Are you a college student in search of experience to prepare you for the world of work? Why not consider an internship? It’s a great way to build your resume, network and possibly get your foot in the door with a future employer. Internships are also great for high school students. It gives students an opportunity to try out different occupations before making a career path decision. For high schools students, use our Job Shadowing Questionnaire if you get the chance to intern.
What is an internship anyway? According to Wikipedia: An internship is a job training for whit-collar and professional careers. Internships for professional careers are similar in some ways to apprenticeships for trade and vocational jobs, but the lack of standardization and oversight leaves the term open to broad interpretation. Interns may be college or university students, high school students, or post-graduate adults. These positions may be paid or unpaid and are usually temporary.
Generally, an internship consists of an exchange of services for experience between the student and an organization. Students can also use an internship to determine if they have an interest in a particular career, create a network of contacts or gain school credit. Some interns find permanent, paid employment with the organizations for which they worked. This can be a significant benefit to the employer as experienced interns often need little or no training when they begin regular employment. Unlike a trainee program, employment at the completion of an internship is not guaranteed.
In a 2009 study conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ (NACE) Experiential Education Survey, the following staggering statistics were discovered:
Check out 3 Steps to an Internship Game Plan and Benefits of Doing an Internship for more insight. If you are ready to search for an internships, use the following resource links to get you started:
Would you like to participate in an internship? Why or why not?
