Employer partners from a wide variety of professional work environments are eager to collaborate with Lakeland students through our Cooperative Education Program. Do you have an opportunity to connect with a Muskie?
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.
Mentoring
Support students in our EXP 300 Experiential Learning Seminar course – a course taken when students are generally working 15 – 35 hours per week in a co-op designated role. Students would be required to meet with an alumnus/na twice during the term, on a day/time that works best with their individual schedules.
Matches are made to help students further connect to professionals in their industry of interest. Mentors are asked to provide general advice and support about their career path, expectations in the field, and how to grow a career. Meetings can happen in-person or virtually.
Practice Interview Opportunities
Each semester, the Career Readiness team coordinates a week or two of practice interviews for our EXP 100 – Professional Protocol students, and all others who have interest. Interviews can take place on campus or virtually and are generally 20 – 30 minutes long. The one-on-one interviews are intended to give students practice in presenting themselves to an employer and feedback for areas of improvement. Most sessions are scheduled on an independent basis and very flexible. We do attempt to match students with alumni with a related career interest.
Job Shadows & Informational Interviewing
Students are always looking for ways to explore careers and try something out for interest! We are in need of alumni who may be able to share what a “day in the life” might look like in various career fields. We highly encourage students to be able to get on-site, but due to social distancing guidelines, most interactions are now occurring virtually. Job shadow experiences are scheduled on an individual basis and are generally 30 to 60 minutes in length.
Guest Speaking & Presenting To Co-op Students
The Career Readiness team regularly schedules information sessions for students to learn about a specific company, professional skills, or career area of interest. Topics covered in the past have been “How to advocate for yourself”, “Planning for your first year after graduation”, “Exploring careers in healthcare”, etc. Sessions are generally one-hour long and can occur on campus or virtually.
