What is an Internship

An internship is any career-related work or service experience in a professional setting in which a student has specific learning outcomes and reflects actively on the learning process. The experience must be supervised by professional staff who provide ongoing training for the benefit of the intern. Internships can provide real world experience to explore and gain relevant knowledge and transferable skills required to enter the working world. Internships should provide the following: • Opportunities to work in pre-professional positions and apply your academic skills to practical work-based projects. • Intentional learning goals outlined to benefit you through the mentorship and guidance of an expert in their industry. • Foster professional development to make networking contacts in your field of interest. • An avenue to explore different career choices, while gain work experience specific to your intended industry/ field of study.

Other pre-professional experiential learning opportunities and industry training programs: • Research/field/laboratory assistant programs • Leadership development programs • Fellowship with short-term work experience in nonprofit, government, or academia • Classroom-related experience such as externships, practicum, or cooperative education • Leadership training and rotational programs for recent college graduates

A well-designed internship will provide students with professionally oriented activities and experience similar to that of an entry-level professional in the field however, the student will not assume work that a regular employee would routinely perform.

WHAT IS NOT CONSIDERED AN INTERNSHIP?

• Part-time job with tasks unrelated to career experience and growth with minimal opportunities to learn about student’s career interests • Primarily clerical or unskilled labor • A vague, undefined, unsupervised experience with no training

CRITERIA FOR AN EXPERIENCE TO BE DEFINED AS AN INTERNSHIP

(NACE, 2019) To ensure that an experience—whether it is a traditional internship, or one conducted remotely or virtually—is educational, and thus eligible to be considered a legitimate internship, all the following criteria must be met : 1 The experience must be an extension of the classroom—a learning experience that provides for applying the knowledge gained in the classroom. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or be the work that a regular employee would routinely perform. 2 The skills or knowledge learned must be transferable to other employment settings. 3 The experience has a defined beginning and end, and a job description with desired qualifications. 4 There are clearly defined learning objectives/goals related to the professional goals of the student’s academic course work. 5 There is supervision by a professional with expertise and educational and/or professional background in the field of the experience. 6 There is routine feedback by the experienced supervisor. 7 There are resources, equipment, and facilities provided by the host employer that support learning objectives/goals.

If you have any questions regarding an internship opportunity, please contact us at internships@csuci.edu.

THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERNSHIPS

For students, internships provide an opportunity to see if a particular career path or field of study is right for them and hone their skills. Academic credit internships integrate the students’ academic study with practical experience in cooperating organizations. Through the integration of practical and academic experience, students enhance their academic knowledge in their area of study, their personal development, and their professional preparation. The teaching faculty and the on-site supervisors share in the educational process of interns.

Academic • Enhance classroom learning by integrating academic curriculum and real-world experience. • Require a variety of learning styles challenging students to use new ways of learning and thinking. • May increase academic motivation and clarity about academic goals. • Provide opportunities to work with equipment or technology that may not be readily available on campus. • Improve critical thinking, problem-solving, and retention of concepts.

Personal/Professional • Increase research skills, teamwork, interpersonal communication skills, and self-confidence. • Personalize learning by providing relevance, meaning, and context. • Frequently challenge attitudes, beliefs, and worldviews. • Help students grow emotionally by providing opportunities to learn from failure and success. • Provide networking and mentoring opportunities. • Increase employment opportunities.

Internships also benefit the University and academic departments: • Validates the university’s curriculum in a work environment. • Broadens students’ learning opportunities. • Creates opportunities for faculty and employers to exchange ideas, research, and expertise. • Contributes to student retention. • Connects faculty to current trends within their professional field. • Develops more competitive and employable graduates. • Improves post-graduation statistics for the university. • May accelerate corporate fund-raising efforts. • Increases community engagement opportunities for faculty and university.