 |
 |
The Office of Cooperative Education, Rm. 3235N, 212/237-8438
Division of Student Development, Career Development Services
Department Hours, Email: interncooped@jjay.cuny.edu
|
|
 |
Click on your area of interest below: |
 |
About the Office of Cooperative Education |
|
The Application Process |
|
The Placement Process |
|
The CO-OP Experience |
|
Cooperating Agencies |
 |
Benefits |
About the Office of Cooperative Education
Cooperative (co-op) education programs formally integrate a student's academic and/or
career interests with productive work experiences in co-operating employer
organizations. Co-ops are especially beneficial for students interested in a law
enforcement career on the federal level, and who are concerned about the competition for
these highly desirable Special Agent/Investigator positions. It is an "in house," career-
making program which could effectively "jump start" your federal law enforcement
aspirations. Similar to the internship experience, cooperative education can be a very
important tool in a student's quest to prepare for a career within the criminal justice and
public service systems.
A co-op can be critically important to a student realizing his or her career satisfaction but
one must beware competition is tight. Thus, students must employ job search skills in a
successful manner and must treat the anticipated co-op in a professional manner.
Sometimes in a co-op, relocation might be required, and a student's anticipated date
of graduation might be delayed six months to one year.
ELIGIBILITY:
* A grade point average of 3.0 or above.
* Possess United States citizenship.
* Possess the requisite number of credits (each agency has its own credit requirement).
* Be a full-time undergraduate student.
The Application Process:
Students are required to submit a typewritten application (distribution of applications
takes place in the Office of Cooperative Education) and a professional resume and cover
letter.
The Placement Process:
Step 1) If selected for an interview, students must research the agency. The interview can
be considered stressful and last up to two hours, including a 45-minute period for an on-
site writing sample. Students should also dress professionally.
Step 2) If a student passes this phase, he or she will be administered a medical exam and a
fitness test. Each agency has its own stringent physical requirements with eyesight
standards being the greatest factor eliminating students.
Step 3) Those students who are qualified up to this point will then undergo an extensive
background investigation. Disqualifying factors here have shown to be drug use, a
criminal record, driving infractions and overextended credit cards.
The CO-OP Experience:
Successful applicants at this point will next be given a start date with the agency. The
work schedule can vary between full and part-time work. Upon completion of 640 hours,
the co-op student is then sent to the appropriate 16-week training program at the Federal
Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia and is sworn in as an
agent upon graduation from this program.
PLEASE NOTE - In seeking a successful co-op applicant, agencies look for the same
successful job search skills of any other business or agency hiring personnel. Students
can and should take advantage of services offered by Career Development Services
offices and programs that enable students to become job placement ready.
Cooperating Agencies:
John Jay College currently has cooperative education agreements with the Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA); Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF); the United
States Marshal's Service; United States Customs; the Department of Justice (DOJ) and
Inspector General programs with the Department of Health and Human Services and
Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Co-ops are offered whenever administrators of the above agencies decide there is a need
for new agents, and budgetary considerations warrant recruitment of co-op candidates.
There is no set schedule for co-op recruitment. When a co-op is open, it will be
publicized in the Office of Cooperative Education and other Career Development
Services offices.
Benefits:
The benefits of a co-op for students are similar to the benefits of internships: career
exploration is facilitated, textbook knowledge is compared with the real world of work,
co-ops provide money to assist with undergraduate expenses and most importantly, after
graduation, job prospects are markedly upgraded after the cooperative education
experience. |
Office Hours
The Office operates from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays,
and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays when classes are in session.
|
|
|
