Company Internships

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An internship is a position which allows an individual to gain professional experience in an occupational area they are considering. Typically the experience has a level of responsibility that allows the individual to develop new skills in the field and offers them training and supervision that facilitates learning. An internship is a work-related learning experience for individuals who wish to develop hands on work experience in a certain occupational field.

Being part of an internships does not mean automatic employment for the individual involved, employment is based on the basis of performance.

What is an Internship?

Provide individuals with a full and realistic view of workplace culture and expectations.
Integrate academic preparation with professional challenges.
Help individuals build professional networks

Goals of an internship.

How does an internship work?

An internship can be a variety of positions, as long as it contributes to the professional development of the student. In order to do this, certain considerations should be taken into account.

First, a position must be set up to fulfill a set of goals for professional development. These can be more general (e.g. to gain a sense of the work environment within a private law firm) or more specific (e.g. to learn a particular field-related skill). All intern projects should further these goals, helping the student to gain experience and develop skills. In order to make this possible, it is imperative that all internship positions be assigned a supervisor. This supervisor should work directly with the intern, providing training, guidance and feedback over the course of the position. Second, an internship must include a system for feedback and communication. Regular feedback sessions should be formally arranged to facilitate consistent supervision, guidance, and constructive criticism on a weekly basis. A formal midterm conference date should be set and included in this contract. Also, a final written evaluation from the supervisor of the student?s performance is highly encouraged. If the student?s performance was good, we urge interns to ask for letters of recommendation.