The CCOF Internship Program
CCOF also offers volunteering opportunities. See below for more information.
CCOF offers a comprehensive internship program for hardworking, self-motivated individuals interested in organic certification, education, promotion and advocacy. The purpose of the CCOF intern team is to support the goals of the organization and extend its vision into the future.
What to Expect
Benefits
FAQs
How to Apply
Intern Calendar
Our Current Intern Staff
What to Expect
CCOF’s Intern Program furthers the goals of CCOF while giving interns the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience for future careers. Interns assist the marketing department with various projects designed to promote CCOF’s mission to certify, educate, advocate and promote organic. Duties include, but are not limited to: planning trade shows and events, responding to sales calls and consumer inquiries, creating marketing tools and literature, writing and editing articles and researching various topics. Interns should expect to be exposed to the full range of office functions.
Interns attend weekly intern meetings with CCOF’s Marketing Assistant and Marketing Specialist. While the internship lies mainly in the domain of the marketing department, interns also have opportunities to work on projects more closely related to certification. For each task and project, interns are mentored by a member of CCOF’s staff.
Training:
Upon acceptance into the Intern Program, interns begin Certification 101 training, which takes about a month. Cert. 101 introduces them to the basics of organic certification, the organic sector and CCOF office operations. It also includes tours to one or more of our certified operations to give interns a chance to get their hands dirty and learn in the field. Once interns have completed Cert. 101 and passed the intern exam, they begin their regular intern hours.
Required Skills:
•Excellent communication skills in person, by phone and in writing
•Basic computer skills and familiarity with email, word processing and the Microsoft Office Suite
•Ability to logically solve problems and multitask
•Ability to work together with other interns and demonstrate initiative
•Interest in organic food and agriculture
•Excellent time management skills
Duration:
In order for the goals of this program to be met, interns are expected to complete at least 240 hours over a six month period. This averages out to 12 – 15 hours per week. Interns MUST be able to regularly come into CCOF’s home office in Santa Cruz, CA. CCOF is open normal business hours, weekdays from 8 am – 5:30 pm. Interns set their own schedules within that time frame.
Compensation:
The internship is unpaid, but the experience and benefits to be gained are invaluable.
Upon completion of 240 hours, graduates will be awarded the Organic Intern Training Program Certificate.
Possible Internship Focuses
Benefits
In addition to earning credit and building their resumes, interns:
• Receive basic organic certification training
• Gain experience working in a professional office environment
• Learn useful marketing and event planning skills
• Work alongside CCOF’s experienced certification and marketing professionals
• Develop valuable time management and teamwork skills to take with them into future careers
• Create materials for their portfolio, such a completed project in an area of their interest,
magazine articles written by them, pamphlets or web pages designed by them, etc.
• Receive an Organic Intern Training Program Certificate
• Receive personalized letters of recommendation upon request
• Help further the organic movement
The benefits of this program span many levels. At the individual level, interns gain the benefits mentioned above. At the organizational level, CCOF benefits from projects relevant to its goals of advancing the organic movement. And at the community level, local communities benefit from outreach programs and new availability of organic information and resources.
FAQs
Who is this internship for?
This internship is designed for individuals interested in organic food and agriculture who are looking to gain skills in the workplace. Many of our interns are UCSC or Cabrillo students, although that is not a requirement.
Do I get to farm?
On occasion. Interns primarily work out of CCOF’s main office on the Westside of Santa Cruz, performing office duties and helping with marketing and outreach projects. However, we do like to get out of the office and offer opportunities for field trips, tours and community events.
Do I have to be in Santa Cruz?
Unfortunately, yes. While we would love for our intern network to stretch across the United States, for now our interns need to reside in the Santa Cruz area, as they are required to come into the office regularly.
Can I get school credit for this internship?
Yes. Students interested in earning school credit should contact their academic department advisor as soon as possible.
How to Apply
Apply ASAP! Interested persons can download a copy of the CCOF Intern Application. Questions should be directed to the intern coordinator: Lizi Barba lizi@ccof.org or (831) 423-2263 ext. #50.
Intern Calendar
We are now accepting applications for our fall program, beginning in September 2010.
Application Deadline: 09/28/10
Interview Dates: 9/30/10 - 10/05/10
CCOF Volunteer Page Coming Soon. If you are interested in becoming a CCOF volunteer, please email ccof@ccof.org. Visit the CCOF Beer, Wine & Spirit Tasting event page.
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