Pilots Professional Preparation Program | University of Portland

Pilots Professional Preparation Program

Pilots Professional Preparation Program

Students in business attire conversing casually in a lobby

P4 - Increase the Value of Your Business Degree

The P4 Program is a professional development and internship program integrated into the academic curriculum for all undergraduate business students consisting of two 1-credit courses and a professional internship-for-credit. School of Business graduates leave campus with the job readiness tools, support, and professional work experience needed to launch their careers. That is why over 90% of School of Business graduates are employed, in graduate school, or a fellowship program within six months of graduation—P4 provides the foundation to start a career journey where you can discover your best self and thrive!

Undergraduate Majors Undergraduate Minors

P4 Courses - What You Will Learn

This class is taught during the Sophomore year before students formally declare a business major. Class topics focus on Career and Business Major Exploration and building an initial Professional Toolkit. Activities and topics include: 

  • Career Exploration based on exciting, real-world challenges.
  • Networking with alumni, faculty, and local employers.
  • Developing initial professional resumes and LinkedIn profiles.
  • Introduction to Interviewing.
  • Use of AI tools to aid networking and the job search.

View the Course Catalog for BUS 202

This class is taught during the Junior year and is paired with the BUS397 Professional Internship credit. Class topics focus on Job Search Planning, Applying for Roles, and Starting the Job. Activities and topics include:

  • Develop a Professional Portfolio of all work, school, volunteer, and extracurricular experiences.
  • Internship Search Planning and Job search techniques.
  • Customizing Resumes and Cover letters for different job roles.
  • Network with alumni and local employers.
  • Practice Professional Interviews and Speed Resume feedback.
  • Understanding Job Offers and Negotiation.
  • Learning leadership and communication styles.
  • Use of AI in the job search and hiring processes.

View the Course Catalog for BUS 302

A smiling UP student stands with arms crossed in the middle of the internship career fair at Beauchamp center

Applied Learning, Professional Networking

Professional Internship - BUS 397

Internships give you the space to learn the skills and master the tools of a real-world working environment while increasing your job prospects by up to 85% post-graduation. Gain practical work experience, explore career options, and build your professional network. UP Business students gain meaningful internship experiences with a variety of companies, from startups, non-profits, and small local businesses to Fisher Investments, Hewlett-Packard, Goldman Sachs, Deloitte, Amazon, and many more. Internship supervisors report that interns are contributing to high priority projects at the companies they’re part of and that their contributions are being immediate put to use. You can make a real, measurable impact, while learning and gaining professional experience.

Student Perspectives

Taj O’Malley – Summer ‘24 Internship, Senior: Taj O'Malley

Taj O'Malley"P4 courses BUS202, Professional Development, and BUS 302, Internship Preparation, reformed my understanding of career readiness in the best way possible. I went into each class expecting piles of templated guides and outlines, and I was pleasantly surprised when lessons and assignments were more personally focused. Rather than teach me how to make myself fit into generalized job candidacy, the P4 program taught me to trust the skills, experiences, and values I already had, and how to use those to make career planning and goal setting much easier. Thanks to the P4's refined approach and practical lessons, I landed an internship with local auto retailer Lithia & Driveway, and I have a much better understanding of how I can accomplish my biggest career goals."

Kayla TabraKayla Tabra – Summer ‘24 Internship, Senior:

Kayla Tabra"I just completed my first month at Hewlett Packard (HP)! and it has been an incredible experience! The people, the culture, and the work-life balance have exceeded my expectations. I've connected with employees from various parts of the organization, and it's reassuring to know that I'm in good hands! I've been assigned a project to work on and present at the end of my internship, and it's exciting to apply the skills I learned at UP to HP's way. I am passionate about getting to know other people and their culture, while extending some of my academic knowledge from UP. This past week, I met with upper management and will soon collaborate on a project focused on process/category improvement! I'm beyond excited to learn more about the organization from management to its people."

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