Business internships are opportunities for students to experience working in a company or industry; they can be paid or unpaid, part-time or full-time, and can last a semester, a summer, or a year. Because schools and businesses define internship programs differently, it is important for students considering internships to carefully consider the expectations and benefits of internships at their institutions. For students, internships provide
• a great way to learn about a career direction before leaving school
• a way to differentiate oneself from students who do not have relevant work experience
• job opportunities
• opportunities to explore specialized business professions
Business internship programs have become popular in the United States; over 40,000 internship opportunities are available annually. Especially in times of low unemployment, businesses are eager to have the added help of interns and also benefit by bringing in people with fresh ideas and new skills, in addition to considering and recruiting future employees. Many companies compete to recruit summer interns from prestigious schools and professional programs. A good internship program should include
• meaningful work
• projects that can be completed in the time of the internship
• broad exposure for the intern within the organization
• time set aside to learn about the company in general
• the expectation that the intern will present the results of his or her project
Some industries have been accused of exploiting interns, using them for low- or no-cost labor. The U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR’s Wage and Hour Division provides guidelines distinguishing interns from employees.