Internships and Experiential Learning

The Co-op program allows students to take a semester to work full-time and obtain degree-related experience as part of their curriculum.

• Register for the Montana Tech Co-op course for little to no academic penalty.

• Students maintain full-time enrollment status while working.

• Many employers now offer long-term (6-8 month) co-ops.

• Contact Career Services at (406) 496-4140 or careerservices@mtech.edu for help in finding and preparing for co-ops.
• Log In to Share your Co-op (CAS login using your MTech credentials)

Experiential Learning Checklist 

Students with a degree-related internship, co-op, practicum, or job shadow may qualify for academic credit. Students should discuss credit with their internship advisor and Career Services. Once the experience is approved for credit, students should contact Career Services for registration instructions, beginning with the steps below.

• Share your internship details
• Create/Update your DR 2.0 account
• Receive Internship Registration Instructions via email from Career Services
• Stop in Career Services URC 109 if you have additional questions
  
  • Discuss the process of receiving credit
  • Receive the Experiential Learning Brochure
• Check Montana Tech email frequently for important internship information
• Registration is done through DocuSign via email and DR 2.0
• Complete Experiential Learning Checklist

Forms

Career Services requires specific registration, goal setting, and evaluation forms. Internship faculty receives a copy of each form for course records.

• Internship Registration & Academic Agreement - sent via DocuSign
• Internship Learning Agreement - sent via email through your DR 2.0 account
• Student Final Evaluation - link sent via email through your DR 2.0 account
• Supervisor's Final Evaluation - sent via email through your DR 2.0 account
• Student Mid-Semester Evaluation - Required for co-ops or long-term internships only (sent via email through your DR 2.0 account)
• Supervisor Mid-Semester Evaluation - Required for co-ops or long-term internships only (sent via email through your DR 2.0 account)

Deadlines

Career Services will provide specific deadlines with each link sent via email.

• Registration Forms must be completed, signed and approved by Career Services before the course registration deadline. Students should register for the internship credit before beginning work.
• Learning Agreements need to be completed within the first two weeks of the internship.
• Student Evaluations are due on the date specified, which is near the end of the internship.
• Supervisor Evaluations are due on the date specified, which is near the end of the internship.
• Check your Montana Tech email frequently to ensure forms are completed on time. Important information is sent to your Montana Tech Email.

Experiential Learning opportunities provide many benefits for students and employers.

Students will:

• Gain professional experience in the "real" world
• Sharpen interviewing, communication, and teamwork skills in various work environments
• Apply knowledge from classes and coursework to real-life situations
• Develop specific career skills and knowledge
• Create professional contacts
• Learn directly from knowledgeable, experienced professionals
• Gain self-assurance and achieve personal growth
• Possibly receive academic credit and earn income
• Clarify career goals

Employers will:

• Receive assistance with special projects from highly-motivated and enthusiastic students
• Get a fresh perspective on ongoing projects
• Have the benefit of developing supervisory skills for current staff
• Receive access to students with specialized skills and knowledge
• Have an opportunity to train new professionals in their field
• Develop a pipeline of potential employees
• Be able to evaluate interns before possibly hiring full-time
• Enjoy a lower financial investment than is required for permanent employees
• Enhance college relations and recruitment efforts

Career Services has a photo contest every year for interns and co-op participants. Watch for an email from Career Services for more information about submitting your photos.

• Send in photos of you at work or related functions
• Include a caption for your photo
• Active(hands-on), company events, or scenery photos will be accepted
• Send pictures with a description to careerservices@mtech.edu or share with Career Services via Facebook

• Entry Point! - Internships for STEM students with disabilities.
• Job Accommodation Network (JAN) - Helps students learn how to request accommodations from employers.
• AbilityLinks - A job board for people with disabilities and veterans.
• Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) - A Montana government program that provides young people with disabilities with job exploration and employment/education transition.