Industry Exposure

“There are many aspects involved in the development of a qualified student. For me, one of the most important ones has been industry exposure. A student who has been exposed to the industry is a student who is more aware of the opportunities that are out there in the field and who demonstrates a greater level of commitment and dedication to what he or she is interested in.” -Gaby Baylon, Mechanical Engineering Major, City College transfer to UCSD, Fall 2007

MESAdvantage Standards for Industry Exposure:

    • Resume, cover letter, and reference list
    • Participate in job or mock or informational interviews
    • Join a professional or student organization
    • Serve as a student chapter officer
    • Attend MESA Industry Training Academy
    • Attend Professional Development seminars and activities
    • Research companies
    • Job shadow industry professionals at work
    • Obtain an industry mentor
    • Obtain experience via internship or volunteerism
    • Other industry exposure activities

Learn more, see the Industry Exposure guildelines for completing each standard (PDF).


Available internships and resources:

MESA Summer Team Internship*

*Only open for MESA students at City College, Southwestern College and SDSU

The NSF STEM Talent Expansion Program (STEP) Partnership of San Diego (SPSD) Summer Team Internship program offers students an excellent opportunity to develop new skills, gain experience working in science and engineering firms, collaborate in a team, and build relationships with potential employers.

Participants are placed in teams of 2-4 students to work on projects in science and engineering firms or conduct research with faculty in, but not limited to, San Diego. Summer internships will occur between May through August, however, this experience may lead to other internship opportunities after the completion of the summer internship program.

Commitment to the project will include:

  • 100 internship hours
  • Attendance at program workshops and presentations
  • Completion of program related paperwork
  • Creation of a poster presentation
  • A presentation of your experience at the NSF MESA Summer Team Internship Reception at the end of summer

Students with an above average GPA are strongly encouraged to apply. Strong leadership skills are also helpful, but are not necessary. Since the program includes team projects, students should be very comfortable communicating and working with others. Priority will be given to students who complete a majority of the MESAdvantage Student Report Card Requirements. Interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates. Final student selections will be made by host companies and participating faculty.

Application deadline: Early March 2012

See the MESA Alliance website for the internship application and other materials.

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Resume Resources

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Cover Letter Resources

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Interview Resources

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Recommended websites

CareerOneStop - America's Career InfoNet
Every MESA Creator must be familiar with this website!

This is a fantastic site for finding an "occupation profile" for your career choice. Occupation profiles include an occupation description, career video, wage information, employment trends, important knowledge, skills & abilities, tools & technology, eduation and training, and much more! Pay close attention to the list of tasks and activities for your occupation of interest.  Do you have experience doing similar activities?  Be sure to include them in your resume

Enter your desired occupation in the "site search" window, then choose the occupation(s) that best matches  your interests.

City College Career Services
Visit this site for more information on Career Planning Steps, Career Counseling, Jobs & Internships, Job Readiness Services, and much more!

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