Externship Coordinator

Position Summary :

The Externship Coordinator ensures that the externship process is a positive learning experience for students and a positive experience for the personnel at the externship sites.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities :

• Constantly develops new externship / clinical site agreements and maintain good relationships with existing externship sites by frequently visiting the sites and conducting surveys.
• Conducts an orientation for students about to begin externship to cover details of the site assigned to each student and policies and procedures the students must follow while on the externship to include specific goals and objectives, timelines, attendance reporting, evaluation process, professional attitude, etc.
• Ensures that all eligible students start the externship on time and end on time.
• Verifies that the site agreement contract is properly signed and that all its provisions are carried out by both parties.
• Collects and reviews evaluation documents in regard to the student's performance at the site.
• Collects student timecards and provides weekly attendance on each externship student to the registrar in a timely fashion.
• Follows up on students who are absent from the site by calling or contacting them by email.
• Submits an externship weekly report to the DOE, program director, and school / corporate management.
• Provides an alternative site in situations where the site does not conform to the guidelines and competencies set in the externship agreement or due to extenuating circumstances the student may be facing at the time. Prior approval from the DOE is needed to make this change.
• Coordinates and communicates externship activities and concerns with the Director of Career Services in order to facilitate permanent placement of each student.
• Ensures that both students and externship site personnel complete surveys regarding their level of satisfaction with the externship experience.
• Assists the director of career services to achieve satisfactory placement results in each program (consistent with Education Affiliates guidelines and applicable regulatory agency standards) by ensuring that at least 40% of all externships result in a permanent job placement for the student.
• Attends and significantly contributes to staff / faculty meetings within the school and externship coordinator meetings at the corporate level.
• Monitors and maintains the institution's computerized data system to ensure that externship information contained therein is accurate, entered in a timely fashion, and backed up to prevent the loss of crucial information.
• Ensures that all externship activity is clearly documented in the graduate's paper file and in the computer data base.
• Follows all procedures and standards as defined by Education Affiliates Inc.
• Is knowledgeable of and follows all state and accrediting commission compliance standards in a timely and complete manner.
• Maintains and secures institutional procedural manuals and other documentation required by state, accrediting, and federal agencies.
• Attends regular student services activities including : new student orientation, graduation ceremonies, holiday parties, and student education achievement award ceremonies.
• Meets or exceeds the externship bottom line requirements of the approved school budget.
• Keeps abreast of current employment trends, establish and maintain essential business community relationships, and constantly develop new externship sites in order to ensure the timely placement of graduates in the graduates' related field of study.
• Identifies and develops new externship sites through phone calls, newspaper ads, personal contacts, Internet job sites, and written correspondence.
• Maintains an active lead generation system to ensure sufficient externship site opportunities are available for students and graduates.
• Critiques and edits student and graduate resumes, cover letters, and other employment documentation. Also, advise students on workplace etiquette, dress, interviewing, and other related issues.
• Activates and maintains relationships with all students currently on externship until the externship is successfully completed.
• Assists in the development of program advisory committees for each program.
• Coordinates the arrangement of open houses and job fairs and other events with the purpose of enhancing the schools exposure to local employers who may offer externship site opportunities.
• Promotes a positive and motivational working and learning environment.
• Ensures that discrimination of any kind is not supported or nurtured and shall take action to support acceptance and tolerance.
• Is readily accessible for meetings requested by students, staff, and faculty.
• Assists the admission's team by meeting prospective new students.
• Supports the institution's purpose, goals, objectives, and agreements as a condition of employment.
• Promotes an atmosphere of trust and respect with personnel from other departments and shall understand the necessary interdependence with other departments in order to create the best overall school environment.
• Speaks supportively of corporate staff, school staff, faculty, students, and externship site personnel, refraining from any gossip, or negative or derogatory statements of any nature.
• Is interested in and knowledgeable of departmental details in all areas relating to the externship.
• Networks effectively with other Education Affiliates externship / clinical coordinators and Education Affiliates corporate personnel in order to utilize materials and techniques that already exist within the EA corporation.
• Is active in the surrounding community, frequently meeting with graduate employers and visiting externship / clinical sites.
• Obeys all laws and regulations of the surrounding community and will conduct himself / herself in such a way, within the community, as to reflect positively upon the school.
• Asks for assistance from the director of education and program director if he / she is uncertain of the appropriate action to handle any issue within the school or on the externship site.
• Completes all other tasks as assigned by the director of education or program director.
• Maintains regular and reliable attendance.

Skills / Competencies / Qualifications :

Classification : Non-exempt

Work Hours : Forty per week but may vary daily, and evening and weekend hours may be required

Travel : None

Working Environment : Interior / Office