Summer internships long have been a pathway to jobs for college students and a source of burgeoning talent for employers.
With the pandemic canceling many programs, only 22% of college students took an internship in 2020, according to the Center for Research on College-Workforce Transitions (CCWT) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Internships have rebounded since, with 62% of last year’s graduating seniors taking part in an internship during college, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) reported.
But those recent interns likely experienced a different internship program than those from even a few years ago. To navigate the evolving state of the modern internship, here is advice on how to meet the changing needs — of both interns and companies — from businesses, organizations and a couple of recent interns themselves.
Make a commitment
Rather than drop its 2020 summer internship program, Minnetronix Medical expanded it from a dozen interns to 30, with some working remotely, according to Carolyn Baldus, director of communications at the St. Paul-based medical technology manufacturer.
The program keeps expanding as the company grows, Baldus said. Some interns work during the school year, and graduate student internships are now available as well. Minnetronix said it pays its interns a competitive rate.
Internship programs are a big commitment in time and resources, Baldus said. Each intern at Minnetronix has a technical mentor and a “buddy” in a newer employee. Interns also don’t just fetch coffee. They do real work like helping on project teams, Baldus said. Interns also want to learn more about the business through its “lunch with leaders” program or by rotating through various departments during their stint.
Axelle Akaffou, a quality system and training intern at Minnetronix, had her June-to-August internship extended through December. As her confidence grew, Akaffou began leading onboarding sessions for new employees.
Akaffou applied learning from her internship to her capstone course as she pursues a master of science degree in regulatory affairs at the University of St. Thomas.