WORK EXPERIENCE | FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

PRE-ENROLLMENT QUESTIONS

• What does "WEE" stand for?

  What does "WEE" stand for?

  WE is an abbreviation for Work Experience Education (WEE), a program that is part of the Career Hub. We sometimes use it to refer to the entire Work Experience program and other times the acronym WEE is used to differentiate between General/Occupational Work Experience courses and Internship or Community Volunteerism courses, as in the case of "WEE" or "Intern" on the Employment Information Form.

• What does "SID" stand for?

  What does "SID" stand for?

  SID is an acronym for Student Identification (SID) Number. This is the 9-digit number that was assigned to you when you applied to attend SRJC. It always begins with the numeral 8, and it is the number that you use to log into your SRJC student portal.

• What does "EIF" stand for?

  What does "EIF" stand for?

  EIF is an acronym for Employment Information Form (EIF). The EIF includes information about the students employer, supervisor, and best methods to reach the student. This form is required when you enroll in a WE course and is linked to enrollment. Click here for more information.

• Does the Work Experience Department find a job or internship for me?

  FINDING A JOB/INTERNSHIP

  Students are expected to find their own job/internship. For internship assistance, the Intern Coordinator will help brainstorm and empower students in the internship process. Another resource for potential jobs/internships is the SRJC Online Job Board: HANSHAKE. To enroll in a General (WRKEX 97) or Occupational (WEOC 99i) Work Experience course you must have a job with a licensed business prior to enrollment.

• Do I need an email account for this course?

  EMAIL ACCOUNT

  Yes, you should have an email account. Even though this is not an online course, much of the instructor-student communication is done through email. If you do not have access to a computer, you may use the computers in the Doyle Library on the SRJC campus or the Mahoney Library on the Petaluma campus. Use this link to view days and hours of operation. Many public libraries also offer computer access. You can create a free email account through a number of providers including: YAHOO! or Google.

• I do unpaid or volunteer work. Can I enroll in Work Experience?

  UNPAID OR VOLUNTEER WORK

  You may be eligible to participate in an Internship course if the volunteer position is directly related to your major.  If you are planning to volunteer in your community, you will want to take the Community Involvement Course, CI 51. Please refer to the Work Experience homepage for a description of these courses.

ENROLLMENT QUESTIONS

• How do I enroll in a Work Experience Course?

  HOW TO ENROLL

  Depending on the type of course, there may be some small differences on how to enroll. To learn how to enroll in a Work Experience course, please visit the page for the corresponding course and review the "Enroll in ..." portion of the page:

  • Community Engagement
  • Internship
  • Work Experience

   

• Can I enroll after the semester has begun?

  ENROLLMENT PERIOD

  Yes, the cut-off date varies by semester, so contact the Career Hub at (707) 527-4329 to find out the deadline. Your Assigned Instructor will make arrangements to meet with you and your supervisor for the first job site visit approximately 3 weeks into the semester (1-2 weeks during summer semesters). As long as you enroll, complete orientation, and discuss objectives with your job supervisor before that time, you will not be at a disadvantage by enrolling late. If you want to enroll after the open enrollment period has passed, contact Work Experience to request adding by petition.

• I tried to enroll, but the computer says this class is "restricted." What do I do?

  RESTRICTED COURSE

  Contact the Career Hub at (707) 527-4329 to schedule an appointment. The requirements of the course will be explained to you, and you will be given an add code at that time, which will enable you to register for the course.

• I was told to complete a form that tells you where I work. Where do I find the form?

  EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION FORM (EIF)

  The Employment Information Form, or EIF, must be completed every semester, even if you took the course before and have the same job. Look for the blue link when you are registering. A link should also appear in your student portal under "Class Schedule/Fees." It is also found in several places across our website. For your convenience, here is a link: Employment Information Form (EIF).

• How do I know who my instructor is?

  FINDING YOUR INSTRUCTOR

  Your Assigned Instructor will contact you by Canvas, email, phone, or text. Be sure to check your messages daily, including your email “spam folder” and voicemail box. Typically, instructors contact students the second or third week of the spring or fall semester, the second week during a summer semester. If you have not heard from your instructor by that time, please contact the Career Hub at (707) 527-4329.

POST-ENROLLMENT QUESTIONS

• Where do I find my class work? How do I turn in assignments?

  CANVAS

  After you have enrolled, you can find and begin working on your assignments in Canvas.

• I enrolled but I have not I heard from my instructor yet. What should I do?

  HAVE NOT HEARD FROM INSTRUCTOR

  Typically, Assigned Instructors contact students the second or third week of the spring or fall semester, the second week during a summer semester. If you have not heard from your instructor by that time, please contact the Career Hub at (707) 527-4329. Your assigned instructor will contact you by Canvas, email, phone, or text. Be sure to check your messages frequently, including your email's “spam folder” and voice mailbox.

• How do I contact my instructor?

  INSTRUCTOR CONTACT

  If you know the name of your instructor, click on the Faculty and Staff menu item on this web site to look up your instructor's contact information. You can email your instructor directly from that page by clicking on the envelope icon. If you do not know who your Assigned Instructor is, please contact the Career Hub at (707) 527-4329.

• If I change jobs during the semester, how will that affect my Work Experience course?

  JOB CHANGE

  The answer varies depending upon how far into the semester it is when you change jobs. The best thing to do is contact your Instructor as soon as you know you may change jobs. Your instructor will direct you on how to proceed. Be ready to provide them A.) Your new place of employment B.) Name of your new Supervisor C.) New Supervisor's email, and D.) New Supervisor's phone number.

• How do I change units?

  CHANGING UNIT AMOUNT

  The number of units you enroll in is determined by how many hours you work or volunteer. If you want to change units, you can drop the course you are in and enroll in the appropriate section number as long as you do it during the open enrollment period. After open enrollment, you must contact the Career Hub at (707) 527-4329 and request that a petition be submitted to Admissions & Records on your behalf to change units. Be aware that there is a deadline to increase units. It is always the same date indicated on the SRJC Academic Calendar as "Last day to drop a class with a W". A petition to decrease units can be filed up to the day grades are posted.

  Other things to consider when changing units:

  • If you are decreasing units after the Academic Calendar date for "Last day to drop a semester-length class and be eligible for a refund ", you will not receive a refund.
  • If you are increasing units, you will be responsible for the associated fees.
  • For General and Internship courses, you may take a maximum of 16.00 accumulated units during the entire time you are a student at SRJC.
  • If you do not need more units and you think you may want to take Work Experience in future semesters, you may want to "save" the units allowed even though you may be working enough hours to increase your units. If you are pursuing a certificate or degree that requires an internship, do not use up your entire 16.00 units before being eligible for an internship.

   

• I need to make changes to my learning goals on the Goals & Hours form after the first job site visit. What do I do?

  CHANGING YOUR LEARNING GOALS

  Discuss the changes with your supervisor/mentor and contact your Assigned Instructor immediately.

• Why do I get emails from the Work Experience Department from someone other than my instructor?

  INSTRUCTOR OF RECORD vs. ASSIGNED INSTRUCTOR

  All Work Experience students have an "Instructor of Record" as well as an "Assigned Instructor." Sometimes they are the same person, but quite often they are not. Your "Assigned Instructor" is your point of contact throughout the semester. This is the instructor who contacted you early in the semester and met with you and your supervisor to establish objectives for the semester.

  Your "Instructor of Record" is a faculty member who works at the campus and is responsible for sending messages to students via their student portal, approving petitions, posting grades, and a number of other administrative functions. 

REPEATING WORK EXPERIENCE CLASS QUESTIONS

• Can I take Work Experience courses more than once?

  REPEATABILITY

  General and Internship courses may be repeated up to a lifetime maximum of 16.00 accumulated units.

  Contact the Counseling office if you have any questions about how many units you have in Work Experience and how many you are eligible to take.

• I have taken Work Experience before. Do I have to complete an Employment Information Form "EIF" again?

  CONTINUING STUDENTS

  All Work Experience students must complete the Employment Information Form (EIF) every semester, even if you worked at the same place the previous semester. Unfortunately, the information does not automatically transfer to the next semester. 

OTHER QUESTIONS

• Are the Work Experience and Internship course units transferable?

  TRANSFERABLE UNITS

  Yes, to the CSU system. Check with your counselor for more information and review of your transfer eligibility.

• I work more than one job. Can I combine jobs for Work Experience?

  MULTIPLE JOBS

  If you have more than one job for the same employer, you may combine the hours worked from both jobs to determine the number of units you qualify for; however, you must choose one job for the purpose of setting your objectives. If your jobs are with different employers, you may count the hours from only one job for your Work Experience course. If your ending one job and starting another, see the question regarding job change above. 

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