Lakeland University Career Readiness & Professional Development

Career Readiness & Professional Development

Here at Lakeland, we have full-time career development professionals who are well-trained and focused on helping you find meaningful cooperative education placements and/or internships - and, upon graduation, fulltime careers in your field of study.

We work closely with some of the area’s most renowned corporations to secure critically important positions for students. 

Cooperative Education & Career Readiness Staff

Contact us!

Location
  • 1st Floor - William A. Krueger
Hours of Operation
  • Monday - Friday
  • 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Social Media
Meet Our Team
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Find Your Next Job

Jobs From Over 200k Employers

Lakeland University has partnered with Handshake, the largest career community for students and recent graduates.

Be sure to set up your Handshake account to make appointments with the Co-Op team, upload your resume, job search and connect with employers!

How it works:

  • Log in to Handshake
    • Download the app or sign into your account at lakeland.joinhandshake.com
  • Complete Your Profile
    • Add your work experiences, skills, interests and organizations
  • Discover Jobs For You
    • Browse collections of jobs based on your profile and interests
  • Connect with Career Services
    • Schedule appointments, interviews and career fair visits on Handshake
lakeland.joinhandshake.com
Handshake Blog
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Cooperative Education student at Lakeland University

YOUR POST-LAKELAND CAREER STARTS BEFORE YOU SET FOOT ON CAMPUS

Services Offered

A significant benefit of a Lakeland education is that our relationship with you will be personal and ongoing. The services our office provide include:

  • On-going career counseling, to help you determine what types of careers interest you most
  • Resume and cover letter reviews
  • Assistance with setting up job shadowing opportunities
  • Multiple classroom visits by area workforce leaders
  • Facilitating mock interviews with potential employers
  • Setting up tours of area companies
  • Preparation for graduate school entrance exams
  • Multiple career-related colloquiums
  • Helping set up and improve a professional LinkedIn profile
  • Personalized reviews of job application materials
  • Negotiating salary and benefits
  • ...and more!
Schedule Appointment With Co-Op Team

Student Employment - Frequently Asked Questions:

Lakeland offers numerous on-campus employment opportunities, allowing students to connect with the school, earn money and build their résumés.

If you have questions regarding student employment at Lakeland, contact the Career Readiness & Cooperative Education staff at career@lakeland.edu!

All on-campus student positions will be accessible on Handshake. Handshake is a nationwide platform for college students where you can share your employment history and career documents, and apply for any on-campus positions!

Students can also follow the Lakeland Cooperative Education & Career Readiness page on Facebook for updates on open positions and any other student employment news.

lakeland.joinhandshake.com

We encourage supervisors to connect with interested students in July and early August and make offers so that students can plan out their fall schedule accordingly. Most positions are filled prior to the start of each term, but there are frequent ongoing/changing needs that can be hired at any point in time. We will work with all students at any time to help them find a position that best suits their interests, needs, schedule, etc. 

Full-time traditional undergraduate students and international graduate students can work on-campus, but priority is given to students with Federal Work Study and students in the Cooperative Education program.

Almost every department on-campus employs students. Most departments depend on students to help with daily operations. For example, students work in Dining Services, the Fitness Center, the Library, the Academic Resource Center, Marketing, etc.

**Please note: the positions listed here may or may not be available.**

List of Positions (Full-Time Students)

During the academic year, students can work 10 hours per week and 18 hours per week in positions that don't have consistent weekly hours, such as tutoring services or ambassadors. During times when there is no school for a full week, students can work up to 29 hours – this occurs during winter break and spring break. During the summer, students may work up to 40 hours per week.

Yes, supervisors are understanding of class schedules. Some positions have early morning or evening positions available and other departments allow you to break up your hours during the day. Schedules can be determined prior to working to fit student needs.

During the academic year, students start at $8.00 per hour their first year of on-campus employment and wages increase 25 cents per hour each year they hold an on-campus position, reaching a maximum of $8 per hour. A few positions offer a higher pay rate.

Students are paid twice a month. The payroll schedule for the academic year can be found on my.Lakeland.edu under the "Employee Info" tab. Lakeland University requires mandatory direct deposit for all employees. To set up direct deposit, a voided check or banking document with routing and account numbers and account type is required.

Once you have been hired, your supervisor will notify Human Resources. Human Resources will then contact you via your Lakeland email to setup an appointment to complete paperwork. You will need to bring the following documents to this appointment:

  • Documentation to complete an I-9 form— these documents must prove your identity and your citizenship
    • The most common for identity are: driver’s license or student ID
    • The most common for proof of citizenship are: social security card or a birth certificate
    • A passport would count for both forms of documentation
  • Direct deposit will also be required—see question #7 for details on what to bring.
  • A copy of your résumé

Students are not able to start working in their on-campus position until this paperwork has been completed.

Absolutely! The Career Readiness & Cooperative Education team has excellent relationships with area employers who like to hire Lakeland University students and graduates. Email career@lakeland.edu to schedule an appointment!

Learn more about Lakeland University's award-winning Cooperative Education program by clicking the link below.

Cooperative Education

Job Shadowing An Alumni Mentor

Undecided about your career, or what field you want to go into after your time at Lakeland? 

Our alumni are represented in a variety of work environments. Whether it is sharing advice to students, allowing for an on-site or virtual job shadow, or helping with interview skills ... our Cooperative Education team and alumni office are excited to create and foster meaningful relationships between current Muskies and Muskie alumni.

For more information, or to schedule a job shadow, please click the link below - or fill out the form at the bottom of this page. 

Schedule A Job Shadow
Lakeland University student and alumni mentor
Cooperative Education student at Lakeland University

Cooperative Education

Employer partners are eagerly collaborating with Lakeland to hire well-prepared, highly motivated students.

By incorporating work experiences into an academic experience, you’ll see the link between what you learn in the classroom and the job you’re performing in the workplace. We’ll also teach you the skills employees seek that will help you develop as a professional.

Cooperative Education
Co-Op & Internship Placements
Launch: Lakeland University Student-Run Businesses

Hub For Innovation

Launch: Lakeland Student-Run Businesses

Do you have an entrepreneurial mindset and want a professional experience that will set you apart from your peers?

Check out Launch: Lakeland Student-Run Businesses which offers paid, unparalleled experiential learning and small business management opportunities to Lakeland students.

Students will be empowered to create, develop, manage and lead business ventures while developing into one of the next generation's emerging leaders.

Learn More

Cooperative Education Students

Hour Tracking

Students who are enrolled in a credit-bearing experience (Co-Op, internship, practicum) are required to submit their hours to Formstack on a weekly basis. To submit your hours, follow the instructions below:

  1. Visit this website
  2. Complete the form for your experience (all fields except the supervisor signature)
  3. Click ‘Save and resume later'
  4. Click ‘Save and get a link'
  5. Send link to your supervisor
    1. You can either copy the link and email it to them from your email address OR
    2. You can enter their email address in the box under ‘want us to email you this link?’ c. This will allow them to review the form, sign, and approve

If you have questions regarding this process, please connect with Megan Hellmer from our co-op team. hellmerm@lakeland.edu

Record Your Weekly Hours
Cooperative Education student and her employer

Resources

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Cooperative Education team at career@lakeland.edu! 

Whether you are exploring multiple majors or searching for information about your chosen field, this site will help you connect majors to careers. Learn about the typical career areas and the types of employers that hire people with each major, as well as strategies to make you a more marketable candidate. Continue your research on majors and careers through the websites provided.

Learn More

Students who are undecided can get started in the exploration process by taking a personality assessment or interest profiler like the ones listed below!

Lakeland University student shaking employers hand at career fair.

Join Us!

Upcoming Events

Check out upcoming career fairs and other events in Handshake. We'd love for you to join us! 

View Events

Questions? Contact Us!

Fill out the form below, and a memeber of our Cooperative Education & Career Readiness team will be in contact with you shortly!