Internships are essential for students in getting permanent jobs after their education. This is now a fact backed by several studies, and parents have all the more reason to motivate their child to go beyond the classroom learning experience.
According to a study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, over 60% of students having paid internships in their resume got at least one job offer. Completing a paid internship shows employers that the student is an active learner and takes initiatives to learn in a non-traditional approach.
The unpaid interns are given less preference due to the less competitive environment of those internships. The government has also cracked down on unpaid internships for unlawful activities, making it a dark corner of the corporate world.
Another study shows that grade points in college and internships completed during the period are main factors deciding the outcome of a student’s career in the initial phase. Landing a great job when fresh out of college can be achieved with these two significant predictors.
These findings will help parents in encouraging their children for taking up new internships. Sonya Shuler-Okoli, former college dean and now a counselor, advises students to not take up boring and repetitive jobs during summer break just for extra money. She added that she has heard many parents say that their child will go back to his or her old high school job during summer break. However, this is a harmful habit for their career.
Parents may be pushing students to work on meager restaurant jobs for making them self sufficient. But in the long run, the benefits of working in a corporate environment as an intern outweigh the task of flipping burgers and serving orders.
Many students decline to apply to internships. The reason is no awareness of the associated benefits of internships. Even if an internship is low paying or you have to incur substantial costs for working, it can be much better than a job that every high school student can perform. Knowing the benefits will motivate students to apply for internships.
Internships benefit students by helping them associate their education courses with work-life. They can find a connection between the skills they are learning and the practical applications of them. Internships also bring clarity to the minds of students and reduce significant changing habits. A student changing majors rapidly is a sign of doubt and haziness about future work life and own interests.
Internships also allow students to take a demo of their career field. They can check the job, things that interest them, and things they don’t like. This will bring clarity when they get a job after graduation. And most importantly, Internships help build relationships and can assist students in landing an actual job in the future. The networks established during internships will provide you life-long mentors and many opportunities of getting recommended.
Getting a degree is not enough anymore. Employers look for an extra edge that takes candidates ahead of others. They look for a work experience that can be used in the job. Internships are designed explicitly for giving students the essential work experience to excel in their career fields right from the start.
