The Western Carolina University Communication Department and the Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) have teamed up to start internship tracking. The goal of this initiative is to standardize the process for students who will be participating in internships within the Communication Department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many degree programs on campus utilize the CCPD program not only to learn about internships, but to also update their resumes and prepare for their future careers. The CCPD keeps records of all current and past internships such as employer information, whether the internship is paid or unpaid, how many hours students work per week and the internship site. This will provide a centralized place for students to find a list of potential locations where they can intern. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Erin Waddell, assistant director of experiential education is the CCPD internship tracker coordinator. In a conversation about the job he said, \u201cAs the coordinator, we take the logistical work off this part, which means the faculty can focus on students.\u201d The change allows students to get \u201ceven more support, as it\u2019s not just faculty receiving help, as they are creating active engagement with students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The internship tracking initiative will provide students with many outlets to find internships, which can lead to further careers in the field. It prepares students for graduation as they can \u201cfocus more on the value of the internship, by doing more projects that they can build off of,\u201d Waddell said. This can lead them to be \u201cmore competitive so they are more likely to get the job.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The partnership between the Communication Department and CCPD brings internship information and logistics into one centralized area while providing students with additional support as they prepare for careers in the communication field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n