The Value of Internships in College
Posted: October 05, 2018 | Author: Cami Mathews | Read Time: 2 minutes
The Internship Program at Southern Utah University, ran by the Career and Professional Development Center, compliments coursework and shows students how their studies apply to future careers. Internships help students gain the experience needed to compete in today’s tough job market.
Participation in the SUU Internship Program eases the difficult transition from school to professional employment. Many students receive permanent job offers from their internship employers upon graduation. Others find they have more employment offers in general than students who have not had an internship experience.
“In a competitive job market it is imperative that graduates have the experience needed to set them apart from others,” said Brandon Street, director of the Career and Professional Development Center. “Internships are invaluable to provide the skills and experience which employers are seeking and which will set someone apart in the job search process.”
Students who participate in internships have an opportunity to explore different career directions through a planned work experience, apply classroom learning to practical work situations, and develop professional and interpersonal skills.
Research supports the fact that graduates who have had previous internship experience secure full-time employment more quickly and are promoted more rapidly than students without internship experience. Students who are placed as internship trainees with the federal government are eligible for conversion to permanent employment upon graduation. In addition, internship programs are prevalent in more than 80% of the Fortune 500 Companies, with many of their new college hires supplied directly from their internship programs.
SUU also features program-specific internship opportunities, like through the Leavitt Center for Politics and Public Service. These opportunities give students hands-on experience to not only have an internship, but also coordinate them. Sadie Sanchez, internship coordinator for the Leavitt Center, knows the position benefits her personally, SUU students, and the school as a whole.
“The resources that are available at SUU, and particularly at the Leavitt Center, are so often underutilized,” said Sadie Sanchez, internship coordinator at the Leavitt Center. “I was able to be an intern for Senator Orrin Hatch, I now help students find similar internships, and I would encourage students to apply so they can also have professional experiences and graduate from SUU confident in their professional capacity.”
Internships at SUU can be located in the following ways:
- Handshake
- Leavitt Center
- Academic departments
- Applying directly at companies
- Asking employers directly for opportunities
- Through other online resources like LinkedIn.
This article was published more than 5 years ago and might contain outdated information or broken links. As a result, its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
Tags: Student Campus Resources
