Internships

Discover professional connections

Through an internship at Jamestown Community College, you can apply what you’re learning to what you want to do. An internship is a mentored work experience with an educational focus, where you can gain knowledge and skills in a career field. According to the National Association of College Employers, 70% of employers say that they hire their interns for full-time positions after graduation before looking elsewhere.

Benefits of an internship

  • Narrow your career choices and focus your career goals
  • Learn more about where you might like to work, or gain insight about a specific industry or career field
  • Be more competitive for jobs and transfer schools
  • Meet people in the industry and gain professional contacts

How to apply for an internship

  1. Meet with your academic advisor to discuss how an internship fits into your academic plans.
  2. Browse and apply to internship opportunities in Handshake. If you don't find what you're looking for, Career Services may be able to create an internship customized to your interests!
  3. Meet with Career Services to discuss the results of your internship search and, if needed, alternative site ideas.
  4. Work with Career Services to complete a learning contract and enroll in your internship as a course.

Internship details

  • Academic internships for credit require a faculty sponsor, completion of at least 12 college credits, and 2.0 GPA.
  • You will complete 45 hours of work for each credit earned.
  • Internships can be paid or unpaid.
  • You can complete an off-campus summer internship for credit and get 50% off the regular per credit hour rate.

Internship deadlines

If you want a fall 2024 internship:

  • You must meet with Career Services by October 1, 2024.
  • After this date, you will need to consider a spring 2025 or summer 2025 internship instead.

If you want a spring 2025 internship:

  • You must meet with Career Services by February 27, 2025.
  • After this date, you will need to consider a summer 2025 or fall 2025 internship instead.

Earn while you learn

In addition to earning academic credit, some internships are also paid by the employer or grants secured by JCC. If an internship is paid by the employer, the student will not also get paid by a JCC grant.

Students seeking to be paid through a grant must be enrolled in at least 6 academic credits in addition to their internship credits.

  • If an internship is eligible to receive a stipend, students will be eligible to be paid for up to 3 internship credit hours per academic year. Each new academic year begins with the fall semester and will include the fall, spring, and summer semester.
  • If you are a NYS Excelsior Scholarship student, receiving grant funding for your internship will affect your financial aid. Consult with Career Services and Financial Aid & Billing for more information.
  • All students should consult with Financial Aid & Billing to determine if accepting an internship stipend from a JCC grant will affect their financial aid.

Generally, internships are paid at New York State minimum wage, which is $15.50/hour in Chautauqua County as of January 1, 2025. If you are completing a credit-bearing, paid internship, you can expect to earn the following:

Per semester - Internship credits, hours of work, and estimated earning at Chautauqua County, NY minimum wage
Internship Credits Hours of Work Per Semester Potential Pay Per Semester
1 credit 45 hours (3 hours/week) $697.50
2 credit 90 hours (6 hours/week) $1,395
3 credit 135 hours (9 hours/week) $2,092.50

If a student does not sign their stipend request paperwork by the end of their internship, the stipend request will be canceled and they will forfeit their grant stipend amount.

Internships may or may not be paid, and completing an internship for academic credit does not guarantee payment. The potential internship pay does not account for any tuition or fees you may be responsible for paying by adding a credit internship to your course load. Contact Financial Aid and Billing to accurately determine any costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I start looking for an internship? You can look for an internship as soon as possible, and at least during the semester prior to the semester you wish to do the internship. Many students do not complete their internship until their second year, but it is never too soon to start planning.

What types of placements are available? We have many different opportunities available to students that cover most areas of student interest. If you know of a site that is not listed where you would like to intern, please let us know and we will assist you with making contact and setting up the internship.

Where are the internship positions located? Most internships are located in our local communities near Jamestown and Olean. We also have international internships and internships located outside of Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties.

Do I need to provide my own transportation? Some internships are available on campus or within walking distance from campus. If the internship is located in the community, you will need to have reliable transportation to and from the internship site. Some internships may require you to drive during internship hours.

How do I fit an internship into my schedule? Most internships are a credit bearing course and are considered part of your course load, so you will need to schedule for it just like you would any other class. Most employers are aware when they hire college students that they will need to work around their class schedules.

What is the difference between an internship and a job? Internships should include some form of training along with direct supervision of the work involved. The purpose of an internship is to introduce and train for a particular job or career field.

Career Services Forms

Forms for students to complete:

Forms for hosts and site supervisors to complete: