Parent to Parent

In the Know-Sometimes It’s WHEN You Know or It’s WHO You Know

By Mary Jane Dellafiora, Aggie Parent and Family Council Member

Taking planes, trains and automobiles home.  Families, friends and festivities.  Just relaxing and recovering from another quarter’s work and a respite before receiving the resulting grades for that.  These are the things occupying the minds and lives of UC Davis students during Winter Break.  But should something else nudge into the edge of their consciousness—finding a summer job?

  Unfortunately, it probably should.  Like so many other things “these days,” (as opposed to when many of us parents were in college), the summer job market is competitive.  Much part-time employment in the service industries is occupied by year-round workers making ends meet with a second household jobs.  And both high school students and recent college graduates occupy unpaid internships to build the “relevant experience” sections of their respective applications.

            It is a great idea for students to start checking out the wonderful services UC Davis offers through the Internship and Career Center.  You can find an online link to that by going to the “myucdavis” homepage and clicking the “Student Life” link at the top of the page.  Access an “Internships and Jobs” link from its pulldown menu which will lead you to the Internship and Career Center page.  There are links to online information as well as numbers and mechanisms to access personal assistance.  Students should familiarize themselves with these services as soon as they can.  Besides career counseling for graduating students, the center offers help finding internships, part-time jobs, summer jobs and international opportunities.

            Opportunities become available throughout the winter and spring.  Some internships actually have deadlines in the fall.  But then students can be aware of this for the summer of 2021, even if they have missed the deadline for 2020.  The various departments in which the students study (or even do work study or research assistant jobs) also may have or develop openings depending upon funding and faculty needs. 

            Finally, but by no means exhaustively, students should think about accessing leads for internships and employment through the Aggie Network of alumni, friends and family.  It’s the season to be merry!  Why not combine pleasure with some possible business by attending a UC Davis alumni or friends/family events offered throughout the world (yes, the world)?  Check it out at www.ucdavis.edu.   May your students and you have a safe, peaceful and fun (and maybe even productive) winter break!

 

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