The Value of Internships for Both Students and Employers

My job provides me with the opportunity to speak with many different employers. Not surprisingly, many of them use internships as a way to hire full time employees. I had expected this trend to decline given the economy, however, it appears to be on the rise (at least from my perspective).

Internships provide employers with an opportunity to "test drive" a candidate before they fully invest in them. This can be especially important in fields where entry level positions maintain a high level of turn over. Students have the opportunity to gain important professional skills before being thrown into the fire of full time employment. It truly is a win-win for employer and student. Even beyond this, it can be much more cost effective to hire an intern than hiring a temporary employee. Plus you have access to someone who is not jaded and burned out by the work environment. Often times, students come in with fresh ideas and an enthusiastic attitude. Of course, if you've read all of the reports about Millennials then you likely already have a preconceived idea of how they will behave and interact in the internship. While some of the things you've heard may be true, many are not. I would recommend using the skills and enthusiasm of student interns to energize your workforce and help you accomplish the things that you need done.