivalence.
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The student should ask the following questions to determine if a given job is suitable for an internship. If the answer is “No” to any of these questions, it probably is not appropriate as an internship. Consult with your Academic Advisor before proceeding on any “No” answer.
1. Does the job description contain technical and/or management skill requirements? For example, will the student use experience from his/her university preparation to perform job satisfactorily?
2. Can the job be considered extremely desirable or even necessary for entrance into or for successful progression in the career for which the student is preparing? In other words, will the student be given the opportunity to exercise supervision, experience job rotation, or work on special projects which will enable them to observe a variety of facets of the company and the industry?
3. Would the student accept a full-time job offer for a position similar to that of his/her immediate supervisor?
Grading Information Internship Evaluators may have slightly different criteria for assessing internship requirements. In general, the
following rubric is a good starting point for determining the final grade:
1. Weekly Progress Reports (12-15 in D2L Dropbox) ............................................................. ≈20%
2. Midterm Evaluation (signed by Worksite Supervisor in D2L Dropbox) ............................. ≈20%
3. Final Evaluation (signed by Worksite Supervisor in D2L Dropbox) .................................. ≈20%
4. Internship Evaluator visitation report .................................................................................. ≈20%
5. Final Paper (in D2L Dropbox) ............................................................................................. ≈20%
Grading will be A, B, C, D no + or -.
Note: Internship timelines seldom coincide with UW-P’s academic calendar, and more importantly, deadlines for submitting grades. When the semester/session ends but the internship continues, an Incomplete “I” is submitted to the Registrar’s Office as the final grade. After the ninth week of the following semester, the “I” automatically reverts to an “F.” As soon as requirements for the internship are complete, the intern must notify the Internship Evaluator who will submit a Change of Grade card, changing the “I” or “F” to the grade earned.
Students, particularly seniors, who have finished the internship are typically looking ahead to full-time employment. If internship requirements are not completed, that “F” remains on the student’s transcript. Even though the student knows he/she will eventually complete requirements, an “F” on the transcript does not look very good to prospective employers.
The Intern’s Responsibilities On-the-Job
While on the job, the intern will be regarded as a regular employee of the company. All company regulations, all conditions of health and safety, and all legal requirements apply to the intern.
Every intern is expected to act in a professional manner which reflects his/her status as an employee. Interns will act in the best interest of fellow employees and interns. Unethical or undesirable conduct exhibited while on the internship assignment may result in dismissal from the program and a grade of F.
All interns shall receive monetary remuneration comparable to other employees of similar experience and seniority. Since the intern is not a “regular” or permanent employee, the student is not eligible for health insurance and other benefits of “regular” employment. Interns, therefore, must make sure to update his or her health insurance coverage, disability insurance, etc. For example, many students still qualify under their parent’s family health insurance plan as long as they are a full time student, and the internship is a full-time educational experience.
The intern is responsible for informing the Internship Coordinator and the Internship Evaluator of any significant change to duties, responsibilities or work status. Likewise, the intern must keep the Internship Coordinator and the Internship Evaluator up-to-date on difficulties, delays, labor strikes or changes encountered during the internship.
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Assignment of Intern Evaluator The Internship Coordinator assigns an Internship Evaluator as soon as all interns have registered for the semester.
The Internship Evaluator is assigned based upon several criteria, including, but not limited to: • Intern’s academic emphasis or technical specialty (Section 01, Section 02, Section 03, or Section 04) • A faculty member may have a special relationship with employer or employers in a given area • Geographic dispersion of interns (interns of different emphases clustered in one area or region) • Work-load/semester or session (supervision load would burden some faculty relative to other faculty)
The Internship Coordinator will post on D2L the Internship Evaluators and the interns who have been assigned to them, so please do not contact the department for this information.
Goals and Learning Outcomes It is the intern’s responsibility to meet with his/her Worksite Supervisor to complete the Goals and Learning
Outcomes Form before the internship, but no later than the first week of work. Upon completion the Goals and Learning Outcomes Form is uploaded to the D2L Dropbox. If job responsibilities change significantly during the internship, revise and upload a new Goals and Learning Outcome Form to D2L.
The Goals and Learning Outcome Form is for the benefit of all involved. It provides the groundwork for a well thought-out experience. The goals on this form help the Internship Evaluator understand the nature of the internship and how it relates to the intern’s goals. It should also be used by the student to fully understand the employer’s expectations.
Weekly Progress Reports The Weekly Progress Report is a detailed record of the intern’s previous week. Further, the Weekly Progress Report
serves as a record of the intern’s professional development and progress toward meeting job responsibilities and goals. The Weekly Progress Report must be completed each week—regardless of the number of hours worked. The typical work week is assumed to be Monday through Friday (or Saturday). The weekly due date would be by the following Friday. The Weekly Progress Report should be uploaded to D2L as soon as it has been completed and signed.
The intern will need to file Weekly Progress Reports throughout the internship. Use the Weekly Progress Report Form found at the Industrial Studies website, or in the “Documents” section of D2L.
Think of writing weekly reports as an opportunity to hone technical writing skills. Weekly reports should be written in a scholarly manner using correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Weekly Progress Reports must be word processed. Poor writing, sloppy mechanics or improper grammar will result in: rejection, rewriting, and/or lowering of the final grade.
Note: The Weekly Progress Report is a record of one work week, but there are 15 to read. Please consider the reader. Internship Evaluators do not need to know every little detail of your week. Instead, highlight only the important events that were critical to your growth. Do not bore the Internship evaluator with the number of times you went for coffee or had to use the rest room! Think about the “big picture,” and detail the most important facts. Interns who stop writing Weekly Progress Reports may receive a failing grade for the internship.
Visitations When possible, at least one site visit per internship experience will be made. This assumes the worksite is within
reasonable driving distance of Platteville, Wisconsin. The Internship Evaluator will normally contact the student and/or worksite supervisor to confirm arrangements for an internship visit. When visiting in person is not feasible, a telephone conference with the intern and supervisor will be made at a time suitable to all, arranged by the intern.
It is the intern’s responsibility to keep his/her contact information current. The intern must inform his/her Internship Evaluator whenever something has changed, such as: work shift, layoff, out-of-state/travel assignments, change of work site, change of supervisor, etc. Changes must be reported as soon as possible on D2L. Significant changes should also be reported to the Internship Coordinator via email. Do not bury significant changes in the Weekly Progress Report.
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Checking Your UWP Email & Password It is essential that the intern check his/her UWP email regularly, at least once per week if not daily. Students are to
maintain and use their official UWP email account through the internship. Industrial Studies faculty will not use private email servers such as Hotmail or gmail. Do not expect the Internship Evaluator to respond to hotmail, gmail, or some other non-UWP email address.
For security purposes, UWP passwords must be changed every 180 days. Frequently, students leave for the internship, forgetting to reset his/her password, only to find their UWP account expired. Do not let this happen to you!
When logging into your UWP email from off-campus, a warning will pop-up when your password is about to expire. When this message appears, renew your password immediately. Use the ITS’s Password Self-Service. Should your UWP password expire, phone the Helpdesk (608-342-1400) to obtain a temporary password. Re-enter your UWP username and temporary password, and immediately change the temporary password to a new permanent password.
Mid-term Evaluation and Final Evaluation The two evaluations of the intern are generally conducted by the Worksite Supervisor. The Midterm Evaluation is
completed approximately half-way through the number of weeks in the internship. The Final Evaluation should be completed in the second-to-last week, or last week of the internship—definitely before the last day of employment.
It is the intern’s responsibility to provide an electronic copy of these forms to the worksite supervisor. The intern transfers the completed evaluations into the D2L Dropbox. If the worksite supervisor chooses not to show the evaluation to the intern (see below), then the supervisor can fax or mail the evaluations to the Internship Coordinator.
The worksite supervisor may or may not show the evaluation to the intern. This is determined by the Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 statement found on the evaluation forms. If the intern’s worksite supervisor chooses not to show the actual evaluation form to the intern, the general nature of the content of the evaluation should be discussed with the intern. The intern needs feedback so they know how they are doing and how they can improve.
It is the intern’s responsibility to ensure the worksite supervisor completes the evaluations and forwards them to the Industrial Studies Internship Coordinator. These reports constitute roughly 40% of the final grade, so it is important to make sure they are completed in a timely manner.
When the employer agrees to take on an intern, part of the agreement includes requiring the worksite supervisor to complete the Mid-term Evaluation and Final Evaluation in a timely manner. Regardless of how hectic schedules can become, the intern needs to insure these evaluations are completed and submitted in a timely fashion.
Final Report Each intern is required to write a five to seven-page Final Report summarizing, evaluating and discussing the
internship experience. This report should not merely be a restatement of the Weekly Progress Reports. The Final Report should reflect upon the internship experience from start to finish, and is due the last week of employment.
The Internship Evaluator may require additional elements be included in the Final Report, so check with the Internship Evaluator about those requirements. At a minimum, the Final Report shall include the following sections:
1. Brief company history (ownership overview, partnerships, subsidiaries, alignments, relationships). 2. Identify company’s primary locations and approximate number of employees at each location. 3. Identify primary products produced, processes used, and value added services performed by company. 4. Identify intern’s assigned positions, areas of responsibility, scope of duties performed. 5. List the UWP courses that helped the intern most during the internship experience, explain why. 6. List the UWP courses that intern wished he/she could have taken prior to the internship, explain why. 7. Suggest additional courses and/or topics which might improve UWP’s curriculum. 8. Reflect upon personal and professional growth during the internship experience. 9. Reflect upon things learned during internship and identify how they will apply to future career. 10. Summarize this internship as a good or a bad internship experience, explain why or why not.
Note: The Final Report should not contain proprietary or confidential information. Ask the Worksite Supervisor if information is appropriate, or “off-limits!” Include photographs as appendices whenever appropriate. Photos, however, need to document and support report rather than serve as convenient filler.
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The Employer’s Responsibilities The employer does not enter into any formal agreement with the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. There is no
binding contract and the intern is not obligated in any way to accept employment with any company upon graduation. Neither is the company obligated to offer employment to the intern upon completion of the internship or upon graduation. The Internship Work Agreement form in the back of this handbook is used only by the intern and the Internship Coordinator as a "contract" for university credit.
In all cases, the intern is to be considered an employee and should be held responsible for performing assigned duties in a satisfactory manner. All company regulations, all conditions of health and safety and all legal requirements apply, and any company policy violations should be handled in the usual manner. All monetary remunerations should be comparable to other employees of similar experience and seniority doing similar work. Except for cases of foreign students on educational visas, interns are required to receive monetary remuneration for their work.
The intern is classified as a full-time student of UW-Platteville, subject to all applicable regulations, regardless of the number of credits. Thus, the student/teacher relationship with the University is maintained, while at the same an employee/employer relationship exists with the company. These two relationships co-exist and do not interfere with each other.
Because the internship is a learning experience, interns learn more through a variety of work experiences. Practices such as scheduled job rotations, job shadowing and assignment of special projects challenge the intern, leading to rich learning experiences.
Goals and Learning Outcomes Form The purpose of Goals and Learning Outcomes Form helps to set clear expectations for the intern. This official
definition of job responsibilities forms the basis of the Mid-term Evaluation and the Final Evaluation. These two evaluations represent approximately 40% of the intern’s final grade.
The Worksite Supervisor and the intern should meet at the beginning of the internship to complete the Goals and Learning Outcomes Form. The form should be completed no later than the end of the first week. It is the intern’s responsibility to provide the form, including a preliminary draft to the Worksite Supervisor before the meeting.
Weekly Progress Reports The intern is required to file one weekly report for each week of the internship. The intern's Worksite Supervisor is
asked to sign the Weekly Progress Reports and make comments documenting the intern's performance and progress.
Midterm and Final Evaluations An assessment of the intern must be made if the program is to be meaningful. Therefore, the worksite supervisor is
asked to complete two intern evaluations. The first is the Mid-term Evaluation which is completed approximately half-way through the internship. The Final Evaluation is to be completed at the end of the required number of weeks of the internship. The expectation is the Final Evaluation will occur before or during the last week of the intern’s employment.
The evaluation forms should be self-explanatory and are included at the end of this handbook. The Worksite Supervisor may choose to show, or may choose not to show, the evaluation to the intern. This is covered under the Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 statement found on evaluation forms. If the intern’s worksite supervisor chooses not to share an evaluation with the intern, the general nature of the content of the evaluation should still be discussed with the intern. The intern still needs to know how well he/she is doing.
Visitations During the internship the Internship Evaluator will attempt to visit to the intern's worksite. At least one visit per
internship experience will be made, assuming the worksite is within reasonable driving distance from Platteville, Wisconsin. When personal visits are not feasible, a telephone conference may be set up by the Internship Evaluator through the intern. Budget limitations may impose further visitation/travel restrictions in the future.
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During the on-site visit, the Internship Evaluator may wish to visit privately with both intern and Worksite Supervisor. The Internship Evaluator coordinate his/her arrangements through the intern. Visitations provides an opportunity for the Worksite Supervisor to ask any questions and/or make any suggestions. They also provide a learning experience for the Internship Evaluator. Positive feedback reinforces the intern's effectiveness and professional development.
The University’s Responsibilities It is the responsibility of the Internship Coordinator and the Internship Evaluator to assist the intern in fulfilling
objectives of the program. The Internship Coordinator is also responsible for seeing that the program satisfies the academic regulations of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
The Department of Industrial Studies and the University are under no obligation to provide employment for the student. In fact, many students would be unhappy if the internship worksite were imposed upon them. That is why part of the internship learning experience is finding and securing the job. The Academic Advisor and the Internship Coordinator will assist the student in locating internship opportunities, but the decision ultimately rests upon the student.
Once on the job, an open line of communication must be maintained between the intern and the Internship Evaluator. The intern may direct questions and deal with issues simply by contacting the Internship Evaluator. Since the Internship Evaluator may not be assigned immediately at the start of employment, the Internship Coordinator will serve in this capacity. Urgent issues beyond the authority or availability of the Internship Evaluator should be handled through the Internship Coordinator.
The Internship Evaluator is responsible for reading and evaluating the weekly reports, evaluations and papers submitted to D2L by the intern. The intern's final grade is determined by information placed into the D2L Dropbox by the intern. The Internship Evaluator submits a final grade to the Registrar's Office through the Internship Coordinator at the end of the semester. Refer bac to Grading Information section on page 8 for details.
Registration Procedures Here is the list of what you must do to register for an internship. All the paperwork will be done electronically and
submitted via D2L (once semester/session begins and D2L is open). Any questions should be directed first to your Academic Advisor, or the Internship Coordinator.
Step 1: Read the Industrial Studies Internship Handbook.
Handbook is available as .pdf on the Department of Industrial Studies website. (See cover page for web address.)
Step 2: Update Password through UWP Password Self-Service
The UWP password must be changed every 180 days for security purposes. When you log into your UW-P email from off-campus, you may/or may not be warned about impending expiration of your password. Changing your password on-line is easy using Password Self-Service. If you have not done so recently, change your password before leaving campus for the internship:
1. Go to the UWP home page.
Click on ð “Shortcuts” link in the upper right ð “A-to-Z Index” ð “P” ð “Password Self-Service”
2. On the Password Management screen, click on the “Password Self-Service” link.
3. On the Password Self Service screen, click on the “Setup Responses” link and follow the directions.
If your password expires, repeat the above steps; but click on the “Change Password” instead in the last step.
Since the use of D2L is mandatory, it is critical that you complete steps 1-3 in order to make sure you have continuous access to your campus email. The ITS Helpdesk will reset a student’s password over the phone using “Reset Prompts.” Call (608) 342-1400 to restore password remotely.
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Step 3: Find an Internship Position
See page ??? suggestions on page Locating Internships
Step 4: Complete the Internship Approval and Work Agreement Form and Your Resume
Instructions for completing these can be found on page 14.
Step 5: Submit Paperwork
Once the Internship Work Agreement Form and resume are complete, take to (some advisors will accept via email) your Academic Advisor for approval. If the Academic Advisor approves forms, he/she forwards to the Internship Coordinator. If the Academic Advisor does not approve the internship he/she returns forms to the student with instructions on what needs to be change and/or improved. Once approved, the Academic Advisor forwards forms to Internship Coordinator for approval. The Internship Coordinator forwards the Internship Work Agreement Forms to the Department Administrative Assistant who removes the hold on PASS. Once the hold on PASS has been entered, the student receives an email telling the student he/she now has permission to register for INDS 4990 in PASS.
All forms are available on the departmental website. (See the cover sheet for web address.) All forms must be submitted as PDFs.
Step 6: Officially register for the internship credit using PASS.
After receiving the email from the Department Administrative Assistant informing you that permission has been granted to register in PASS, the student must log into PASS and register for the desired number of credits of INDS 4990-Industrial Studies Internship. Registration is completed in PASS online—the same as registering for any other course. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure he/she is registered for the correct number of credits.
• When registering for INDUSTDY 4990 in PASS, the default setting is one (1) credit. The student must change the one credit to the desired number of credits before completing the registration process. Failure to select the correct number of credits could result in insufficient credits toward graduation and improper billing by the University.
• If a student is doing a co-op (two consecutive semesters/sessions) the student is required to register for both semesters, completing separate paperwork for each of the two semesters. The Department of Industrial Studies must assign a grade for each semester, and must treat the two semesters/sessions as separate. Please complete two Internship Work Agreement Forms, one for each of the two semesters/sessions.
• The student may increase the number of internship credits prior to the start of the fifth week of the semester/session. No increase in credits will be permitted after that date. However, the number of internship credits may be decreased up through the last day of the semester. To make either change, e-mail (no phone calls) the Internship Coordinator, clearly stating the desired change. Requests for change in number of credits must be in writing.
• No INDUSTDY 4990-Industrial Studies Internship credits will be given until registration is complete and all fees paid to the UW-Platteville Cashier’s Office.
Step 7: Author the Goals and Learning Outcomes Form
This should be submitted before beginning the internship, but absolutely no later than the completion of the first week of work. Directions for filling in this form are found on page 11.
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Instructions for Completing Forms All forms associated with the Industrial Studies Internship are available on the Department of Industrial Studies
home page. All paperwork for the internship should be completed electronically and submitted via D2L. The preferred format for submitting internship documents is the Portable Document Format, or PDFs. Microsoft Word 2010 and later has the ability to export/save documents in the PDF format. If the student has questions about filling out/submitting forms, contact the Internship Evaluator first, then the Internship Coordinator. Always save a copy of documents submitted to D2L. There is no guarantee that internship forms are completely safe and secure unless you keep a copy for your records.
The Approval and Work Agreement Form The intent of this form is to have the student discuss with their academic advisor his/her (1) career aspirations and (2)
possible internship companies that will support the student’s career objectives.
Provide complete and up-to-date information as requested on the form before registering for Industrial Studies Internship and definitely before leaving campus for the semester or summer! Complete the contact information section completely and accurately. This information is used to contact the intern during the internship. This form is not signed by the employer. It is used by the Industrial Studies Internship Coordinator as a "contract" with the student for purposes of earning credit and receiving a grade.
Pay particular attention to the lower portion of the form. It is here where the student justifies the work experience as being: worthy of receiving University credit, unquestionable preparation for their future career, and related to past and pending University courses. Spell out the job responsibilities either in paragraph form or by listing them. Include the job tasks to be performed and the supervision responsibilities for which the student will be held accountable. Show how the student will draw upon academic preparation to fulfill these responsibilities. This information will be helpful as the student completes the Goals and Learning Outcomes form.
The Resume Writing a resume is very difficult and time consuming. This is what potential employers will use to judge whether to
hire you or not. It must be complete, up-to-date, clear, coherent, and accurate—with no typos, grammar errors, or misspellings. Here are some suggestions for the various sections of the resume. The titles that you use on your resume may be worded differently.
The Personal Data section: It must be accurate, complete, and up-to-date.
The Education section: In addition to high school and the anticipated completion of your UW-P degree, include any training or education that you may have received in the military, from an employer, community schools, etc.
The Career Objective section: This statement is one of the most important parts of the form. Prospective employers want to know where you are planning to go professionally. The student should indicate the areas in which s/he chooses to make a career. Do not indicate specific companies, but do suggest job responsibilities and titles or positions to which you aspire. Above all, the student should avoid being vague or misleading and leaving the impression of having doubts about who you are, what you want, or where you are headed. A career objective that reads, “to apply all my skills and knowledge” or “a job in construction/manufacturing” are worthless. All employers expect employees to do this.
The Professional Strengths or Special Skills section: This section gives the employer an overview of your professional knowledge. You cannot list every topic of your expertise, but focus on ones which are relevant to the job for which you are applying. They should support your career objectives. Do not forget to include relevant skills outside your major (e.g., business, safety, psychology, computer science, etc.).
The Employment History section: State whether they were part-time vs. full-time, summer, etc. Give the job titles and summarize job tasks and responsibilities. List them in the order of most recent jobs first.
The References section: Do not state “Available upon request’. Don’t make the employer take extra time and effort to make this request. It would be easier to look at the next resume in the pile. Tailor the list of references to the type of job for which you are applying (i.e., past employers of related jobs and instructors in related subject areas). Provide 2-4 references along with contact information—including work phone and email address. Employers have busy schedules so make it easy for them to contact your references.
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Points to Remember When Completing Job Applications The employment application is an opportunity for the student to sell themselves. It is the lens through which the
employer is viewing the student.
1. Read the form carefully. Note the format and the structure and abide by it.
2. Don't be careless. Take your time. Neatness may be the tie-breaker that determines your fitness for employment.
3. Be accurate and complete. Answer all questions. Write "Does not apply" rather than leave a blank.
4. Do not leave employment gaps. Account for all periods of time.
5. The student should give themselves credit for part-time, summer and volunteer work they have done.
6. Do not “fudge” or “stretch the truth”. Being misleading is a good way to set a trap for yourself by being eliminated or disqualified.
Goals and Learning Outcomes Form Meet with the worksite supervisor and complete the Goals and Learning Outcomes form before beginning the
Industrial Studies Internship but no later than the completion of the first week of work. If these job responsibilities change during the internship, please make every effort to keep this document up-to-date. Keep the Industrial Studies Internship Evaluator informed through the Weekly Progress Reports on progress towards these job responsibilities.
The intern should use the “job description” section and the “how this job relates to degree program, career goals, and future employment” section of the Approval and Work Agreement form to help in the completion of the Goals and Learning Outcomes form.
Weekly Progress Report Form Pay attention to good writing techniques and English mechanics. Verify that the hours worked in Section B are
correct and flow week to week. Provide detailed and complete information of the daily and weekly job assignments. Encourage the worksite supervisor to add his or her comments in the appropriate space. The student should start completing these reports as soon as they start working and uploading them to D2L.
A report needs to be completed and uploaded to D2L before the end of the following week, regardless of how many hours were worked during that week. The student will need to complete Weekly Progress Reports throughout the internship, unless the Internship Evaluator informs the student that they may stop sending them once the credit hours requirement has been met.
Note: Even though the student may not be required to send in Weekly Progress Reports since you have completed your “required hours portion”, the intern is still required to work to the end of the duration of employment that was agreed upon with the employer. Interns who terminate their internship experience prior to the agreed upon duration of employment without written approval from the employer, will receive a failing grade for the internship.
Employer’s Midterm and Final Evaluation Forms The student should supply these forms to the worksite supervisor and provide sufficient time for his or her thoughtful
and complete evaluation of the student. Provide a stamped, pre-addressed envelope for the supervisor’s convenience if they wish to mail them in or they should be uploaded to D2L. The Midterm Evaluation should be completed approximately half-way through the required hours of the internship; the Final Evaluation should be completed near the end of the internship and before the last day of the intern’s employment. Each of these evaluations must be received in a timely manner.
Note: The Industrial Studies Internship Coordinator has to work within the time limitations of the academic calendar. Deadlines for course registration, as well as finalizing and submitting midterm and final grades, make it imperative that the intern supply the necessary forms, reports, and papers to D2L on time. Ignorance of the calendar, procedures, and deadlines is no excuse for failure to meet these obligations.
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File Naming Conventions All paperwork for the internship will be done electronically and submitted via D2L. Students must name their files
according to the following naming conventions. Each year there are over 100 interns and each intern must submit about a dozen files. This is easily over 1000 files per year. It is imperative that proper files names are used!
LastName_FirstName_Code_Version.pdf
Where:
1) LastName –the student’s last name. 2) FirstName –the student’s first name. Be consistent, if your first name is “Elizabeth” but you go by “Beth,”
be consistent and use “Beth” on all documents uploaded. 3) Code –designates file contents. Use the codes listed below:
• “AppForm” for the Internship Work Approval Form • “Resume” intern’s current resume • “WorkAgree” for the Internship Work Agreement Form • “Goals” for Internship Goals and Learning Outcomes Form • “MidEval” for Midterm Evaluation Form • “FinalEval” for Final Evaluation Form • “WPR01”, “WPR02”, “WPR03”, etc. for Weekly Progress Reports. Always uses a 2-digit number
for the week number. If you do not use leading zeroes for the single digit numbers, then WPR10, WPR11, etc. will be alphabetically listed between WPR1 and WPR2.
• “FinalReport” the final report 4) Version is the version number of the respective document; e.g., v8, v12, etc. If you upload a document to
the D2L Dropbox but discover an omission or mistake, the document cannot be removed. The only fix is to edit the document, increment the version number by one, and upload again. The Internship Evaluator will always read the highest numbered version. The version number is always the last item in the file name before the .pdf extension.
Examples of correct format usage:
• Lincoln_Abraham_AppForm_v3.PDF • Lincoln_Abraham_Goals_v5.PDF • Lincoln_Abraham_WPR01_v2.PDF • Lincoln_Abraham_MidEval_v2.PDF • Lincoln_Ab raham_FinalEval_v4.PDF • Lincoln_Abraham_FinalReport_v8.PDF
Example Using the Wrong Format:
• Lincoln Abraham WPR02 v3.PDF — There should be no blanks in the file name. Use single underscores rather than blanks. When the instructor downloads the files from D2L, sometimes D2L will replace spaces with “%20” which makes reading the filename difficult.
• Abraham_Lincoln_WPR03_ v4.PDF — The last name must come before the last name. • Lincoln_Abe_WPR04_ v2.PDF — Using nicknames is okay, but use it on all files. Be consistent! • Lincoln_Abraham_Weekly_Progress_Report_5 _v1.PDF — Not a valid code value. Use the codes
given above. • Lincoln_Abraham_WPR6_v2.PDF — You must use a two-digit number when giving the week
number.
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• Lincoln_Abraham_WPR07_3.PDF — The “v” is missing to designate the version number of the file. • Lincoln_Abraham_v3 _WPR08.PDF — The version number is always the last item in the file name.
Comments:
• Files submitted via D2L are time stamped. Time stamping makes it very easy to determine if weekly reports are submitted late.
