Internships: A Revisit
I know this has been mentioned before in some past posts but it feels like
it needs more mentioning. It would be nice if more information could be
provided from my end but the most I've gathered has stemmed from publications
that were read over the months and years prior. Reading my local business paper
from May 15, 2017 has placed this topic in the limelight.
Not only that but I've recently found some pages from a Seventeen magazine that were saved for later reference with segments focusing on internships, job opportunities and money saving habits. It’s good to reflect but these tidbits are stated for a reason. Despite the countless opportunities for on the job experience not many are heeding the call to take advantage of said opportunities.
Getting your foot in the door early can often ensure job placement soon after graduation if not before depending on the business/company. This is stressed because having some form of stable income will assist in kick starting safety nets should some emergencies surface later in the future. Better stability equals less (hopefully) hardships.
Outside of securing a promise to a stable future, you’re also obtaining an unbeatable experience of working with experts in the field to reinforce the lessons that were taught over the years of your schooling. You’re also training to help fill a need for generating more innovative approaches to completing tasks in as efficient a manner as possible.
That said, not all businesses and companies utilize internships. Instead, they make use of apprenticeships which is a type of program that provides hands on job training. There are differences between the two [internships and apprenticeships] but some use the terms interchangeably.
Despite the definitions and differences, each employer handles internships and apprenticeships differently. Meaning some will bring on students to fill these positions and actually assign meaningful tasks such as actual work that is relevant to what they signed up for. Also keep your eyes peeled for local business publications because at times they post articles referencing companies and businesses that have openings for various work opportunities be it short term or long term.
Not only that but I've recently found some pages from a Seventeen magazine that were saved for later reference with segments focusing on internships, job opportunities and money saving habits. It’s good to reflect but these tidbits are stated for a reason. Despite the countless opportunities for on the job experience not many are heeding the call to take advantage of said opportunities.
Are Internships Really That Important?
In my opinion and based on observation over the years it is very important. This is especially true for those fields where work experience is extremely difficult to come by. Some fields offer entry level positions but sometimes even those have a strict requirement of actually having some form of relevant experience.Getting your foot in the door early can often ensure job placement soon after graduation if not before depending on the business/company. This is stressed because having some form of stable income will assist in kick starting safety nets should some emergencies surface later in the future. Better stability equals less (hopefully) hardships.
Outside of securing a promise to a stable future, you’re also obtaining an unbeatable experience of working with experts in the field to reinforce the lessons that were taught over the years of your schooling. You’re also training to help fill a need for generating more innovative approaches to completing tasks in as efficient a manner as possible.
How/Where to Start Searching
One of the places you can begin your search especially if you’re still in school is the career offices and job boards on campus. Something is always getting posted by local businesses so browse the offerings as often as you can. Also don’t hesitate to make an appointment with your academic and career counselors as they can often times lead to some promising opportunities that are within reason.That said, not all businesses and companies utilize internships. Instead, they make use of apprenticeships which is a type of program that provides hands on job training. There are differences between the two [internships and apprenticeships] but some use the terms interchangeably.
Despite the definitions and differences, each employer handles internships and apprenticeships differently. Meaning some will bring on students to fill these positions and actually assign meaningful tasks such as actual work that is relevant to what they signed up for. Also keep your eyes peeled for local business publications because at times they post articles referencing companies and businesses that have openings for various work opportunities be it short term or long term.
