Internship Benefits for Students

• An internship can bridge a gap between college and the work world, allowing students to experience the roles, expectations, and behaviors of the job arena. Students learn about their strengths, interests, problem solving skills, and abilities to deal with clients and work under pressure.
• Networking opportunities are gained that are valuable in shaping their future careers.
• Students gain credentials for their resumes.
• Internships provide an opportunity for students to test compatibility of their chosen major and company, in advance of graduation and full-time employment.

Research Facts:

• Research indicates that the more semesters graduates spend interning, the less time they spend looking for employment. Internships typically predict higher starting salaries. (Horowitz, 1999; Donovan, Garnett, 2001)
• Internships have the ability to stimulate a student's involvement in the educational learning process. (Medoff, 1993)
• Undergraduates who receive credit for internships are shown to have a stronger preference for active experimentation, while those who do not receive credit prefer a more reflective observation learning style. (Johnson, 1991)
• The National Association of Colleges and Employers (which all the Utah schools belong to) cites some of the following: More than 80% of the Fortune 500 offers internships. About 1/3 of interns receive job offers. You can find more information at www.naceweb.org