Students that participate in an internship get to work in a variety of settings and at the location of their choice. While underclassmen might expect some to be more popular than others, interest in different opportunities varies.
It’s hard to say which internships are the most popular because everyone has such varying interests. That said, there are many premier internships around the world in which most students can work to jumpstart their careers.
Credit Internships
A credit internship is typically done by students who are in their last year of college. The student is hired by a specific company to do research. The research assignment is designated by the company according to need; however some are allowed to choose their own research topic.
The benefit of this type of internship lies in actual experience. If done correctly the student will finish the internship with a viable research paper that they will be able to present to others in his field. Through this process, students gain experience, knowledge and valuable connections to those who may be able to offer them a job after graduation.
One downside of this type of internship is that students who are selected for an internship in Europe will need to be prepared for an unpaid internship. Many do choose to go this route though, for the dual benefit of gaining knowledge and also exposure to the international job market. The Department of Labor does have regulations in place for interns working under a non-pay status to ensure fair standards.
Work Experience Internships
The work experience internships often take place in the second or third year of schooling. Some choose to take two internships, hoping to gain more knowledge and experience this way. By this point in the college education a student has likely chosen a career path and is interested in taking a trial, working in the field, and with the knowledge they have gained.
Sometimes, the unintended benefit of a work experience internship is that the student may learn that the course of study they are in is not, indeed, a field they are cut out for or much interested in. This may be beneficial because at this point, it is possible to rethink your career options, recalculate interests and talents and perhaps choose an entirely different career path or maybe even consider looking for work abroad.
Another plus to this type of internship is that it offers a number of additional benefits. When compared to a non-intern summer job spent in manual labor, waiting tables, or selling a product for commissions, work experience internships build on knowledge over the summer. Students come back for the new school year with practical experience so they better understand how to apply what they are learning.
Virtual Internships
A fairly new type of internship is gaining popularity. This virtual internship allows a student to work remotely via internet connection and shared information and data computer systems. This benefits the student by saving them travel time and the expense of finding lodging in an unfamiliar place over the summer.
These interns are provided the opportunity to work at their own pace and communicate with the company via email, phone, or live video conferences. The ever-improving pace of technology has made this a possibility today, where it would have been an unbelievable idea in the past.
Any internship will have its pros and cons and is better than nothing – even if it’s only slightly related to your field of interest. Interns gain vital tools and experience for the future.
Gail Gardner
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Good one!! I like your blog. Its very informative and useful.
There are one more option for internship is – OPT(Optional Practical Training) Jobs. You can find so many opportunities in OPT jobs. Even I would like to recommend OPTnation job portal which is best for OPT jobs in USA. Register and apply now!
There are several types of internships, but as per my personal point of view, Work Experience Internships are the best. During the internship period you get a lot of knowledge and information. You also get a lot of useful experience while working.
Sara Martin would love you to read ..Internship Programme 2014 at Limpopo Office of the Premier
Its a nice post about the most common types of internships, and i like your way of writing. Thanks for sharing the great ideas.
Zareen would love you to read ..Latest Learnership Jobs 2014
I’ve had both virtual and credit internships and gained experience from both. I even used my supervisor as a reference for job applications. Internships are a useful tool when your in college.
Hello Gail,
Since i’m a student i get of internships to do such as experience interhsip which is really beneficial for us.
thanks for the guide.
Hey Gail, I agree the importance of gaining experience through internships is unparalleled. And yes students do opt for more than one internship even, it does give you an edge above others when it comes to getting hired. It is beneficial to have a knowledge base before you start off to make a career.
Hi Gail,
While i start reading from the top of your post, i never taught to give up in middle. That much easy understand and interesting.
As you said workplace internship starts in middle of school days it is very important for those people 🙂 Keep updating . Your article writing skill is appreciateable.
hi thanks for this article that was very interesting
Internships are a great way for us students to gain knowledge as well as some experience on how things go in practice.
That was a really great post 🙂
Internship is the stepping stone of every students. Great posts.
I was on an internship once just after Uni and this is how my graphic design career started. I am very happy more companies offer internships as they are really useful for students and new learners to gain some experience in the industry.
Excellent post. I think that we should always do internship to get work experience. without work experience you can not get a good job and if you want to get good job you must get some internships in good places.Thanks
Thank you Gail, for the great post. I see that opportunities for students are are growing continuously. Very useful information. I didn’t know about virtual internship… Could you please provide more detailed information about the institutions which offer this possibilities.
Hey Gail, exceptionally fascinating theme buddy and the data about it is sublime. This post will be unquestionably accommodating to a hefty portion of them. Incredible work.
Internships are better than college education in many cases.
Hey Gail, very interesting topic dude and the information about it is superb. This post will be definitely helpful to many of them. Great work.