How are you planning on spending your final Summer before going off to college? Working a part-time job? Hanging out at the beach? Parked on the couch with an Xbox controller? While the first option sounds like it could be profitable, and the last two options could be enjoyable, students who want to give themselves a good head start for college and the working world beyond school, an internship could be just what the doctor ordered!
What a student gains from an internship
There are a number of benefits to be gained by participating in an internship program. Just a few of those are:
Work Experience – Being able to learn skills associated with the career field you’ve chosen is invaluable.
Networking – By getting a foot in the door with a company in the industry you’ve chosen, you open yourself up to making contacts and networking with other professionals in your industry. This will come in extremely handy once you are out of school and hit the job market.
Confidence – Many students who jump directly into the work force after college often have issues regarding confidence. By taking part of an internship program, the student acquires a sense of familiarity or a comfort zone, when it comes to work.
Where to find the right internship program?
It all depends on what field you want to go into after college. Most government agencies actively pursue qualified interns, so if your career involves working with a government agency, then seek out that agency for your internship. If you are going to be working in the private sector, then you can simply inquire about intern positions from the largest and most established companies within that particular industry. If an intern position isn’t available at those larger companies, you can go with a smaller company, preferably one on the rise. This will also give you an advantage over other students when the time comes to apply for a regular career position at these companies, when the time comes to put school behind you and go to work.
For whatever reasons you choose, an internship makes a lot of sense. You’ll learn more about your career field, make great contacts and gain experience that will be of extreme value to you down the road.