INTERNSHIP
An internship is a period of work experience offered by an employer to give students and graduates exposure to the working environment, often within a specific industry, which relates to their field of study. Internships can be as short as a week or as long as 12 months. They can be paid or voluntary; however, before you start an internship it’s important to know your rights with regards to getting paid.
Internships are a proven way to gain relevant knowledge, skills, and experience while establishing important connections in the field. Internships are also a way to get your feet wet and find out if a specific field is something you could see yourself doing full-time.
Results from a recent survey conducted by Graduate Advantage prove that internships do create jobs for graduates. It showed that 81% of interns are now employed and 74% of those are either in permanent employment or are on a long term contract. Of these, 68% believe their internship helped them to gain their current position and an impressive 33% are still working with their internship organisation.
The Benefits of Completing an Internship
By doing a great job and completing more than what is required of you in your internship, you will be creating a great impression that can provide a great reference letter at the least, and may even potentially lead to a potential job offer. When you leave the organization at the end of the internship, you should ask for a recommendation letter that you can keep on file for future reference.
Internships are a great way to learn the ropes so even if you find yourself filing or making coffee, as long as you‘re learning about the field take advantage of the opportunity and don’t take the experience lightly. Asking questions is one key to learning in an internship and keeping yourself flexible throughout the internship can open many doors.
