UM launches Externship Program

IN A bid to ensure the career path of its students, the University of Mindanao through its External Relations and International Affairs Office recently launched Externship, a program intended for college freshmen and sophomores.

Externship is intended to introduce the students to the possible workplaces their chosen college course might open up for them, and also as a way to enable them to determine if they really want to pursue their course.

The program is touted as the first of its kind in Mindanao, and was presented to industry partners in a meeting last April 6, Thursday at the UM Main Campus in Matina.

AVP for ERIAO Reynaldo Castro (seated, third from left) with industry partners coming from both the public sector and private companies, after their meeting and presentation of the Externship Program, which aims for early exposure of freshmen and sophomore college students to the possible workplaces their chosen courses will bring them, and allow them to determine early on if it is really what they want.

Externship is expected to pilot test its first batch of students this July.

The program however is different from internship as it will be voluntary, with interested applicants required to have good academic standing, and submit the following to the ERIAO: their Form 1, SPR, parent’s consent, medical certificate, a letter of recommendation from the dean of their college, curriculum vitae, and an essay detailing why they are interested to enter the program.

Externship is also shorter in duration, lasting from two to five days, and will not have credit units.

Reynaldo Castro, assistant vice president for the ERIAO, said the program was created in response to the occurrence of students shifting their courses late into their education, usually when they are nearly graduating, because they found that the workplace their course is training them for is not where they really want in the long term.

The program aims that through early exposure to the workplace; students can get a feel for their chosen course and decide if it is really for them.