Work Experience Education

Work Experience Education (WEE) is a structured educational process that combines real-world work experiences gained by students with regular academic or vocational instruction and is considered to be an integral part of the community college curriculum. Work Experience Education courses provide experiential learning activities to strengthen student learning and reinforce the student’s effective work habits, attitudes and career awareness, thereby enhancing the student’s marketable skills.

Work Experience is a District-initiated program of education consistent with California Administrative Code, Title 5, Section 55250, consisting of General Work Experience Education and Occupational Work Experience Education. Title 5 Section 55250.3 defines Work Experience Education to include employment of student in part-time jobs selected and approved as having educational value for the students employed therein and coordinated by college employees.

Work Experience is part of the Work-Based Learning Continuum and provides students with opportunities to receive college credit for learning through paid and unpaid work experiences.

 

Districtwide Work Experience Forms and processes

Transition to electronic processes - San Diego City, Mesa, and Miramar Colleges have agreed to transition to electronic forms for all Work Experience requirements.

Spring 2024 will be the first semester that all three credit colleges will use the fully online forms. 

  • City - transitioning spring 2024
  • Mesa - fully online
  • Miramar - transitioning spring 2023

 

WORK EXPERIENCE ONLINE FORMS CHANGE EVERY SEMESTER. Institutions must ensure students and faculty are utilizing the correct online forms for the term enrolled.

Process Summary for fully online process for Faculty and Coordinators

Spring 2024 - WORK EXPERIENCE ONLINE FORMS:Spring 2024 COURSES ONLY at City, Mesa, and Miramar Colleges

Checklist for students:

Orientation Materials: 

Before Enrollment:

  • Complete Work Experience Application - Spring 2024 App
    • Watch the WE Application Tutorial on the home page.
  • Complete Employer Agreement – Spring 2024 EA  
    • Emailed directly to and completed by Site Supervisor

After Enrollment in Work Experience Course:

Optional - Highly Encouraged!

 

Fall 2023 - WORK EXPERIENCE ONLINE FORMS: FALL 2023 COURSES ONLY  AT MESA and MIRAMAR

Checklist for students

Orientation Materials: 

Before Enrollment:

  • Work Experience Application - Fall 2023
    • Watch the WE Application Tutorial on the home page.
  • Employer Agreement – Fall 2023
    • Emailed directly to and completed by Site Supervisor

After Enrollment in Work Experience Course:

  • SDCCD Sexual Harassment Training 
  • Alternate Site Visit Request - For Faculty Only: As Needed for Remote Visits Fall 2023  - Alternative site visit no longer needed as of fall 2023 per revised Title 5 regulations (see below)
  • Learning Agreement - Fall 2023
  • Cumulative Work Record - Fall 2023
  • Final Evaluation - Fall 2023
  • To be completed by both Student AND Site Supervisor - Same link, 2 submissions
  • Student Work Experience Post Survey - Fall 2023

Optional - Highly Encouraged!

  • Site Supervisor / Employer Work Experience Survey - Fall 2023

 

 

 

 

 Districtwide Resources:

 

Work Experience Coordinators

Districtwide coordination is managed through SDCCD Career Education and Workforce Development:

 

Work Experience Deans 

  • San Diego City College: Jeanie Tyler,  Dean, School of Arts, Humanities, Communications & Telecommunications
  • San Diego Mesa College: Cassandra Storey, Acting Dean, Health Sciences and Public Service
  • San Diego Miramar College: Jesse Lopez, Dean, School of Business, Technical Careers, and Workforce Initiatives
  • San Diego College of Continuing Educaiton: TBD

 

Title 5 Work Experience Changes

August 2023 Update: Chaptering of the approved Title 5 Work Experience Changes has been completed.

Changes - Below is a brief list of the approved changes:

  • Changes "Cooperative Work Experience Education" to "Work Experience Education;"
  • Authorizes noncredit work experience education for the first time;
  • Removes the requirement for a "local plan," and adds requirements for local board policy and procedures;
  • Establishes the respective responsibilities of students, faculty, and employers in work experience education programs;
  • Allows for remote site visits;
  • Removes the distinction between "occupational" and "general" work experience;
  • Revises the credit hour calculation for work experience as follows:condenses calculation into one formula (54 hours = 1 unit of credit);
    allows work experience to be integrated into a single course outline of record that may include lecture, lab, or activity hours in addition to work experience hours; and
  • Clarifies record-keeping requirements.

Pending State guidance, the San Diego Community College District currently plans to implement changes in 2023-2024 and 2024-25. Guided by the Districtwide Work Experience Process Committee, updates will be made to:

  • Required Work Experience forms
  • Work Experience Handbooks for Faculty/Instructors and Students
  • Work Experience policy and procedures

Curriculum updates will be addressed by faculty via the districtwide work experience subject area meeting(s).

 

Background: In July 2022, the California Community Colleges Board of Governors approved Title 5 Work Experience Education changes. 

  • As of October 2022, the Chancellor’s Office communicated that they understand implementation will be delayed due the curriculum process
    • Revisions
    • They are going to give everyone a year to implement
    • For any changes that can be implemented right away, colleges/districts are encouraged to do so (where possible)
    • A guidance memo will be provided by the Chancellor’s Office
    • The Chancellor’s Office expressed concerns regarding some local interpretation of the repeatability. They intend to clarify their goals within the memo and are hoping each college/district will follow the guidance memo (clarification will include that repeatability is allowable).
  • Spring 2023 - chaptering delayed
  • Summer 2023 - chaptering completed
    • Guidance memo - TBD

 

 

COVID19 Adjustments

State & National Resources

Work Experience Process Committee

The Work Experience Process Committee address operations (handbooks, forms, administrative procedures, and risk management) and title 5 compliance for Work Experience and is convened by Instructional Services.

Committee membership includes Work Experience Deans and Work Experience Coordinators from San Diego City, Mesa, and Miramar College as well as the District’s Dean of Career Education and Workforce Development and a Program Support Technician assigned to coordinating Work Experience. District Risk Management attends as needed.

The Work Experience Process Committee meetings are held no less than once per academic year.

2023-2024 Agendas

2022-2023 Agendas

2021-2022 Agendas

2020-2021 Agendas

2019-2020 Agendas:

2018-2019 Agendas:

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