What is Cooperative Work Experience?
Cooperative Work Experience (CWE) is a unique academic program in which the student, employer, and college establish a work plan that combines study and practical work experience to improve the employee's skills and prepare them for career advancement.
CWE students are already employed by your company and eligible to receive college credit for their work. Upon enrolling in a CWE course, students use their employment for lab hours beyond class assignments.
Benefits for Your Business
As part of CWE, your business plays an important role in mentoring and developing employees who are often more driven because their performance is evaluated and translated into college credit.
![expand knowledge icon](/AcademicProgs/CEWD/internships/employer/PublishingImages/Pages/Value-to-Employers---Cooperative-Work-Experience-for-Employees/expand.PNG) EXPAND your employees' knowledge and value | ![Build icon](/AcademicProgs/CEWD/internships/employer/PublishingImages/Pages/Value-to-Employers---Cooperative-Work-Experience-for-Employees/Build.PNG) BUILD upon current personnel for future opportunities, promotions, and growth | ![Connect icon](/AcademicProgs/CEWD/internships/employer/PublishingImages/Pages/Value-to-Employers---Cooperative-Work-Experience-for-Employees/Connect.PNG) CONNECT corporate processes with employees' educational goals | ![reduce icon](/AcademicProgs/CEWD/internships/employer/PublishingImages/Pages/Value-to-Employers---Cooperative-Work-Experience-for-Employees/reduce.PNG)
REDUCE recruitment and training costs |
![improve icon](/AcademicProgs/CEWD/internships/employer/PublishingImages/Pages/Value-to-Employers---Cooperative-Work-Experience-for-Employees/improve.PNG) IMPROVE employee retention | ![show icon](/AcademicProgs/CEWD/internships/employer/PublishingImages/Pages/Value-to-Employers---Cooperative-Work-Experience-for-Employees/show.PNG) SHOW you care by taking an interest in your employees' education | ![invest icon](/AcademicProgs/CEWD/internships/employer/PublishingImages/Pages/Value-to-Employers---Cooperative-Work-Experience-for-Employees/invest.PNG) INVEST in employees who become valuable public relations ambassadors. | ![promote icon](/AcademicProgs/CEWD/internships/employer/PublishingImages/Pages/Value-to-Employers---Cooperative-Work-Experience-for-Employees/promote2.PNG) PROMOTE closer ties between your organization, the college, and the community
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Projects Best Suited for CWE Employees
Employers should help CWE employees understand important concepts, develop essential skills, and apply what they learn in the classroom to real-world problems and opportunities in the workplace. Supervisors should offer challenging projects and tasks that would be recognized within the business/industry as valuable experience.
To successfully complete the course, the employee must achieve three objectives to create, develop, and complete special projects, as designated in the collaborative work plan.