Applying for Opportunities
Graphic Design internships are often developed through networking vs. traditional job postings. Rarely are Graphic Design internships posted online or sent to post-secondary institutions, therefore students and the work-integrated learning(WIL) faculty are often calling organizations directly to create internship opportunities. Locating an internship is a collaborative process that is intended to simulate the experiences that students will likely encounter after they finish their academic experience. We do not use a placement model but rather an open employment model. Interested students apply for internship positions that appeal to them (just like a regular summer job), they are interviewed by the employer and if successful, become employed. Often the best internships are located by the student through the students’ own network or direct contacts.
Students will learn how to communicate and correspond professionally with employers. If employers contact the University with internship opportunities, the WIL faculty will forward them to students directly. All the materials you will need to produce in order to apply for an internship will be introduced in class.
The student is also required to complete an internship presentation that highlights specific learning that occurred during the internship experience.
Available employment / internship positions are posted through VIU's Experience Hub work-integrated learning portal.
Before your Internship
A prerequisite for the internship is to successfully complete the fall semester assignments and discuss the specifics of the internship experience with the WIL faculty. Once the student secures an internship, the student submits a work term record in the Experience Hub with all of the details of the internship. Once the WIL faculty approves the internship, a Letter of Agreement will be sent to the employer and the student to verify the experience.
During your Internship
Typically we do two assessments for each internship experience
- Midpoint Assessment; most often this is done in a face-to-face meeting with the student, employer and the WIL faculty, or VIU designate. (Occasionally, we do online assessments as required)
- Final Assessment; this is completed by the employer and submitted to the WIL faculty
The student is also required to complete an internship presentation that highlights specific learning that occurred during the internship experience.
Important Resources
Course resources are available in VIULearn.