Our intern showed up bright eyed and ready to take on the world by helping others to find and connect with their purpose. While she wasn’t exactly sure what she was going to be doing, she had an air of determination and a clear desire to be fully present in our organization. Not only was her attitude refreshing, but it allowed our team to be invigorated by her perspective and energy! We would all learn a lot from one another and why there is value in leveraging internships for organizational success.
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Why Internships?
Internships are a way for perspective employees, usually college students, to gain valuable work experience in an industry before actually beginning their career. Generally, an internship consists of an exchange of services for experience between the student and the organization. Most often, internships are unpaid, although they can be paid positions.
Organizational Growth Without the Price Tag
One of the benefits for the organization is that it gets the benefit of the skills of the intern without the expense of payroll for that individual. At the same time, the intern gains valuable experience with the organization and an opportunity to grow and develop. Employers are increasingly using internships as a tool to hire graduates and if the business chooses to hire the intern at a later date, the employee training time is greatly reduced or even eliminated. As an added bonus the intern’s work ethic, skills and fit within the team are already known to the organization which leaves very little guesswork. In contrast, a traditional hire can make a good impression during the interview process, but turn out to be a bad addition to the team.
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An Immediate Return on Investment
According to a recent report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), over 41% of employers’ surveyed indicated they would increase their full-time, and entry-level hires through their internship programs. An internship program helps the business find future employees, as it is a year-round recruiting tool. This also keeps fresh talent and perspectives flowing into the organization. NACE also found that the employee retention rate is higher for those hired via internship programs.
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The Power of Duplication
Do not underestimate the far reaching opportunities of a consistent internship initiative in your organization. An internship program is an advertisement of your organization to college students and future leaders. It can be used to attract the brightest university talent to take your business into the future and if done properly, it can be a mutually beneficial relationship for both the intern and the business.
Point of Clarity Quote:
“Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience.”
-Heather Huhman
-Heather Huhman