Wouldn’t it be nice to have an extra set of hands helping in the office? Internship programs offer employers a unique partnership with local high schools and colleges in helping to train tomorrow’s office professionals. The reward is a genuine feeling of satisfaction that comes from helping to mentor high school or college students towards career success.
In 2004 I joined the staff of a newly incorporated city. I was hired as the executive assistant—employee #13. Within a couple of months of being hired, I knew I needed to hire additional administrative support. The best way for me to test that hypothesis and gain supervisory experience was through working with interns.
I worked with our Human Resources Department to secure an internship program in collaboration with a local college. We launched the program, and our first intern was a “Super Star!” That Super Star worked closely with me for several months as an intern. She later applied for a full-time administrative support vacancy within our organization and secured the position of administrative secretary. Since being hired nearly 10 years ago, that same Super Star has received several promotions.
My employer has grown our internship/work experience partnership by reaching out to other schools in our area. We have assisted 100+ high school and college interns gain valuable work experience, grow their professional networks, and build the confidence needed to successfully gain full-time employment.
Does your employer have an internship program in collaboration with high schools and colleges in your local area for students to gain work experience? The “experiential learning” experience of an internship is something that can only be gained through actual work experience and not from reading a textbook or sitting in a classroom.
Value to Student
- Experience—Internships provide an opportunity for students to experiment and seek careers that align with their academic and personal interests. This helps to assist students build their resumes to seek future employment upon graduation.
- Network—Internships provide an opportunity for students to grow their professional networks.
- Professionalism—Internships provide an opportunity for students to observe and model professionalism in the workplace.
- Build Skillsets—Internships provide an opportunity for students to build teamwork and communication skills.
- Mentoring—Internships provide an opportunity for students to be mentored by working professionals.
Value to Employer
- Find Future Employees—Internships offer the employer a recruiting tool. The process of recruiting new employees can be expensive. Employers who offer non-paid and paid internships can observe, train, and evaluate student performance and determine if there might be an opportunity for part-time or full-time employment.
- Increase Productivity—Internships allow for more hands on deck at no cost or a reduced cost in labor.
- Give Back to the Community—Internships allow the opportunity to engage students within your local community in a win-win for the student, employer, and community.
- Be a Supporter of Education—Internships foster learning, creativity, and career success.ew Ideas—Internships can often times provide an employer with a new perspective.
Consider creating an internship program today and adding a high school or college intern to your administrative support team. I believe the opportunities for future administrative professionals to partner with leaders and managers throughout the world can be endless. Do not delay. Pick up the phone and contact a local school today.