Internships offer students the value of real-world experience. While this can be conveyed, to some extent, with class projects, case studies, and clinical observation, nothing quite compares to the experience of being immersed in your future field. Students who participate in an internship have a leg-up on networking and developing transferable skills, whether they are soft skills or directly related to the employment field of interest.
Where to Start
It’s ok to need help exploring types of internships and where to start. We can help. Before beginning a search, students should consider what kind of experience they are looking for. Internships can be:
- Paid or Unpaid
- For Course Credit or Not
- As few as 10 hours (see below about micro-internships)
All internships completed for credit need to be processed either through the Director of Career Services or a dedicated Placement Coordinator within the specific academic program. Contact Elizabeth Gramelspacher, Director of Career Services, at 270-686-4268 or [email protected], to get started on your search!
Micro-Internships
Micro-Internships are short-term work opportunities that typically range between 10 and 40 hours in length. This type of internship is typically project or assignment based. Assignments are similar to those given to interns and new hires. Though these internships have a number of benefits, they are unlikely to be for course credit. Some benefits include:
- Career Exploration
- Networking
- Skill Development
- Most often paid
- Often remote/ virtual
- Can happen year-round
Check out Jordan Klein’s TEDx Why College Students Need Apprenticeships.