As the college years go by, everyone is looking for that special way to make themselves and their grades stand out in the work force.
With the number of job availability going down, the competition is getting rough giving students and graduates the need to show employers that they have what it takes to do the job properly and make a name for their company.
Many students are spending the last few years of their college experience doing internships. Sometimes these internships are required by the university in which they attend.
Internships allow students to get an idea of what their future career could hold in store for them.
Internships are good opportunities for students to test out their abilities and get extra experiance working in their perspective field.
Students and interns are not given all the work that they would have if they were working in the position but they are given tasks and general knowledge of what the job involves.
This allows the student to understand fully what they may be looking forward to in the profession of their choice.
With an internship the student is given a supervisor to advise the intern in the time at the company.
This may be someone to assign the interns tasks, look over their work and see how well they handle the job.
The supervisor is also someone that works for the given company, knows all about the field and can instruct the students on what do to and aspects of the career they may not know about.
To be accepted into an internship, you must meet certain requirements.
According to Dr. Joanne Washington, in charge of the internships for the communications department, every student applying for an internship, of any major, must be a junior, have a 2.5 GPA, courses above the introductory level and the required courses depending on the students major.
“We want you to be prepared. Most internship supervisors are looking for students who can work on their own,” says Washington.
Students looking for an internship are not restricted to the local area. Internships not only provide the students the opportunity to work in their perspective field, but it allows them the opportunity to travel.
Many students find that their dream internship is not in the local area of the University.
Students can apply to internships that they feel suits them best as long as they can afford to live in that area. Not only in the state of Pennsylvania, but around the country.
When students apply for an internship, there is the possibility of competition from other Universities.
It is important for each student to stand out as an individual so they have a strong chance of completeing the internship fully.
“Because of Clarion University’s reputation, most programs will take a Clarion student over other, larger institutions and I would say we compete very well against those institutions,” says Washington.
Each department has a number of internships to fit each student’s needs. Since there are so many different opportunities with each major the internships need to fit each individual to get them ready for their careers.
“It’s a match between the student’s ability and their adaptability. But most of it is their interest in the given field,” says Washington.
Internships give each student what they are looking for when it comes to a trial of what they are looking to do in the career.
Whether they are looking to start their career early, be challenged or see if they have the ability to make it in their chosen field. It all depends on what the student wants to get out of their experience in the internship. It gives students the opportunity to see what their future career holds for them.