Internships
There are many ways to participate in internship opportunities on and off campus. There are options for teaching, working in the community, and with agricultural industries. Internships are great ways to build your resume, network with professionals in the field, and gain career experience.
Undergraduate teaching assistants are students who volunteer their time to aid the academic needs of their peers and faculty, in exchange, for 1 to 3 field study credit hours in ALCE 2964. Undergraduate teaching assistants typically complete tasks such as grading assignments, entering attendance, interacting with students, hosting review sessions, and assisting with course lectures. The selection process for undergraduate students may vary. If you are interested in assisting with the academic and professional needs of your peers and Virginia Tech faculty, please contact the ALCE undergraduate programs director, Donna Westfall-Rudd, at mooredm@vt.edu. It is an ALCE Department policy that students can not receive college credit for TA experiences for which they are paid.
In preparation for a career in secondary agricultural education, students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of internship experiences. Internship opportunities range from short-term early field experiences to semester-long student teaching in secondary school-based agricultural education programs across the state. These experiences allow students to apply the skills and knowledge gained from their classroom instruction, explore career options in secondary agricultural education, and engage with members of the agricultural teaching profession.
Many state extension organizations host internship programs for upcoming juniors, seniors, or graduate students. These internships provide opportunities for students to see what they are learning in the classroom in a real-world setting. Extension internships allow students to present themselves professionally when working with different audiences. Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) internships give students hands-on experience in careers focused on nutrition, agriculture, environmental science, natural resources, family and consumer sciences, or community and youth development. Check out the VCE internship website and read more about the experiences of previous interns on the weekly logs and blogs as well as see the locations! VCE internships are housed all across the state of Virginia.
As a multi-billion-dollar industry, many agricultural employers are competing to hire talented students and graduates who can enhance their efforts with communication, project management, and stakeholder engagement. Even when those organizations are known primarily for their technical expertise, they are investing in the human side of agriculture. Employers value interns that can contribute to investments in education and development. One place to explore opportunities is Virginia Tech’s job and internship search guide.