Since 1964,Wilberforce University’s Cooperative Education Program has offered career advantages to students – but those advantages may never have been so important as they are right now. “Cooperative Education gives Wilberforce University graduates a running start in the working world,” Ms. Hila Williams Director of Cooperative Education said.
As everyone knows, these are tough times for graduates – but at Wilberforce University grads leave the campus with work experience and real job prospects.
All Wilberforce University students are required to take part in the program – which helps students learn about their fields of study in the “real world.” Participating organizations provide internships and limited-term employment to Wilberforce students – in varied environments ranging from corporate factories and offices to government laboratories. “The idea is to help match each student with the right work experience,” Williams said.
The result is a program that works well for corporate cooperative education partners and provides significant benefits to students: important work experience and income.
Fifty-two corporate and non-profit employer organizations took part in the 2012 Fall Career Fair. The university honored Enterprise Holdings and Flour/B&W Portsmouth.
Five Wilberforce University Cooperative Education students were also honored at the event for their outstanding work. The students all worked in large organizations. Students who were honored included Christopher A. Adams who served as an Electronics Design Engineer at Nissan Technical Center; Dahrion Johnson who served as an Intern at the Emergency Management Department; Tiara L. Roberts who served as an Intern Supervisor at Chrysler Group; Whitney L. White who served as an Interpreter for the National Park Service and Michael D. Williams who served as an Software Engineer for The Boeing Company.