An internship is a professional learning experience that offers meaningful, practical work related to a student’s field of study or   career interest. An internship gives a student the opportunity for career exploration and development, and to learn new skills. It   offers the employer the opportunity to bring new ideas and energy into the workplace, develop talent and potentially build a   pipeline for future full-time employees.
 A QUALITY INTERNSHIP SHOULD BE:

• Consists of a part-time or full-time work schedule that includes no more than 25% clerical or administrative duties.
• Provides a clear job/project description for the work experience.
• Orients the student to the organization, its culture and proposed work assignment(s).
• Helps the student develop and achieve learning goals.
• Offers regular feedback to the student intern.

 STUDENT INTERNS EXPECT:

• To gain real work experience and provide meaningful assistance to the company. They don’t want to be gophers!
• To have a mentor who provides guidance, feedback, receptiveness and models professionalism.
• To gain experience and skills in a particular field.
• To develop professional contacts.
• To gain exposure to upper management.
• To receive an orientation to the company for which they are interning. This introduces the student to the company’s mission and goals and provides them with information about company rules, regulations and procedures. It also introduces the intern to fellow employees who they can go to in the future with questions.

  Internships can be done in a range of sectors, including sales, marketing, engineering, graphic design, management, I.T. and many,   many more. Throughout an internship you will develop a variety of soft skills, including communication skills, personal effectiveness,   presentation skills, creative problem solving and influencing skills.
 On-the-job’ experience can be as valuable as anything learned in your studies. After all, you cannot really understand what a job is   all about until you have worked in that environment. Internships are great opportunities to speak directly to people who have   experience in the role you aspire to; and their knowledge of the job and working environment will give you a greater understanding   of what it’s all about and what you need to do to progress.
 Your career aspirations may change when you’re faced with the true realities of a role. Internships can therefore be used as a ‘try   before you buy’ option, before you embark on a career and confirm if this is what you want to do in the long term. An internship   can  give you a real insight into the world of work, allowing you to build on the theory you learned at university and helping you to   gain practical skills that will help strengthen your CV and make you more employable. Internships offer you the chance to test your   skills in real-life situations, explore your career options and gain an insight into an organization or career path.