The Cooperative Education/Internship relationship between student and employer enables a company to meet immediate employment needs with motivated and competent NSCC students! Cooperative Education/Internship placements also allow employers to screen and recruit students for permanent career positions. Many of North Shore Community College s graduating students accept permanent positions with the same company they worked at as a student intern.
SALARIES
Some students do not receive compensation, however, some students do. For those companies
offering compensation, the rate of compensation should be discussed directly with
the student. The same factors that influence a cooperative education/internship placement
may also affect the rate of compensation; namely, a student s ability to travel out
of the immediate locality, academic major, grade point average, etc.
The cooperative education/internship coordinators attempt to ensure that internship salaries are competitive with marketplace wages. However, no attempt is made to establish or control compensation rates.
INCOME TAX
Wages earned on Cooperative Education/Internship jobs are subject to federal and state
taxes, as well as social security deductions.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Most conditions of employment can and should be determined prior to accepting a position.
These conditions include the location of the assignment, method and cost of transportation,
daily travel time, nature of the work environment, physical setting, required work
hours and rate of compensation.
ABSENCE FROM WORK
Time off from work must be approved by employers. It is the supervisor s responsibility
to discuss the work schedule with the student intern upon hire. College closings due
to inclement weather, holiday observations or scheduled vacations or breaks do not
exempt student interns from reporting to work.
RESIGNING OR BEING FIRED
Students are prohibited from resigning from a cooperative education/internship position
prior to completing the 120-work hours required in the COP202 course. Exceptions must
be discussed in advance with a Cooperative Education/Internship Coordinator and the
Faculty Coordinator. If the resignation request is justified, a Cooperative Education/Internship
Coordinator will contact the employer on behalf of the student. Students will not
be referred to another internship site if this policy is disregarded. Students who
are fired must notify a Cooperative Education/Internship Coordinator immediately.
Referral to another Cooperative Education/Internship employer will depend on extenuating
circumstances.
HEALTH COVERAGE
North Shore Community College students who have paid for the Student Health and Accident
Plan have insurance coverage while on the job. Those not protected by the College
s health plan should be certain their own health insurance policy covers the workplace.
DRUG and ALCOHOL TESTING
Employers have the legal right to administer drug and alcohol tests before and during
employment, as long as the company makes its policy of substance abuse known to employees.
It is within a company s right not to hire applicants whose tests indicate the presence
of drugs and/or alcohol in their systems.