Career Work Experience (CWE)
An unpaid work experience is also called a "Career Work Experience" or CWE.
CWE's offer students a chance to extend the learning in the classroom to a workplace setting. CWE experiences can result in high school credit. CWE's can be as short as one day or as long as a semester or school year. Students can attend CWE's during class time, after school, weekends, or vacations. Although there is no set maximum number of hours a CWE can be, they are normally 30 total hours or less at one employer. By law, students cannot work in an unpaid work experience without showing continuous educational growth, based on new experiences. Further, employers should not benefit from the placement of the student or displace an existing employee. CWE's require a strong working relationship between the employer, the student, and RVTC's Cooperative Education Coordinator. The RVTC covers the student's insurance while working in an unpaid work experience.