Why do an internship?

Internships provide a great opportunity for you to build and develop practical skills; to get experience in the workplace and within the industry; to make contacts for potential future employment; to receive on-the-job training; and to make the link between academic studies and practical skills and experiences.

Who is eligible?

 The ORTM program encourages all students to think about pursuing an internship in their third and fourth year.  Please note, however, that not every student will be able to pursue an internship. The student needs to have the right combination of skills, independence and reliability to serve as a good ambassador for the ORTM program. An intern placement ‘employer’ needs to have a project of a mixed practical/academic nature and be willing to work with the student. A faculty member needs to have expertise in the chosen topic and be willing to supervise the internship based upon the time required – this is done as voluntary teaching overload. Thus, supervising internships is also at the discretion of the individual ORTM faculty member.

How long is an internship – and how many credits does it get?

Internships typically run for a semester and may occur during a regular semester or during the summer. Variable credit (from 1-6 credits) is available for internships, but normally a one-semester equivalent internship would result in 3 credit hours.  

What do I do for my internship?

The student will either work on a single project or a series of projects related to ORTM that the employer believes to be suitable for student involvement and which the student is able to complete in the chosen timeframe. Internships may be linked to an existing job held by the student, but will require additional assignments beyond their regular job duties. Otherwise, the internship may be a unique partnership between an employer, ORTM and the student.  

So is an internship the same as my summer job?

No. An internship is not identical to a summer job. An internship is a specific opportunity to award you academic credit for developing, practicing and demonstrating the link between academics and practical skills. The deliverables developed with your workplace and academic supervisor will go beyond your regular job duties.  

There are typically 2 models of internship that students pursue:

Why do an internship?

Internships provide a great opportunity for you to build and develop practical skills; to get experience in the workplace and within the industry; to make contacts for potential future employment; to receive on-the-job training; and to make the link between academic studies and practical skills and experiences.

Who is eligible?

 The ORTM program encourages all students to think about pursuing an internship in their third and fourth year.  Please note, however, that not every student will be able to pursue an internship. The student needs to have the right combination of skills, independence and reliability to serve as a good ambassador for the ORTM program. An intern placement ‘employer’ needs to have a project of a mixed practical/academic nature and be willing to work with the student. A faculty member needs to have expertise in the chosen topic and be willing to supervise the internship based upon the time required – this is done as voluntary teaching overload. Thus, supervising internships is also at the discretion of the individual ORTM faculty member.

How long is an internship – and how many credits does it get?

Internships typically run for a semester and may occur during a regular semester or during the summer. Variable credit (from 1-6 credits) is available for internships, but normally a one-semester equivalent internship would result in 3 credit hours.  

What do I do for my internship?

The student will either work on a single project or a series of projects related to ORTM that the employer believes to be suitable for student involvement and which the student is able to complete in the chosen timeframe. Internships may be linked to an existing job held by the student, but will require additional assignments beyond their regular job duties. Otherwise, the internship may be a unique partnership between an employer, ORTM and the student.  

So is an internship the same as my summer job?

No. An internship is not identical to a summer job. An internship is a specific opportunity to award you academic credit for developing, practicing and demonstrating the link between academics and practical skills. The deliverables developed with your workplace and academic supervisor will go beyond your regular job duties.  

There are typically 2 models of internship that students pursue:

Note that in both situations a 3 credit hour internship is equivalent to a minimum of 39 hours of work on deliverables. Please remember for internship-job combinations this is 39 hours of deliverable work beyond your regular job tasks.

What is the relationship of the internship to other types of classes? 

In addition to internships (ORTM 440) there are also opportunities for independent study (ORTM 499) and special topics (ORTM 498). Independent studies are also student-led customized learning opportunities but are more focused on academic content (e.g., allowing you to pursue a topic we have not covered in classes – or perhaps just briefly touched on). Special topics classes are essentially independent studies classes where there is a group of students (usually a minimum of 3) who want to study the same thing. Do note, however, that most of the guidelines outlined in this document (particularly with respect to the process) are equally applicable to independent study and special topics classes.  

How can I use credit for my internship?

The credit you get for your internship can be used either as a straight elective class or to fulfill your upper level ORTM class requirements in the category of ‘x credits from the following list of ORTM classes’.

Who initiates the internship?

An internship can be initiated by the student (you may bring an idea to an ORTM faculty member), by an employer/partner (e.g., an approach by Tourism Prince George), or by a faculty member.  Please note, however, that faculty members don't normally have time to search out internships for you -- but we may be able to suggest organizations or individuals to talk to.

Are internships paid?

Internships in most organizations are typically not paid, or are paid at a nominal rate; however, if you are building an internship on top of an existing job, you may earn a salary. Please note that some employers will advertise for interns with specific expectations of it being an unpaid position (but there can be other benefits included such as expenses, housing, certifications, etc.). Internships may also be held with not-for-profit organizations: please consider the opportunities that environmental, conservation, youth sport, recreation, and other organizations might provide you to build your skills.

What needs to be done to start an internship?

At the start of the internship, an organizational/workplace supervisor and an academic advisor will work with the student to develop a course syllabus and/or contract that will define the terms of the project and grading. The finished report(s) or project(s) are graded by the academic supervisor and possibly the work supervisor. As an internship is an independent study opportunity, it’s up to you as the student to initiate and follow thru on most of these requirements. Please see the attached sample syllabi and internship contract. The student should prepare a draft of similar documents for your workplace supervisor and for your ORTM supervisor. Once these are agreed upon you will need to register for ORTM 440 with an add/drop form to which your supervisor will attach a copy of the syllabus.  

 Sample Internship Syllabi.docx