Learning Aligned Employment Program (LAEP)

The Learning Aligned Employment Program (LAEP) is an initiative in partnership with the California Student Aid Commission to help increase the number of students that find quality, paid internships in their field of study. LAEP provides Mt. San Jacinto College students with opportunities to earn money to help pay their educational costs while gaining career-related experience in their fields of study, career objective, or the exploration of career objectives. This work-based learning experience will allow students to apply what they are learning in the classroom and put it into practice in real industry settings.

Student Information

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR LAEP?

For determining LAEP eligibility, underrepresented students must meet one of the following criteria:

STEM major
First-generation college students
Students who are current or former foster youth
Students with disabilities
Undocumented students meeting the requirements of Assembly Bill 540
Low Income
Homeless students or those at risk of becoming homeless
Veterans
Displaced workers
Formerly incarcerated student

To participate, students additionally must:

Have a Financial Aid application on file.
Demonstrate financial need, as determined by the financial aid office.
Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), as defined by Mt. San Jacinto College.
Be enrolled in at least half-time across all Mt. San Jacinto College campuses (six units for spring or fall; summer registration is not required if student is enrolled in the following fall semester).
Be a California resident.
Be eligible to work in the United States.

IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AID

LAEP is a form of financial aid and is included in your total financial aid package. LAEP wages may not exceed your unmet need for the academic year.
Unlike other types of financial aid, LAEP earnings do not apply directly to your tuition and fees. Students who participate in LAEP internships receive the funds in a paycheck as they earn them, based on hours worked, just like a normal job.
Contact the Financial Aid Office if you have questions.

WHAT TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT CAN I BE PLACED IN?

Per California Education Code Section 69959(a), a student participating in LAEP shall only be placed in an educationally beneficial position related to the student’s area of study, career objective, or the exploration of career objectives.

Employment is not a guarantee, and the participating worksite can terminate the LAEP agreement for any reason related including lack of workplace performance or funding availability. Students will work with the Job Developer to determine the best placement site related to their program.

BENEFITS OF LAEP

The Learning-Aligned Employment Program:

Provides financial compensation while gaining work experience in your field of study.
Builds upon your work experience.
Expands your professional network and connections.
Refines your career goals.

HOW DO I SIGN UP?

For more information, please contact the Apprenticeship and Work Based Learning (AWBL) office at AWBL@msjc.edu.

EMPLOYER INQUIRES

Employers interested in hiring students can take advantage of the LAEP Program by receiving partial reimbursement of student wages upon employing an approved student who is placed in an educationally beneficial position that relates to the student’s area of study, career objective, or the exploration of career objectives.

NONPROFIT EMPLOYERS WILL BE REIMBURSED 90% OF STUDENT WAGES.

Nonprofit is defined as nonsectarian, nonpolitical organization or corporation licensed to conduct business in California, if they can provide participating students with full-time employment opportunities, or opportunities to connect with other employers capable of providing participating students with full-time employment opportunities, within their areas of study after graduation.

FOR-PROFIT EMPLOYERS WILL BE REIMBURSED 50% OF STUDENT WAGES.

For-profit is defined as nonsectarian, nonpolitical organization or corporation licensed to conduct business in California, if they can provide participating students with full-time employment opportunities, or opportunities to connect with other employers capable of providing participating students with full-time employment opportunities, within their areas of study after graduation.

WHAT TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT CAN A LAEP STUDENT BE PLACED IN?

The LAEP program is paid work experience that allows students to work on or off campus. The worksite is the hiring party and will determine the hourly wages set at a comparable rate depending on the position the student is hired in. The goal for LAEP is to have gainful employment upon completion of their hours in the program.

The position must be educationally beneficial or related to a particular career interest or the exploration of career options.
The work performed by the student shall not be related to the activities of any sectarian organization or to any partisan or nonpartisan political activities.
The employment of a learning-aligned employment student shall not displace workers currently employed by the Employer or impair existing contracts for services.
The learning-aligned employment position shall not violate any applicable collective bargaining agreements or fill any vacancies due to a labor dispute.
The student shall be paid at a comparable rate to that paid for comparable positions within the Employer. If the employing organization has no comparable position, the student shall be paid at a rate comparable to that paid by other organizations in the field for work involving comparable duties and responsibilities. The positions shall be compared based on the nature of the work and the employer shall provide the student with reasonable supervision performed, the background/skills required for the position, and not upon the employee’s part-time or student status.
LAEP funds shall not supplant any state, federal, or institutional funds used to support existing paid positions for students in for-profit or nonprofit organizations.

Interested employers should email the Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning (AWBL) office at AWBL@msjc.edu.