INTERNSHIP OVERVIEW

BUSINESSES:

Definition of What Qualifies as an Internship
What a Student Expects from an Internship
How an Internship can Benefit the Company
How to Write a Good Internship Posting
What the Company's Responsibilities to the Intern are
How to Work with College Career Centers
Paid vs. Non-paid Internships
Legalities of Hiring in Maryland
I've Selected My Intern - Now What?

Definition of what qualifies as an internship

• No more than 20% clerical
• A part-time work schedule that includes no more than 20% clerical or administrative duties.
• Provides a clear job/project description for the work experience
• Orients the student to the organization, its "culture" and work assignment(s)
• Helps the student develop and achieve learning goals 
• Offers feedback to the student/intern regularly
• Internships give students the opportunity to take the knowledge and skills they have learned in the classroom and apply them in the real world. Internships often provide students with academic credit and allow them to learn real-life lessons about job-related habits and skills.

What a student expects from an internship

• Not to be a gopher - they want to gain real work experience and provide meaningful assistance to the company.
• Someone to mentor them - Guidance, feedback, receptiveness, professionalism
• Experience and skills in a particular field
• Development of professional contacts
• Exposure to upper management
• An orientation to the company for which they are interning. This is a way to introduce the student to the company's mission and goals, as well as to provide them with information about company rules, regulations, and procedures. This is also an opportunity to introduce the intern to fellow employees who they can go to in the future with questions.
• The student intern should also be included in meetings and social events to provide them with opportunities to network and to gain experience with professional business meetings related to the organization's goals.

How an internship can benefit the company

• Ease workload of regular employees
• Time gains enable employees to achieve higher level tasks
• A chance to meet short-term needs
• Complete "Priority C" tasks/projects 
• Student Interns are cost effective
• Obtain access to highly motivated students who can fill staffing needs
• Complete finite projects that increase ROI.
• Develop pipeline of future employees
• Cultivate recruitment pipeline for full-time employees
• Groom/evaluate future employees
• Prepare tomorrow's workforce
• Inject enthusiasm and fresh ideas
• To help a student advance academically
• Provide practical learning opportunities to students 
• Benefit from cutting edge technology/applications learned in college settings 

How to write a good internship posting

• Keep it simple
• Use key words that attract students/list that students find attractive
• Be specific about paid or unpaid. If paid state a minimum
• Sample job postings
• Can only say "must be taken for credit" (can not state any terms of how many credits, etc)
• Postings should include an overview of the job, including potential projects and tasks that could be assigned, and the expected outcomes for that position.
• A list of minimum skills and qualifications should also be included.

What the company's responsibilities to the intern are

• Evaluating Intern
• Regular meetings between the intern and their supervisor should be scheduled to allow open discussion of expectations, upcoming projects, and the progress the intern is making. This will also allow for the intern to discuss any questions or concerns they may have and provide an opportunity for skill development.
• An internship is a "learning experience" which requires the organization to provide adequate training and supervision.
• The organization must provide all the necessary tools, materials, and equipment, for the intern to be able to complete their required assignments.
• Selecting and training appropriate mentors or supervisors. These mentors can help guide the student while helping them hone their skills and answering any questions they might have. Such support is key to the success of an internship.
• A professional environment that fosters a safe and productive work atmosphere and business that is conducted in an ethical manner.
• Feedback
• The student should be evaluated at the conclusion of the internship. This evaluation should discuss the intern's performance and accomplishments, and also identify strengths and opportunities for continued development.
• School requirements
• Providing the student with enough hours and assignments to satisfy any educational requirements set forth by the student's home institution if the internship is being taken for academic credit.
• Clearly stated objectives - The student will gain more value from an internship (and will provide better assistance to a company later on) when they are assigned meaningful tasks and duties that help further the organization's mission.

Paid vs. Non-paid internships

• Keep payment and credit separate
• Payment options: Stipend, hourly, reimbursement
• According to Steven Rothberg of College Recruiter, "Whether anemployer must pay an intern for their work depends on the experiencethey will receive. Although the Fair Labor Standards Act requiresemployers to pay at least the minimum wage to employees, the U.S.Department of Labor (DOL) has developed six criteria for identifyingwhich learners/trainees may be unpaid. Apparently, the DOL's use of"learner/trainee" is equivalent to the commonly used term of "intern." Must Interns Be Paid? by Steven Rothberghttp://www.collegerecruiter.com/pages/articles/article406.html The criteria are: 1. The training, although it includes actual operation of thefacilities of the employer, is similar to that which would be given ina vocational school. 2. The training is for the benefit of the students.  3. The students do not displace regular employees, but work under theclose observation of a regular employee or supervisor. 4. The employer provides the training and derives no immediateadvantage from the activities of students, and, on occasion, theoperations may actually be impeded by the training. 5. The students are not necessarily entitled to a job at theconclusion of the training period. 6. The employer and the student understand that the student is notentitled to wages for the time spent in training.
• If you don't have the money to offer a paid internship, offer students a stipend to cover their travel expenses - remember they have to pay for the credit they earn at your site and than can be $1000 + , the least you can do is give them gas money or bus fare.
• If you are going to require a student receive credit, keep in mind what that means for the student and why you are requiring it of them - they will have to pay for those credits (and they may have just wanted experience) and they may have to meet their schools' guidelines and deadlines that you know nothing about (you may offer them a credit internship but their school's deadline for  credit internship has passed).

Legal issues impacting internship programs

• While designing your organization's internship program, you may need to consider the impact of various legal issues. Contact your organization's attorney with any questions, or for further information.

International Students

• International students can bring new perspectives to your organization as interns. They bring insight from their own cultures, and are eager to experience the professional world in the United States. There are several types of visas granted to international students, most of which allow for the student to work off-campus. The office for international programs at the student's campus will be able to advise the student regarding his/her work authorization status and particular type of student visa.

Intellectual Property

• In some cases, interns may work on projects where intellectual property rights are a concern for your organization. Typically, if new employees would be asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement, an intern may be asked to do so as well. If you are concerned, seek legal counsel on how to proceed.

Benefits and Insurance

• Benefits are not typically offered to interns, since internships are short-term in nature. Most students will already have insurance coverage through their colleges or universities, or will be covered under their parents' policies. If you have questions regarding benefits and insurance, contact your attorney.

Equal Opportunity Employment

• Federal and state regulations regarding Equal Opportunity Employment apply to the employment of interns as well as full-time employees. For further information, speak with your legal advisor.

I've selected my intern - Now what?  

• First Day/Week
• Go over work policies and procedures, including hours, breaks, work attire, and any relevant guidelines they need to follow while at your place of business. 
• Go over learning objectives with the intern and discuss a plan of action on how those objectives will be met.
•  Mid Point
• Conduct a mid-point evaluation with the intern to review objectives and ensure they are being met appropriately.
• Near Intern's Last Day
• Before the intern's departure the employer should conduct a final review and evaluation.