Internships offered through the University Professional Internship Program (UPIP) differ significantly from most other student employment positions on campus, as they are designed to provide professional knowledge and skill development consistent with your major/career goals. UPIP positions are not your average student employment job where you just show up and complete tasks as directed. We work with departments and students to make sure that experiences are valuable and mutually beneficial.
UPIP students must participate in professional development opportunities, as part of a course they are assigned to complete each semester. UPIP interns are expected to be proactive, diligent, and involved. At the end of the internship, you should have built a portfolio, participated in networking opportunities, and be able to incorporate the experience into your resume.
- Internships are part-time during the fall and spring semesters, with students typically working 12 hours/week.
- UNC Charlotte faculty and administrators serve as mentors.
- All positions pay $13 an hour.
- Students may hold the same UPIP internship up to 4 semesters only.
Students can find open positions in Hire-A-Niner by searching "UPIP" in the keyword field. Each internship application requires a resume and cover letter to be submitted through Hire-A-Niner. You are encouraged to make an appointment with a career coach (you can do this through your Hire-A-Niner account) or have your application materials critiqued during the Career Center drop-in hours. You may also contact the Career Center directly with questions by emailing UPIP-career@charlotte.edu.
UPIP is available to full-time sophomores, juniors, and seniors, seeking a first bachelor's degree and in good standing with the University, with an overall GPA or 2.5 or higher.
- Professional experience in your field without leaving campus
- Faculty/staff mentoring
- $13 per hour for up to 15 hours per week
- Possibility for academic credit
- Specialized programming for UPIP interns
- UPIP internships are available to sophomores, juniors, and seniors seeking a first bachelor’s degree and are in good standing with the University, with an overall GPA or 2.5 or higher.
- Students must adhere to the university policy on campus employment (students are not allowed to work more than 20 hours per week TOTAL at UNC Charlotte). Students are required to disclose other employment on campus to UPIP mentors.
Upload Resume
All resumes in Hire-A-Niner must be approved by the Career Center team before your can apply for a position, so make sure you give yourself enough cushion to complete this step. Resume approvals usually take 1-2 business days to complete. Drop in for resume assistance can also help to speed the approval process along
Prepare a Cover Letter
Drop in for cover letter help ; no appointment needed. Remember to target each cover letter to individual opportunities for which you are applying.
Search Hire-A-Niner
Positions all have “UPIP” at the beginning of the position title. Application instructions can be found with each position.
Practice Interviewing
You can either practice online through Big Interview, sign up to practice with employers through the Interview Prep Program, or make an appointment with your career coach. Practice makes better.
Preparing While Waiting
When a position is taken down from Hire-A-Niner, it normally signifies interviews are about to begin. Continue to prepare for the interview, be ready for the possibility to be called for an interview, and keep searching. All hiring decisions are made by the hiring department, not the Career Center team.
Complete HR Paperwork
If you landed a UPIP position, CONGRATULATIONS! The next step is to complete your I-9 and the HR paperwork packet; take the completed paperwork and proof of ID to Human Resources in the King Building.
Because this is a professional internship, all UPIP interns are required to attend a minimum of two (2) professional development events or networking events, like career or industry-focused meet ups sponsored by Career Center. Networking events include mixers and large-scale events like career fairs.
You can email us if you plan to attend something and want to confirm that it will count toward your professional development requirements. Please be sure to log all events as assignments in your Canvas class each semester. You will be automatically assigned to the class. Check your email for information each semester. Email reminders and information will be sent from upip-career@charlotte.edu.
The Career Center offers resources to help with all of your career development needs, both in our office and virtually. To get started with your resume and cover letter, check out our Career Guide. Practice your interview skills with Big Interview. Need more in-depth help? Make an appointment with a career coach through Hire-A-Niner.