CA 180 Culinary Internship/CRB 180 Craft Brewing Internship

An internship is a long-standing method of educating students for the world of work by immersing them into actual work settings.  The purpose is to gain hands-on experience in the field of study selected by the student.

Yes, completing an internship is both an assignment and work site experience, supervised by both your Internship Coordinator and your employer.  CA 180 is a course requirement, worth 2 credits, for the Culinary Arts AAAS program and optional for the Pre-Hospitality Management AA program.  CRB 180 is a course requirement, worth 2 credits, for the Craft Brewing, Packaging and Service Operations certificate program.

For CA 180, you must work a minimum of 180 hours in an appropriate position at an approved work site.  For CRB 180, you must work a minimum of 120 hours in an appropriate position. To be appropriate, the position must be strongly related to your program of study (culinary, hospitality or brewing), and valuable to your career advancement.  The site location must be approved by your Internship Coordinator.  There is also homework involved which must be completed and submitted to your coordinator.  You must complete the  required work hours and the homework assignments during the semester you are enrolled in CA 180 or CRB 180. 

Your grade will be determined by the Internship Coordinator with significant input from your work supervisor.  The combination of your work performance and homework assignments and portfolio will contribute to your final grade.

There is a lot of flexibility to this.  Basically, the intent is to have you advance your food service or craft brew skill training, give you exposure to the industry, and expose you to opportunities for future employment in the industry sector of your choice by working in this position.  If this position does all of that, then it is the type of position you should seek to have.

Hopefully not.  The intent, as stated previously, is to advance your skill training and broaden your resume.  If, at the same place of employment, you can be assigned other or additional responsibilities which meet the course requirements, then you shouldn't need to leave your present position.  Discuss your particular situation with your Internship Coordinator; they will guide you.  The College does not promote quitting an employer when both are satisfied with the arrangement.

Hopefully not.  However, you probably will need to make certain adjustments to satisfy the course requirements.  Remember, you are training to become a chef, manager or to work in the craft brewing industry.  To do so, you must know the work intimately.  If you cannot work within your present organization to satisfy the work requirement, then you likely will need to find an additional job that does.  Remember, you only need to work 180 hours for CA 180 and 120 hours for CRB 180 in the industry to meet the course minimum work requirement.  You ought to be able to work one or the other job, or both, on a part-time basis and satisfy all needs.  Discuss your particular situation with your Internship Coordinator.

Whatever the position pays, or you can directly negotiate with the foodservice or brewing operation, is what you receive.  The college does not involve itself with pay scales and the Internship Coordinator does not mediate wages.

Certainly.  We encourage students to use this time to gain employment outside of their hometown and college town.  We recognize the cultural and life experience value which is broadened by travel.   Assignments will be available on Blackboard and can be completed between the student and Internship Coordinator. 

CA 180 is a 2 credit/12 contact hour course.  CRB 180 is a 2 credit/8 contact hour course. The prevailing college tuition rate, at the time the course is being taught, represents the majority of the costs involved. Please note the tuition for the majority of classes at GRCC is based on contact hours; however, these internship courses are based on credit hours. 

It is ultimately the student’s responsibility to seek and obtain a suitable position which meets the course requirements.  Positions are advertised through online job sites, the GRCC Student Employment Office, the offices of the Michigan Employment Security Commission, and on the Secchia Institute Blackboard site under "Employment Opportunities." You, the student, must put together a resume, research available positions, and interview for the positions.  If there is any question on your part of the acceptability of the position or work site, contact your Internship Coordinator to discuss it.  

For CA 180, you will need to have successfully completed CA 104, CA 105 or CA 124, or received the prior approval of the Internship Coordinator, before taking the Culinary Internship course.

For CRB 180, you must be currently taking or have previously completed CRB 210.

You do not have to have an internship set-up at the time registration takes place for CA 180 or CRB 180; however, if you do not have an internship set-up by the time the semester/class starts, you will want to drop the class and take it in another semester.  As stated in the question "What do I have to do?", you must complete the  required work hours and the homework assignments during the semester you are enrolled in CA 180 or CRB 180. 

Registration is by department consent only.  First you must print the Internship Waiver of Liability and Emergency Contact forms.  Print them, complete the required information, sign and turn them into the office when your registration time opens. The office staff will register you for this course.