Career Exploration Internship Program (CEIP)
The Career Exploration Internship Program (CEIP) assists students in understanding the linkages among school, work, and postsecondary education. CEIP allows students to learn about a variety of career options through a non-paid worksite experience in a career area of interest. This program can be extremely beneficial to students by helping them clarify career interests and decide upon a program major in postsecondary education.
CEIP is a partnership between education institutions and business and industry to provide students, as early as age 14, the opportunity to learn firsthand about the skills and education requirements necessary for career areas in which they have an interest. This experience allows students to play an integral part in designing their high school program and in choosing courses that will help them to reach their college and career objectives. Through this partnership, educators and employers engage in providing students with meaningful learning experiences and share the critical task of helping students develop self-direction and decision-making skills.
Program Objectives
The Career Exploration Internship Program provides an experiential-based learning environment designed to assist students with understanding the connection among school, work, and postsecondary education. The three major objectives of the program are:
1. Provide students with real-world out-of-school experiences to obtain awareness of a variety of occupations within a broad career cluster, which will enable them to make informed career and postsecondary decisions for their future
2. Provide students the opportunity to obtain firsthand understanding and appreciation of the knowledge, skills, job outlook, and education requirements for various occupations
3. Introduce students to adult role models who can help demonstrate and reinforce appropriate behaviors, such as a positive attitude, integrity, strong work ethic, teamwork, timeliness, good study habits, etc. Demonstrations of these attributes in the work setting can be especially effective.
Program Characteristics
Some of the defining characteristics of the Career Exploration Internship Program are:
A close relationship between a student’s classroom instruction and worksite experience – CEIP provides a hands-on, realistic way to explore career options and determine the knowledge, education, and skill development that needs to be obtained through future academic study, CTE, and postsecondary education.
Non-traditional scheduling that demonstrates a willingness to make systemic change – CEIP is flexible and can be delivered through a variety of scheduling options (during school day, after school, weekends, or summer).
Joint business-educator-student development of the program – In a collaborative effort, the work based learning (WBL) coordinator, business/industry mentor, and student, along with the parent/guardian, work closely together to develop the complete CEIP experience. They create the training plan that defines the general career area of interest which the student will explore. The coordinator and mentor then refine the training plan to outline work-stations (three or four different aspects of the career area) that the student will rotate through during the non-paid internship program. The number of work-stations is dependent upon the number of hours needed to complete the internship and the credit being earned.
Required In-School Component of CEIP
Students need to complete 27 or 54 hours of supporting in-school instruction, depending upon the amount of credit being earned. This instruction may be delivered in a variety of ways, depending upon the local school structure/needs (e.g., classroom setting, seminar setting, one on one instruction, independent study). It typically facilitates student accessibility and program coordination if students and coordinators are scheduled for CEIP at the end of the school day (e.g., 7th, 8th, 9th period).
The following content outline is a general guide for the WBL coordinator in developing local curriculum for the in-school instructional component; the coordinator may adjust the outline depending upon local needs:
• Workplace safety and health training
• NYSDOL Labor Laws http://www.labor.ny.gov/youth/14-to-17.page?
• Workers rights, sexual harassment, bullying in the workplace, and diversity training
• CTE content specific safety and health training following OSHA regulations
• Orientation to the CEIP program
• Career awareness and research
• Interest inventory
• Career pathway options
• Salary range
• Post secondary training needs
• All aspects of the industry
• Qualities of successful employment
1. Time management skills
2. Teamwork
3. Work ethics
4. Dress code requirements and personal grooming
5. Health and safety in the workplace
6. Bullying and sexual harassment in the workplace
7. Diversity awareness – working in a multicultural society
8. Conflict resolution skills
• Job seeking skills
· Resume, cover letter, follow-up letter
· Interviewing skills
• Keeping a daily journal
• Evaluations and job performance reviews
The average CEIP class load for coordinators in New York is 15 students per section.
Graduation Credit for CEIP
A maximum of one unit of CEIP credit can be used towards a CTE sequence and/or graduation requirements. Credit towards graduation requirements can be awarded as follows:
One Unit of Credit – 108 hours of worksite experience and 54 hours of supporting in-school instruction
One-Half Unit of Credit – 54 hours of worksite experience and 27 hours of supporting in-school instruction
Finding Internship Placements
Building and maintaining internship sites for students in CEIP is a labor intensive and ongoing process. The WBL coordinator is one of the main public relations representatives for the school and CEIP program. Maintaining good relationships with the local community is essential if the program is to flourish. If businesses have a positive experience with a student, they are more likely to work with additional CEIP students in the future. Cultivating and maintaining business/industry mentors is an ongoing process.
Some sources of placements for students follow.
· Parents/guardians of students involved in CEIP can be good resources for business
connections. They often are familiar with potential mentors through their personal,
professional, industry, or other connections.
· The Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club, Junior League, Chamber of Commerce, and other
community organizations often invite guest speakers to their monthly meetings. The
coordinator can make connections by providing information about CEIP at such
meetings.
· The parent-teachers association, school advisory council, and school board often have
contacts in the community who can help open doors for CEIP opportunities.
· Many large organizations, such as hospitals and not-for-profit institutions, have
historically provided volunteer opportunities and learning experiences for students.
· Local community and business publications such as journals, newspapers, and
newsletters have contact information for corporate leaders and business professionals in
the area.
· Cold canvassing of local businesses can lead to CEIP placement opportunities. Lists
can be assembled from the Chamber of Commerce, telephone directory, business/trade
publications, and Internet listings.
· Local volunteer agencies such as the Red Cross, Salvation Army, and other community
programs often offer opportunities for internship experiences.
· Websites of local employers, college placement offices, classified ads and social
media sources such as LinkedIn are other potential sources.
Program Operational Guidelines
The following program operational guidelines were collaboratively developed by the New York State Education Department, New York State Department of Labor, and United States Department of Labor:
1. The Career Exploration Internship Program is open to students, including those with
disabilities, age 14 and over who are in grades 9-12. Working papers are required.
2. For the One Unit of Credit Program (108 hours of worksite/internship experience
and 54 hours of classroom instruction) – the student intern must rotate through a
minimum of three different work stations, spending up to 36 hours at each station,
according to a specific training plan (to be developed individually for each student intern
by the WBL coordinator, the employer, and the student intern).
For the One-Half Unit of Credit Program (54 hours of worksite/internship experience
and 27 hours of classroom instruction) – the student must rotate through a minimum of
two different work-stations, spending up to 27 hours at each work station, according to a
specific training plan (to be developed by the WBL coordinator, employer, and student
intern).
3. Although the student intern is encouraged to engage in "hands-on" learning,
productive work on the part of the intern is prohibited. A CEIP student cannot serve as
"free labor" for an employer; the student’s role is to explore, watch, and learn about the
career.
4. The school and sponsoring employer must ensure that the program complies with the
Criteria Points used by the US Department of Labor to govern the placement of minors in
non-paid training environments within a business/industry setting (refer to Section VI the
Memorandum of Agreement).
5. Interns may not be placed in any of the prohibitive occupations outlined by the NYS
Department of Labor and US Department of Labor.
6. The on-the-job segment of the internship may not be provided in a school setting
(unless the student is specifically exploring careers in education, e.g., teacher, guidance
counselor, principal, superintendent). It is the intent of this program to place the student
in an outside business/industry enterprise, government agency, or private not-for-profit
agency.
7. Where appropriate, the intern may split time between two or more employers.
8. All internship programs must be registered with and approved by the NYS Education
Department. A registration application is provided in Section VI – Sample Forms.
9. A memorandum of agreement (MOA), training plan, and time log must be developed
for each student intern (see Section VI). The student intern must keep a daily journal of
on-site internship activities. The journal should be reviewed regularly by the WBL
coordinator. Please refer to Section 1 for information about records retention
requirements.
10. The Certificate of Insurance is provided to cover liability by the school district,
including if a student is participating in a summer internship. Employer’s Workers'
Compensation Insurance covers the students when performing manual labor.
11. The program must be coordinated by a teacher certified in a CTE discipline who
holds an extension as a Coordinator of Work-based Learning Programs for Career
Development, #8982.
12. The time spent in the on-the-job portion of the internship must follow all NYS
Department of Labor hour regulations governing the paid employment of minors. Student
interns may not be simultaneously employed by the business/agency sponsoring the
internship.
13. The student intern may not be simultaneously enrolled in a paid Cooperative Career
and Technical Education Work Experience Program (CO-OP), General Education Work
Experience Program (GEWEP), or Work Experience and Career Exploration Program
(WECEP) while participating in CEIP.
14. The WBL coordinator must conduct two worksite visits to monitor the intern during
each 54 hour segment of the on-the-job portion of the program.
Considerations and Reminders for WBL Coordinators
· Make sure the student knows where the business is and how to get there.
· Never let a student work illegal hours.
· Always make sure forms are signed and dated by all parties.
· Never let a student report to a training site without first having approved the site for
safety, quality training, and appropriate supervision.
· Never let a student ride with you in your car.
· Remember the prohibitive occupation list.
· Remind students of their responsibilities to the employer/internship site and school.
· Never let students go too long before checking progress and doing follow up with the
mentor.
· Don’t let employers use, abuse, or take advantage of students.
· Remind employers and students of confidentiality.
· Make sure students understand that the business gets no monetary compensation for
participating in this program and that they do not get paid.
· Remind students to treat the internship like a job and be responsible.
· Provide students with career counseling, assessment, career planning, and resume
work.
· All WBL experiences should be documented and records maintained for data
purposes.
CEIP is a partnership between education institutions and business and industry to provide students, as early as age 14, the opportunity to learn firsthand about the skills and education requirements necessary for career areas in which they have an interest. This experience allows students to play an integral part in designing their high school program and in choosing courses that will help them to reach their college and career objectives. Through this partnership, educators and employers engage in providing students with meaningful learning experiences and share the critical task of helping students develop self-direction and decision-making skills.
Program Objectives
The Career Exploration Internship Program provides an experiential-based learning environment designed to assist students with understanding the connection among school, work, and postsecondary education. The three major objectives of the program are:
1. Provide students with real-world out-of-school experiences to obtain awareness of a variety of occupations within a broad career cluster, which will enable them to make informed career and postsecondary decisions for their future
2. Provide students the opportunity to obtain firsthand understanding and appreciation of the knowledge, skills, job outlook, and education requirements for various occupations
3. Introduce students to adult role models who can help demonstrate and reinforce appropriate behaviors, such as a positive attitude, integrity, strong work ethic, teamwork, timeliness, good study habits, etc. Demonstrations of these attributes in the work setting can be especially effective.
Program Characteristics
Some of the defining characteristics of the Career Exploration Internship Program are:
A close relationship between a student’s classroom instruction and worksite experience – CEIP provides a hands-on, realistic way to explore career options and determine the knowledge, education, and skill development that needs to be obtained through future academic study, CTE, and postsecondary education.
Non-traditional scheduling that demonstrates a willingness to make systemic change – CEIP is flexible and can be delivered through a variety of scheduling options (during school day, after school, weekends, or summer).
Joint business-educator-student development of the program – In a collaborative effort, the work based learning (WBL) coordinator, business/industry mentor, and student, along with the parent/guardian, work closely together to develop the complete CEIP experience. They create the training plan that defines the general career area of interest which the student will explore. The coordinator and mentor then refine the training plan to outline work-stations (three or four different aspects of the career area) that the student will rotate through during the non-paid internship program. The number of work-stations is dependent upon the number of hours needed to complete the internship and the credit being earned.
Required In-School Component of CEIP
Students need to complete 27 or 54 hours of supporting in-school instruction, depending upon the amount of credit being earned. This instruction may be delivered in a variety of ways, depending upon the local school structure/needs (e.g., classroom setting, seminar setting, one on one instruction, independent study). It typically facilitates student accessibility and program coordination if students and coordinators are scheduled for CEIP at the end of the school day (e.g., 7th, 8th, 9th period).
The following content outline is a general guide for the WBL coordinator in developing local curriculum for the in-school instructional component; the coordinator may adjust the outline depending upon local needs:
• Workplace safety and health training
• NYSDOL Labor Laws http://www.labor.ny.gov/youth/14-to-17.page?
• Workers rights, sexual harassment, bullying in the workplace, and diversity training
• CTE content specific safety and health training following OSHA regulations
• Orientation to the CEIP program
• Career awareness and research
• Interest inventory
• Career pathway options
• Salary range
• Post secondary training needs
• All aspects of the industry
• Qualities of successful employment
1. Time management skills
2. Teamwork
3. Work ethics
4. Dress code requirements and personal grooming
5. Health and safety in the workplace
6. Bullying and sexual harassment in the workplace
7. Diversity awareness – working in a multicultural society
8. Conflict resolution skills
• Job seeking skills
· Resume, cover letter, follow-up letter
· Interviewing skills
• Keeping a daily journal
• Evaluations and job performance reviews
The average CEIP class load for coordinators in New York is 15 students per section.
Graduation Credit for CEIP
A maximum of one unit of CEIP credit can be used towards a CTE sequence and/or graduation requirements. Credit towards graduation requirements can be awarded as follows:
One Unit of Credit – 108 hours of worksite experience and 54 hours of supporting in-school instruction
One-Half Unit of Credit – 54 hours of worksite experience and 27 hours of supporting in-school instruction
Finding Internship Placements
Building and maintaining internship sites for students in CEIP is a labor intensive and ongoing process. The WBL coordinator is one of the main public relations representatives for the school and CEIP program. Maintaining good relationships with the local community is essential if the program is to flourish. If businesses have a positive experience with a student, they are more likely to work with additional CEIP students in the future. Cultivating and maintaining business/industry mentors is an ongoing process.
Some sources of placements for students follow.
· Parents/guardians of students involved in CEIP can be good resources for business
connections. They often are familiar with potential mentors through their personal,
professional, industry, or other connections.
· The Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club, Junior League, Chamber of Commerce, and other
community organizations often invite guest speakers to their monthly meetings. The
coordinator can make connections by providing information about CEIP at such
meetings.
· The parent-teachers association, school advisory council, and school board often have
contacts in the community who can help open doors for CEIP opportunities.
· Many large organizations, such as hospitals and not-for-profit institutions, have
historically provided volunteer opportunities and learning experiences for students.
· Local community and business publications such as journals, newspapers, and
newsletters have contact information for corporate leaders and business professionals in
the area.
· Cold canvassing of local businesses can lead to CEIP placement opportunities. Lists
can be assembled from the Chamber of Commerce, telephone directory, business/trade
publications, and Internet listings.
· Local volunteer agencies such as the Red Cross, Salvation Army, and other community
programs often offer opportunities for internship experiences.
· Websites of local employers, college placement offices, classified ads and social
media sources such as LinkedIn are other potential sources.
Program Operational Guidelines
The following program operational guidelines were collaboratively developed by the New York State Education Department, New York State Department of Labor, and United States Department of Labor:
1. The Career Exploration Internship Program is open to students, including those with
disabilities, age 14 and over who are in grades 9-12. Working papers are required.
2. For the One Unit of Credit Program (108 hours of worksite/internship experience
and 54 hours of classroom instruction) – the student intern must rotate through a
minimum of three different work stations, spending up to 36 hours at each station,
according to a specific training plan (to be developed individually for each student intern
by the WBL coordinator, the employer, and the student intern).
For the One-Half Unit of Credit Program (54 hours of worksite/internship experience
and 27 hours of classroom instruction) – the student must rotate through a minimum of
two different work-stations, spending up to 27 hours at each work station, according to a
specific training plan (to be developed by the WBL coordinator, employer, and student
intern).
3. Although the student intern is encouraged to engage in "hands-on" learning,
productive work on the part of the intern is prohibited. A CEIP student cannot serve as
"free labor" for an employer; the student’s role is to explore, watch, and learn about the
career.
4. The school and sponsoring employer must ensure that the program complies with the
Criteria Points used by the US Department of Labor to govern the placement of minors in
non-paid training environments within a business/industry setting (refer to Section VI the
Memorandum of Agreement).
5. Interns may not be placed in any of the prohibitive occupations outlined by the NYS
Department of Labor and US Department of Labor.
6. The on-the-job segment of the internship may not be provided in a school setting
(unless the student is specifically exploring careers in education, e.g., teacher, guidance
counselor, principal, superintendent). It is the intent of this program to place the student
in an outside business/industry enterprise, government agency, or private not-for-profit
agency.
7. Where appropriate, the intern may split time between two or more employers.
8. All internship programs must be registered with and approved by the NYS Education
Department. A registration application is provided in Section VI – Sample Forms.
9. A memorandum of agreement (MOA), training plan, and time log must be developed
for each student intern (see Section VI). The student intern must keep a daily journal of
on-site internship activities. The journal should be reviewed regularly by the WBL
coordinator. Please refer to Section 1 for information about records retention
requirements.
10. The Certificate of Insurance is provided to cover liability by the school district,
including if a student is participating in a summer internship. Employer’s Workers'
Compensation Insurance covers the students when performing manual labor.
11. The program must be coordinated by a teacher certified in a CTE discipline who
holds an extension as a Coordinator of Work-based Learning Programs for Career
Development, #8982.
12. The time spent in the on-the-job portion of the internship must follow all NYS
Department of Labor hour regulations governing the paid employment of minors. Student
interns may not be simultaneously employed by the business/agency sponsoring the
internship.
13. The student intern may not be simultaneously enrolled in a paid Cooperative Career
and Technical Education Work Experience Program (CO-OP), General Education Work
Experience Program (GEWEP), or Work Experience and Career Exploration Program
(WECEP) while participating in CEIP.
14. The WBL coordinator must conduct two worksite visits to monitor the intern during
each 54 hour segment of the on-the-job portion of the program.
Considerations and Reminders for WBL Coordinators
· Make sure the student knows where the business is and how to get there.
· Never let a student work illegal hours.
· Always make sure forms are signed and dated by all parties.
· Never let a student report to a training site without first having approved the site for
safety, quality training, and appropriate supervision.
· Never let a student ride with you in your car.
· Remember the prohibitive occupation list.
· Remind students of their responsibilities to the employer/internship site and school.
· Never let students go too long before checking progress and doing follow up with the
mentor.
· Don’t let employers use, abuse, or take advantage of students.
· Remind employers and students of confidentiality.
· Make sure students understand that the business gets no monetary compensation for
participating in this program and that they do not get paid.
· Remind students to treat the internship like a job and be responsible.
· Provide students with career counseling, assessment, career planning, and resume
work.
· All WBL experiences should be documented and records maintained for data
purposes.