You are here
Cooperative Education Appreciation Breakfast Honors Employers and Students
May 2019
QCC alumni Raul Gomez receives a Certificate of Appreciation from Joseph Whitney as Nichole Wheeler looks on.
Assistant Vice President for Workforce Readiness and Innovation Kathy Rentsch and President Dr. Luis G. Pedraja at the Co-op Appreciation Breakfast.
Nicole Wheeler awards a Certificate of Appreciation to Bobby M's Diner.
Co-op students receive Achievement Certificates.
Employers receive Certificates of Appreciation at the college's annual Co-op Appreciation Breakfast.
At Quinsigamond Community College student success is the overarching theme. To that end, the college’s Career Services & Credit for Prior Learning department has developed relationships over the years with multitudes of area businesses to help students fulfill not only their co-op requirements in the 22 programs that currently require this, but also in many cases help them secure employment.
In late April the department hosted a Cooperative Education Appreciation Breakfast at the Worcester Senior Center to honor the students who took part in the program, as well as the companies that graciously hosted them. While 13 employers were in attendance at the breakfast there have been over 50 businesses that have been host to 68 QCC students from summer 2018 - spring 2019.
At the breakfast QCC President Dr. Luis Pedraja discussed the importance of co-op and internship opportunities, which provides students with the chance to learn out in the field and connect with employers.
“This is an enriching experience for all involved,” Dr. Pedraja said, adding that getting this type of real-word experience is incredibly valuable for the students.
QCC Foundation Board President Dr. Linda Maykel noted that 90 percent of QCC students go on to work in local businesses in the region, further enhancing the value of these types of programs.
“I want to thank all the different corporations and businesses for their kindnesses in bringing in the high caliber students we have and the overall commitment to make their success your success,” Dr. Maykel said.
QCC co-op student Laura Douglas (Business Administration Career) described her experience as a bit different than some of the others students because she was actually able to do her co-op at her current employer, HMEA. She said the opportunity was a great way for her to pick up new skills and new tasks enabling her to hopefully move up in the company. She said the co-op experience is “a great way for students to get that baseline to know this is really what they want to do.”
Raul Gomez, a 2018 QCC graduate of the CIS program, ended up getting hired by Storm Petrel LLC as a programmer. This is the same company he had worked at as part of his co-op. He is now back at the college as an employer and said he never imagined how much the co-op experience would have helped him.
“They (Career Services) bring employers to the college and we couldn’t ask for more,” Mr. Gomez said. “They opened the door for us. Oftentimes that’s what we need, just an opportunity to succeed. Receiving a job offer letter was very exciting and the beginning of my new journey.”
Visit Career Services to learn more.
