What is Work Experience?#
Work Experience courses provide college credit for your work in a job, internship, or volunteer position. Students are supported by faculty as they explore career pathways, learn professional
skills, and gain real-world training in the workplace through this non-traditional
class.
- Earn college credit for work/internships (in or out of your field of study)
- Paid, unpaid, or volunteer placements are eligible
- Many Work Experience courses are associated with certificate and degree requirements
- CSU-Transferable - Complete and use units towards transfer requirements
Work Experience credit is awarded based on 75 hours of paid work/internship or 60
hours of unpaid internship per unit the student is enrolled.
WE Credit & Hour Requirements - WE Hours Must Be Completed Within Course Dates:
1 unit - 60 Hours Unpaid | 75 Hours Paid
2 units - 120 Hours Unpaid | 150 Hours Paid
3 units - 180 Hours Unpaid | 225 Hours Paid
4 units - 240 Hours Unpaid | 300 Hours Paid
WE courses require an add code/permission #. View Steps to Enroll
Work Experience Courses#
Earn college credit for work/internships (in or out of your field of study). Paid, unpaid, or volunteer placements are eligible.
Many Work Experience courses are associated with certificate and degree requirements
CSU-Transferable - Complete and use units towards transfer requirements.
GENERAL WORK EXPERIENCE EDUCATION (WORK 272):
Supervised employment which is intended to assist students in acquiring desirable
work habits, attitudes and career awareness. The Work experience does not have to
be related to the students' educational goal (Title 5 section 55252)
OCCUPATIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE EDUCATION (270):
Supervised employment extending classroom based occupational learning at an on-the-job
learning station relating to the students' educational or occupational goal. Work
Experience 270 can be discipline specific (Title 5 section 55252)
View all work experience courses
Steps to Enroll#
Students must have a job, internship, or volunteer position and complete all requirements
below in order to be eligible for an ADD code/permission # to enroll in Work Experience.
Once ALL forms and requirements are approved, the Work Experience Instructor will
send an email to you with an ADD/permission # to enroll in the Work Experience class
shortly before the semester begins.
WE Placement#
Need a Work Experience Placement?
Use these tips & resources to get help finding a job, internship, or volunteer position:
SEARCH & APPLY: Use your MySDCCD email to activate & apply for positions with a FREE Handshake Job Board account
GET SUPPORT: Schedule an appointment with a Mesa Internship Coordinator on Handshake to get help finding & applying for positions - Connect ASAP!
BE PREPARED: Update your resume & schedule an appointment with a Mesa Career Peer Ambassador on Handshake for assistance with highlighting your skills
EXPLORE COMPANIES: Search for companies to work at using Handshake & the Work Experience Employer Database
USE RESOURCES: Check out Mesa Career Services for articles, videos, & tools to find open positions & stand out to employers
Child Development Students#
Need CHIL 151 as a co-requisite to CHIL 270?
Students pursuing the Child Development degree must take CHIL 151 and 270 together
as combo classes at the same campus because the class content and field experience assignments are aligned. Students following
this track must have a job/internship/volunteer placement at a licensed, early childhood
education program that serves children 5 years of age and under and must be directly
supervised by California Mentor Teacher, or by a classroom teacher who holds the California
Master Teacher permit. CHIL 151/270 will be offered through Mesa College during the Spring 2024 semester:
CHIL 151 - CN # 55136 - Cross, Ida
CHIL 270 - CN # 56230 - George, Maria (120 Unpaid Hours | 150 Paid Hours)
Work experience online forms change every semester. Make sure you are completing the
correct forms for the semester you are enrolled in.
View Fall 2023 Work Experience Online Checklist for form links.
Spring 2024
Before Enrollment:
After Enrollment in Work Experience Course:
Optional - Highly Encouraged!
Gender, Equity, Sexual Harassment & Violence Prevention Training
All WE students must complete this training prior to submitting a Cumulative Work
Record, but you are encouraged to complete the training prior to logging your Work Experience Hours. This training includes an introduction to educational and workplace regulations
and guidance regarding sexual harassment including how to recognize, report, and prevent
sexual assault and harassment.
- Self-Enroll in Canvas in the Gender Equity, Sexual Harassment and Violence Prevention Training Course
- Complete the training. Organized into 3 modules: Key Concepts, Reporting and Response, Awareness and Prevention,
you will find a series of short videos and supplemental handouts for review. Hit the
"next" button at the bottom right to move through the course content.
- Submit documentation of completion. Print your grades to PDF and send via email to the campus Work Experience Coordinator.
Employer Database#
Check out the list of employers that have supervised Mesa College Work Experience
students for jobs, internships, or volunteer positions in previous semesters.
Need Help?#
Questions?
Contact Shawn Fawcett for if you have questions or concerns.
Shawn Fawcett, Ed.D.
Work-Based Learning Coordinator
Work Experience Coordinator
sfawcett@sdccd.edu