Student FAQs
An internship is any carefully monitored work in which a student has intentional learning goals to achieve throughout the experience. In other words, internships give students the opportunity to get real-world work experience in the career that they are studying. Internships can be paid or unpaid.
- Currently enrolled at EMCC
- Must have a minimum 2.5 GPA
- Find internships at EMCC Employer page at Maricopa Pipeline AZ
- Click the APPLY NOW button
- Complete the online application
- Upload/Submit a resume and cover letter to the online application
Career Services helps students create or update resumes and cover letters. Contact Career Services to schedule an appointment for resume/cover letter assistance. Appointments may be scheduled by telephone at 623-935-8740 or by emailing your request to career.services@estrellamountain.edu.
The purpose of an internship is to gain experience in the career field you are interested in before you actually begin the career. Internships provide job training with professionals who have been in the field for years and allow for interns to network and make connections with people in their anticipated career field, which may utilize for references on job or college applications.
No, EMCC internships are for current EMCC students. Interns must be enrolled at Estrella Mountain Community College with a minimum 2.5 grade point average.
Most internships require a total of 80 hours of work. The 80 hours requirement is usually completed during an academic semester. The normal periods are: Fall semester (August-December), Spring semester (January-April), and Summer semester (May-August). The duration of the internship can be extended or shortened based on the needs of the employer.
Employers decide if internships are paid or unpaid. EMCC offers Federal Work Study (FWS) for benefits-eligible students and a scholarship for students pursuing unpaid internships:
- Federal Work Study (FWS) is a need-based work program that assists students in meeting their financial obligations while attending school. As eligibility for these positions is dependent upon "need," students must complete the financial aid process before eligibility for FWS can be determined.
- Workplace Internships Ready Community College Students (WIRCCS) Scholarship provides between $500-$1,000 awards for unpaid West Valley internships
Students will receive real world experience to complement their current studies and may receive college credit. Email internships@estrellamountain.edu for details on how to apply for these scholarships.
EMCC internship opportunities are found at Maricopa PipelineAZ. Create or log in to your MCCCD PipelineAZ account and search “WBE EMCC” or “Estrella Mountain Community College” under Companies to see internship opportunities.
Students may request outreach to companies not listed on the page for potential internships. There are no guarantees that a company can or will agree, but the Internship Coordinator will contact them for interest in partnering and offering internships. Students should send email to internships@estrellamountain.edu with the company name, website, a contact name, contact telephone and email address (if possible), and a short description of the type of work or internship they are interested in. Please note the process may take several days or weeks. The Internship Coordinator will email the requestor with status updates.
Review current internship listings at the EMCC Employer page at Maricopa Pipeline AZ. NOTE: first-time users need to create a username and password to log in to the site and apply for internships. Click the APPLY button on the internship listing and fill in all of the fields. Please note ALL internships require an online application, resume, and cover letter. Career Services staff can help students create or update resumes and cover letters. Contact them at career.services@estrellamountain.edu or call 623-935-8740. For additional assistance or questions, please contact the Internship Coordinator by email at internships@estrellamountain.edu or leave voicemail at 623-935-8949.
Students cannot receive college credit for internships with companies who are not Maricopa Community Colleges approved education partners. However, we can contact the company to submit the paperwork required to complete the process. Students should send email to internships@estrellamountain.edu with the company name, website, and a contact name and information. The process may take several days or weeks. NOTE: “working" internship hours with the company cannot be counted until the company completes ALL paperwork and becomes an approved education partner.
Students may be able to apply to internships after their due date. Students should email the Internship Coordinator at internships@estrellamountain.edu with their name, student ID number (3xxxxxxx), name of the internship, and the company who offers it. The Internship Coordinator will contact the company to see if they are willing to add more interns or for additional internship opportunities.
Absolutely! Listing internship experience on your resume can give you an advantage when applying for jobs, scholarships, and university or college admissions.
Career Services staff helps students with career exploration and to prepare for job searches. Their site has job search resources and you can download interview and resume/cover letter packets to help create or update resumes and cover letters and prepare for job interviews.
Career Services also offer practice or mock interviews. Contact Career Services to schedule appointments for mock interviews, resumes, and cover letter assistance by emailing career.services@estrellamountain.edu or calling 623-935-8740.