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  The Career Center

 

Developing An Internship Program

 

Internship Overview

 

An internship is a work or learning experience with intentional learning goals: academic, career, and/or skill development. Internships can last anywhere from a few weeks to a few years, be paid or unpaid, for credit or not for credit, and can take place in almost any work or service setting. Additionally, an internship program creates a competitive advantage in recruiting the most qualified workers for your organization’s needs.

 

Internships play an integral role in the recruiting process as interns often become full-time hires, having been given the opportunity to learn about your organization from the inside out while you directly observe the intern’s on-the-job performance. At the same time, interns serve as your organization’s lifeline to the CSU campus and act as your public relations representative through word-of-mouth advertising.

 

Deciding to utilize interns in your organization is only the first step. It is important that your organization takes the time to carefully research and plan an effective internship program. Following are several key elements that are crucial to a successful internship program.

 

Goals of An Internship

 

  • To build positive, long-term relationships with potential full-time hires
  • To gain a competitive advantage in recruiting the best workers for your organization’s needs
  • To gain familiarity with Colorado State students who are motivated and currently tapped into your organization’s specific market or industry
  • To save money while benefiting from the talents, enthusiasm, and innovation of CSU students
  • To expose potential full-time hires to your industry

 

Advantages of An Internship

 

  • Inexpensive, skilled labor
  • Fresh ideas and perspectives
  • Increases an organization’s visibility and reputation on campus
  • Creates a positive community image for the organization
  • Due to the relatively short time period, organizations can adapt the internship program to meet their current goals/needs
 
What Students Want

 

An internship must address the needs of the students. This includes creating opportunities for the students to gain experience and build networks. According to the WetFeet.com Campus Pulse Study, the following factors are what students value most in rank order:

 

  1. Gain meaningful skills/experience
  2. Build my resume
  3. Build my network
  4. Make money
  5. Try something new

Developing an Internship Program

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Steps In Internship Development

 

  1. Conduct an organizational audit to ensure there are adequate resources available.
    • Time to support an intern?
    • Human resources available to support the internship?
      • Senior leadership buy-in and availability
      • Internship Coordinator – designated staff member within your organization
      • Mentors/Supervisors
    • Physical resources?
      • Adequate work space
      • Technical requirements (telephone, computer, etc.)
    • Financial resources?
      • Paid versus unpaid
      • Stipends
      • Travel reimbursement
      • Relocation allowance
  1. Legalities
    • Compensation
      • Work directly with your organization’s legal counsel or contact your human resources department as your first resource regarding compensation and other legal issues
      • According to an article in the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Spotlight 1998 publication, the Department of Labor requires that interns be paid at least minimum wage if they do not meet the following criteria for a “learner/trainee”:
        • The training must be comparable to that given at a vocational school
        • The training must benefit the student
        • The students would not replace regular employees
        • The employer does not immediately benefit from the student’s activities
        • There is not a promise of a job following the training
        • Both the employer and student understand that no wages will be given for the training period
      • Employers may not be required to pay minimum wage if the student is receiving course credit for their work
      • Internship wages vary – research what is typical within your industry and geographic location – The CSU Career Center can provide you with competitive wage information.
      • Workers Comp – If the intern is paid, the employer covers workers comp. If the intern is not paid and the CSU college requires workers comp then a document will be provided that indicates coverage through CSU.
    • Hiring
      • Equal Employment Opportunity laws apply to the hiring of student interns
      • Check with your organization’s home-office state for workers’ compensation rules and regulations
      • Provide interns with your organization’s safety and harassment policies, as employers may be held liable for intern safety and harassment issues
      • In general, student interns fall into an “at will” employment status and may be terminated for poor conduct.
  1. For Consideration
    • Goals and objectives of the internship – include performance expectations, opportunities from which the intern can learn, and a clear statement of expected deliverables
    • Length of internship – part- or full-time

Developing an Internship Program

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    • Internship description – used in recruiting the intern(s) and to inform your organization’s staff about the internship including expectations, projects, mentors, events, etc.
      • A brief description of your organization
      • Position title
      • Skills and qualifications essential to the position
      • Duties and responsibilities
      • Hours per week
      • Rate of pay (if applicable)
      • Start and end dates
    • Mentoring and supervision
      • A mentor should be assigned prior to the intern’s start date
      • Student’s professional and educational background and interests should align with the mentor’s experience
      • Conduct periodic evaluations throughout the internship – provide feedback and guidance
    • Provide a “big picture” view of your organization
      • In-depth exposure to your organization and industry – increases the intern’s ability to make a more-informed decision about your organization and/or industry as a valid career option
      • Broad, but valuable, experiences – intern should be exposed to many/diverse facets of your organization
    • Inclusiveness
      • Create a team atmosphere
      • Intern should feel like he/she is making a contribution
      • Opportunity for intern to attend management and/or staff meetings
      • Extracurricular activities including dinners, celebrations, group volunteer opportunities – makes the intern feel valued and included while providing invaluable networking opportunities
    • Communication of future prospects
      • Clarify full-time, post-graduation opportunities
    • Incentives
      • Scholarships based on performance
      • Attend professional development seminars/workshops
      • Opportunity to conduct informational interviews with senior staff
      • Tuition reimbursement

 

Internship Process

 

  1. Marketing your internship opportunity
    • Post your internship opportunity on The Career Center’s Jobs On-Line
    • Advertise in CSU daily newspaper, The Rocky Mountain Collegian
    • Participate in CSU career fairs and other Career Center sponsored events/activities
    • Network with targeted academic departments
    • Participate in and/or sponsor appropriate CSU student organizations
  1. On-campus interviews
    • Determine your interview dates based on The Career Center’s recruiting calendar and based on your organization’s specific project needs
    • Communicate with the students on your schedule via email regarding interview logistics - time, place, format of interview, information session date/time (if applicable), dress code, who they will be interviewing with (if known), etc.

Developing an Internship Program

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  1. Intern selection
    • Clearly outline your selection process and timeframe with each student you interview  - Will there be a second round? Who will communicate your organization’s decision to pursue the candidate further or not? How will this communication take place (phone, email, letter)? Where will the second/third round interviews take place? When will the final decision be communicated?
    • Contact every student that you interview regarding his/her status in a timely fashion.
    • Maintain contact with interns that you are unable to hire immediately but for whom you might have future opportunities available
  1. Follow-up
    • If the student is offered an internship position clearly communicate the next steps – official offer letter, orientation logistics, start date, compensation (if applicable), office location, length of internship, temporary housing/traveling expenses (if applicable), assigned mentor (including contact information), exact position description, etc.
  1. Post-internship
    • Evaluate each intern.
    • Communicate evaluation results with each intern individually.
    • Clearly communicate if the intern will be granted a continuation of the internship (for the upcoming semester or following summer) or if a full-time offer will be extended.
    • If needed, communicate with CSU Career Center or appropriate academic department any key issues that should be addressed.

 

Further Information

 

If you would like to further discuss the possibility of establishing an internship program, please contact us!  We would be delighted to help create a program that fits your needs, our students’ interests, and academic criteria here at Colorado State University.

 

Lucinda Van Inwagen

Employer Relations Coordinator

Colorado State University Career Center

Ammons Hall

Fort Collins, CO  80523-8008

970/491-1955

970/491-1134 (fax)

www.career.stuser.colostate.edu