While the student may be comfortable at their internship site, encourage them to think of their whole experience as an interview.
What is expected of new graduates with a degree in X? Seeing where they should be can help find meaning in their current course of study and experiences. Tip - Help them find competencies for professionals in their field. This is especially crucial during remote work due to COVID-19 – check in with them to provide concrete details regarding company norms and expectations during remote work (response times, appropriate use of virtual communication tools, attire and background, etc.). There are five critical junctions that facilitate sustained student success throughout the duration of the internship:īefore a student begins their internship, help them connect what they have learned in the classroom directly to their intended internship activities.
Prompting reflection in this way may bring up answers they did not know they had!Īfter identifying the student’s motivation, the next step is to build upon that foundation with intentional goal-setting and guided reflection. Helping the student identify their motivation could be as simple as asking them questions about their career goals, their plan for the rest of their time in school, or reaching deeper to connect about any dream careers they have now or have had in the past. For others, there are a variety of reasons, and it can be quite complex. For some, it is merely a graduation requirement for their academic major. This motivation can help craft learning goals and be used as a vehicle to keep an intern motivated to perform and engage at their highest capacity throughout the experience.Įach student has a different reason for pursuing an internship (or other form of experiential learning). To help any student succeed in an internship, we need to first help them think about the why behind their specific motivation for pursuing, securing, and completing an internship. Studies have shown that students who hold internships during college secure full-time employment or obtain graduate school admission at higher rates when compared to peers who do not.