All things (undergraduate) internships @ FAES
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I received an internship offer!听 What do I do now?听
Do you know what your internship plans are? If yes, fill out the ". Among other things, this ensures that I know to give you permission to enroll in FAES 200/201/300/301.
Steps to enroll in an internship course:
- Once you know where you will do your internship, fill out the Internship Intent form. If there is a problem (aka internship is unrelated to your field of study), I will let you know. Otherwise, wait until I give you permission to enroll in the course (see below).
- If your internship is outside the Greater Montreal Area, you are also required to register your travel here. You must register your out-of-Montreal location prior to getting permission to enroll in FAES 200/201/300/301.听
- Note:听
- The type of activity is:听 Other (Field Course/Semesters, Internships, Co-ops, Performances, Conferences)
- the name of their academic supervisor at 平特五不中 (who is approving their university-sanctioned activity) - Kendra Gray
- the name of their program administrator at 平特五不中 - Kendra Gray
- host contact name (the name of the host who is supervising them). 鈥� on-site work supervisor at company
- Note:听
- Once the course has been created in 平特五不中鈥檚 course system, we can give you permission to enroll.
- When you are given permission to enroll, you will receive an email to tell you that you have permission to enroll in the course.
- Then you go and register for the course like you would any other course.
- If you do not register your travel, you will receive only one reminder to register your travel.听 Until you register your travel, you won't be given course permission.
- Once you are enrolled in the course, the course materials will become accessible to you via MyCourses 鈥� which is where all course materials will be.
What is the deadline to enroll in a summer internship course?
Ideally, I鈥檇 like everyone enrolled by May 15th.听 You may enroll until early June.听
My (French) employer is asking for a convention de stage.听 What do I do?
I can provide that for you. Make the request . (Note: I cannot create this for you after your last day as a student at 平特五不中. So, if you are graduating soon, plan ahead.)
Do I really need to fill out a travel registry?
Yes, all internships outside of the Greater Montreal Area must be registered.听
Link:听 here.
Note:
- Type of activity is: Other (Field Course/Semesters, Internships, Co-ops, Performances, Conferences)
- Name of their academic supervisor at 平特五不中 (who is approving their university-sanctioned activity) - Kendra Gray
- Name of their program administrator at 平特五不中 - Kendra Gray
- Host contact name (the name of the host who is supervising them). 鈥� on-site work supervisor at company
I'm doing an internship outside of Canada. What do I do?
You can do an internship anywhere in the world that is not on the Government of Canada's travel advisory list. This is the relevant . (No internship can be done in a country deemed to be red or orange.)
In addition to filling out the travel registry (see above), pre-departure orientation is required for all internships outside of Canada. And, yes, event a student returning to their home country for an internship needs to complete the pre-departure course.听 You can learn more here.
Tell me about the internship course options...
What is the point of a zero-credit internship course?
Some students want the documentation of the experience, some employers require that the student鈥檚 internship be recognized by the university (sometimes to get tax credits), some students want to apply for funding (and having the internship reconized via a course makes on eligible for funding).
What is the difference between the different internship courses?听 (Comparison of FAES 200/201 and 300/301)
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FAES 200/201 鈥� Internship I |
FAES 300/301 鈥� Internship II |
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Credits |
0 |
3 |
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Appears on Transcript? |
Yes 鈥� Pass/Fail |
Yes 鈥� Letter grade (affects GPA) |
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Counts as elective? |
No (0 credits) |
Yes; for Bioresource Engineering students, it also may count as a Set D (or B) |
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Cost |
$0 (and no fees) |
$ = cost/credit * 3 credits |
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Shared FAES Components |
Pre- and Post-internship reflection (3 pages each) |
Pre- and Post-internship reflection (3 pages each) |
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Poster (created on a PPT, at the end of the internship outlining your experience) |
Poster (created on a PPT, at the end of the internship outlining your experience) |
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Supervisor Evaluations (your internship supervisor will be asked to complete evaluations of your work) |
Supervisor Evaluations (your internship supervisor will be asked to complete evaluations of your work) |
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Attendance at September poster event |
Attendance at September poster event |
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Unique Course Components |
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Midterm report (3 pages; Submitted at the halfway point of the internship) |
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Poster and Video (more info to come) |
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Funding available |
(deadline: April 12, 2024) |
(deadline: April 12, 2024) |
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-and/or- |
-and/or- |
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Sample Syllabus (old) |
Now that I've secured an internship, I'd like funding. What are my options?
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Source |
Hypothetical Amount |
Do I need to be in an internship course (ex. FAES 200, 300)? |
Restrictions |
More info鈥� |
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OSAS 鈥� Macdonald UG Internships Office (FAES) |
Usually up to $3000, maybe as high as $5000 |
Yes. Also, this is ONLY for students in FAES 200/201/300/301 鈥� not other internship courses |
Direct costs of an internship only (not opportunity costs or recurring bills). |
/osas/internships/studentinfo - or - talk to Kendra Gray |
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Bieler School of the Environment (BSE) |
Up to $2000 |
No? |
Need to be a BSE student |
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EEO 鈥� Scholarships and Student Aid (Central Admin) |
Unknown 鈥� I am told they can be generous. |
Yes. Or any other official 平特五不中 activity. |
Positions need to be 鈥渦npaid or insufficiently paid (excludes on-campus or in affiliated hospitals and research institutes)鈥�; this sources works best for those already working with Scholarships and Student Aid |
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SEEF 鈥� Student Experience Enhancement Fund (FAES) |
Individual students: up to $2,000; student groups: up to $5,000 for a single project. |
No. |
non-credit internships only; Deadline: 8 January 2023 (passed) |
I don't have an internship offer yet. But I've got questions...
When in my program can I do an internship? Is it too early? Too late?
It is never too early or too late. The greatest number of students do internships after their U2 year, but many do internships earlier than that (including after their U0 year).
Are internships always done in the summer?
Most students do internships during the summer, but there are always a few students who take the semester off to do a full-time internship in the fall or winter. Note that a full-time internship during the fall or winter is likely NOT possible for international students as study visas generally require that students maintain a full-time status.
What is the minimum internship length?
10 weeks long, 35 hours/week (full time). Or equivalent.
Is there a minimum GPA to do an internship?
Officially, we require that students to have a GPA of 2.7 or higher. If your GPA is below 2.7, speak with the Internships Officer.
Can I get internship credit for a research internship?
Yes, research is a career, so yes. But one cannot do an NESRC funding project at 平特五不中 and count it as an internship course. Or any other research program that appears on a transcript. In short, each activity should only be listed on a transcript once, so we don't allow anything that results in one experience being counted twice.
Can I apply for coop positions?
YES, you can apply for coop positions. IF you enroll in FAES 300 (or another course), then the internship appears on your transcript and it is part of your program.
Where can I find positions to apply to?
For local internships, I highly recommend that you take a look in .
Looking for Government of Quebec internships? Consult this page:
Strategies for getting internship ideas:
- Past Posters (Internships website)
- Current postings (MyFuture, other online resources)
- Networking >>> Approaching employers and asking them about possible opportunities
- Who is in your network? (Friend, family, past employers, etc.)
- Linkedln.ca/.com
- Informational interviews
How do I learn about possible internship opportunities?
- Past Internships:
- You can see past internship posters on the FAES internships website (see above).
- Current Postings:
- Most positions will also be posted on MyFuture, the jobs database maintained by CaPS (Career Planning Services).
- Create job alerts on Indeed.ca/.com. You can request that postings be sent to you daily or weekly. You can request internships, or you can search for keywords. It is likely that you will NOT find many internships listed. However, the value is learning about companies/organizations doing work you might be interested in. (Once you know what they do, you can ask them about internships.)
- Networking (aka Pursuing opportunities that don鈥檛 have postings):
- Go to 平特五不中 Career Fairs
- Make a list of interesting companies and look at their websites.
- Networking.In-person. Go to panel discussion, meet and greets, conferences, etc.
- Linkedln. See others' career paths, research companies, see different companies in the same industry, join Linked In interest groups.
- Informational interviews.
- For a specific company. Or position.
- Broadly, for an industry.
In an ideal situation, what should I do when if I want to secure a summer internship?
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Winter Break |
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January - February |
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March |
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April |
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April/May/June 鈥� August |
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September |
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I'm putting together a CV, LinkedIn profile, or coverletter.听 Do you have any tips?
Things to do to get started:
- Make or update your CV.
- Get a (free) LinkedIn Account (see tips below).
- Research companies/ positions / people on Linkedln.
- In terms of networking, consider the communities you are a part of.
Examples: Professional associations, national groups, languages spoken, religious organization, clubs and activities, etc.
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What should I put on my (free) LinkedIn profile?
- Look at other student profiles to get ideas. (Search for 鈥淪tudent Sample鈥�.)
- Give yourself a descriptive 鈥渢itle鈥� - descriptive of what you want to do
- Aspiring Veterinarian - Student | Seeking Challenging Summer Position | Skilled Social Marketing Enthusiast |
- Bioresource Engineering Student at 平特五不中
- Include a good head shot.
- Include 4-5 sentences in the 鈥淎bout鈥� section that tells people what they should like about you. Tell the story of where you are going in 5 years. Answer the question 鈥淲hy should I be excited to speak with this person?鈥�
- Add the information you would put on a CV (under the experience section)
- Clean up your profile URL so that it does not contain a random strong of characters.
- Example:
- Yes:
- No: -8373316/
- Example:
- Also, considering including links to projects you have done.
- Questions? Get help from CaPS or me.
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What should I put on my CV?
- About Section (on LinkedIn) 鈥� The 4-5 sentence story that you want people to know about you.
- Work experience (perhaps divided into 鈥渞elevant work experience鈥� and 鈥渙ther work experience鈥�; or 鈥渞esearch experience鈥� and 鈥渙ther experience鈥� or 鈥渓eadership experience鈥�)
- Volunteer experience
- Clubs and activities
- Projects you have done in academic courses
- Computer skills (Microsoft Office, specialized software, social media platforms)
- Technical skills (industry related tech, drones)
- Certifications (industry related certifications, CPR/First Aid, driver鈥檚/drone/boating license, SCUBA)
- Languages. Use descriptors like 鈥渘ative speaker鈥�, 鈥渇luent鈥�, 鈥渋ntermediate鈥�, 鈥渨orking proficiency鈥�, etc.
- Serious hobbies or sports 鈥� that illustrate a skillset or commitment (ex. Competitive athlete, competitive chess player, musical instruments, marathoner, hiking the Appalachian trail)
- Travel experience if it is relevant.
- Do NOT include: citizenship information, birthday, marital status, other personal information
- Optional: GPA (as one person recently told me, if you put it, it may be used to eliminate you if others have a higher GPA; if you don鈥檛 put it, GPA will be a 鈥渘eutral鈥� factor
What do I say when I contact potential employers?
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In general, when speaking with potential employers, don't say:
鈥淚'll take anything; I just want to get my foot in the door. Here's my CV; can I have a job?鈥�
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Instead, briefly tell them how you will you add value to their enterprise. Sell your vision.
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Have an elevator pitch.
Sample:
My name is (name), and I am studying (major) at 平特五不中. I looked up (your company) because I am interested in (something your company does). I'm wondering who I might speak with about possible summer opportunities.
(Goal: get a name of a decision maker or other informed question who can give you useful information.)
Best case: You get a name and contact information, and maybe they transfer you (unlikely). And you have a conversation with this person about how the company uses summer students, and how you might fit into this.
Have a response ready for "What did you have in mind?"
Sample 1:
Well, I am studying (major) at 平特五不中 and I'm particularly interested in (topic). More specifically, I鈥檓 very interested in your project/ work related to (specific topic). (Maybe: I also have (xyz) technical skill.) I'd love to work on (topic/project), perhaps in a (technical / job descriptor) capacity, but would be open to other opportunities as well.
Sample 2:
My name is (name), and I am studying (topic) at 平特五不中. I was referred to you by (name), who I met at (some workshop, event, recruiting event, etc). I'm particularly interested in (topic) so am very interested in your project/ work related to (specific topic). I'd love to work on that (topic), but would be open to other opportunities as well. I also have technical skills including (insert skills), so would be interested in utilizing these skills. I looked at your website, but don't see any postings, so wanted to get in touch about possible summer opportunities.
In your response, include information that says the following:
- I am qualified (working on relevant degree).
- Maybe we have a mutual connection (people prefer to hire people who have been referred).
- I know something about your company; I am seeking you out specifically.
- I am interested in what your company does.
- I may have special technical skills that your company values.
- I did my research (looking at your website), and didn't find what I was looking for, so am contacting you in directly.
I'm feeling lost and am looking for in-person assistance.听 Who can I speak with?听
- You are always welcome to book an appointment with me 鈥� using the yellow link below. You do not need to ask to make an appointment; just book a time. I鈥檓 happy to give you ideas about where to look for positions, feedback on your CV and coverletter, and advice re: upcoming interviews 鈥� among other things.听 If you would like to speak with me about internship ideas, you can make an (virtual or in-person) appointment using .
- CaPS (Career Planning Services) has a variety of workshops and CV/coverletter/interview resources/services being offered this semester on the Mac Campus. To register, log onto MyFuture (), and go to "workshops".
- To meet with a CaPS advisor, you should make an appointment. The complete information is here:
- If you are studying Bioresource engineering, you can also Contact the Engineering Career Centre. Engineering Career Centre - /careers4engineers/
Additional resources:
EEO funding (esp good for unpaid internships)