What is an Internship?
An internship is a structured educational experience; which incorporates related work experience as a regular part of a college student’s curriculum. An internship is a partnership between the student, employer and Arkansas State University. Through the experience, students are provided the opportunity to improve work skills, explore career choices, develop professional competencies, and apply classroom theories and principles to real world situations.
Why Participate in an Internship?
You will find that an internship will provide you with the following benefits:
- Explore career goals and options.
- Develop new skills you can apply in the workplace.
- Gain skills that will enhance your resume and increase your career options.
- Explore a business or agency and observe the task and responsibilities.
- Experience workplace culture, politics, and business etiquette.
- Discover a career or new interest.
- Receive active coaching from a mentor.
- Create a professional networking system.
- Make a difference in an organization.
- Prepare for the job market and gain the “experience required”.
- Internships often lead to permanent employment.
How to Obtain an Internship?
You will find that an internship will provide you with the following benefits:
- Choose two or three career fields that interest you and explore the Online Resource Center.
- Register with Career Connect to review posted internship positions.
- Schedule an appointment with a career consultant to discuss internship opportunities.
- Identify and contact the internship coordinator and experiential learning faculty at ASU related to your degree program or college.
- Review hyperlinks to internship sites.
- Discuss your internship interest with a faculty member in your area of interest.
- Conduct employer research on potential employers that are of interest.
- Target specific employers by contacting them in person, email and mail; self generated internship.
- Ask an employer if they might be willing to convert a part-time job or summer employment into an internship. Contact your internship coordinator to provide them the information. A call from the internship coordinator may help you in providing the assistance and affirmation the employer may seek to develop the internship. The term we use is self-generated internship.
