Internships: BENEFITS OF AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM IS AN INTERN RIGHT FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT?

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1 Internship Toolkit

2 Internships: a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory gained in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. For the student, internships provide the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience and make connections in professional fields they are considering as a career path. Internships give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate a talent who may return to us as a future employee. BENEFITS OF AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM For the Employer An internship program is an inexpensive recruiting tool and an opportunity to train potential employees. The opportunity to evaluate prospective employees while they are working for the organization can significantly improve the effectiveness and efficiency of our recruiting process. Interns bring current technology and ideas from the classroom to the workplace thereby increasing an organization s intellectual capital. Interns can fill short-term capacity issues. Interns create a renewable talent pipeline. Interns can be another resource for the recruitment of diverse employees into the workplace. Interns can provide a management opportunity for mid-level staff. With Greenville being a college town, an internship program can present a unique opportunity for GUC to partner with institutions of higher learning to create and/or strengthen a symbiotic relationship with area business/industry and academia to ensure that supply and demand of appropriate skill sets are properly aligned. An internship program can supply an easily accessible source of highly motivated pre-professionals. An internship program can be a great marketing tool for our organization, raising awareness of the vast career opportunities available at GUC. For the Intern Internships are an excellent way to learn about an industry of interest while also acquiring some of the necessary skills and tools for success in that field. Internships can provide students real life experience in their potential future career. Internships may satisfy certain college program requirements and possibly allow students to earn college credit, enriching the college experience and preparing for entrance into the workforce. Internships are a great way of building relationships with an employer which may open doors to future positions or provide networking opportunities that can strengthen one s career. Students participating in an internship are typically more engaged in their learning and develop a better work ethic, as well as more skills and abilities. These interns later become more dedicated employees and involved community members. For the Community Internships can greatly decrease overhead and increase productivity of businesses. By building the relationship among students, workforce education and businesses, the community s talent is more likely to remain in the area. Internships are a great way to create a future pipeline of talent within the community. IS AN INTERN RIGHT FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT? Get started by: Looking at current business activities and consider what on-going work you would like to expand or what projects you would like to initiate, accelerate or complete; Considering projects that would be beneficial to your functional area while also providing challenging learning experiences for interns; Examining your department s recruiting needs (i.e. employees retiring, anticipated growth, demand for new or emerging skill sets, positions that are difficult to hire for, etc.); and Properly budgeting for the position (i.e. wages, equipment, etc.).

3 Preparing for an Intern: In order for an internship program to be mutually beneficial to GUC and the student, proper planning must take place. First, identify goals, timelines and a general description of the scope of work. This will serve as the intern s work plan and ensures everyone understands the purpose and expectations of the internship. (See sample on next page.) A properly defined work plan will also aid in developing an appropriate job description to be used in the recruiting process. Job descriptions outline the requirements you are looking for in an ideal candidate and also help determine what skill sets are needed to fill the responsibilities required by the position. Having a well-defined work plan is essential, but there are other important elements of a successful internship program. Give your intern the resources they need to do the job. A proper workstation (i.e. workspace with a computer, telephone, , etc.) is vital to your intern s success. Provide a Department/Section orientation. Point out the supply room. Introduce appropriate personnel. Review proposed work plan. Have the intern conduct an entry presentation. Once the intern begins and is settled in, have them present an entry presentation to a small group, ideally within the first week. This will be an opportunity for them to practice and develop their presentation skills and to introduce themselves to a few staff members. This serves as an opportunity to gauge their public speaking abilities to determine if they can represent your department (or GUC) at meetings or events. Provide feedback after the presentation. Monitor your intern s progress. Make sure you are aware of what s happening with the intern s daily tasks. Keep in mind this could be the first work experience for this person, so when work is assigned, make sure it is given with detailed explanation. Help your intern set goals for completion of various tasks, including daily, weekly and monthly goals. This will help establish a solid work ethic for the intern. Evaluate progress periodically and give feedback. Evaluations are important for the success of your intern s experience. A day progress review form is provided on the next page. If the internship is for college credit, educational institutions may require on-site visits or conference calls during the internship to facilitate the evaluation process for grading purposes. (The intern will be able to share with you what is expected.) Schedule an exit interview and follow-up. Understanding and considering the intern s view of their experience will enable us to continue recruiting strong candidates for future openings, so be sure to work with HR to schedule an exit interview with the intern. It is equally important to understand the view point of the supervisor of the intern; therefore, you should ensure the supervisor completes the Supervisor s Internship Evaluation form. Using data and information collected at the end of each internship will allow us to make any necessary adjustments to strengthen our internship program. Have the intern conduct an exit presentation. This will provide valuable feedback for future program planning and possible adjustments. This helps illustrate if our organization is getting a return on our investment in the internship program. Copies of the Intern Exit Interview form and the Supervisor s Internship Evaluation form are included on the following pages.

4 INTERNSHIP WORKPLAN NAME: SUPERVISOR: GUC CONTACT INFO: Phone: User Name / Initial Password SCHEDULE: Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday PROJECTS: 30/60/90 REVIEW DATES:

5 INTERNSHIP EXIT INTERVIEW Name: Dates of Internship: INTERN REMARKS Supervisor: How similar was your actual assignment to your expectations? (Circle one. 1=disagree; 5=agree) Comments: How would you rate GUC as a place to work? (Circle one. 1=poor; 5=excellent) Comments: How well did your internship provide a valuable experience in relation to your academic studies and career goals? (Circle one. 1=unsatisfactory; 5=exceeded expectations) Comments: What was the most valuable experience during your internship? What suggestions do you have for improving the internship program? Would you recommend GUC s internship program to other students?

6 SUPERVISOR S INTERNSHIP EVALUATION Intern Name: Dates of Internship: SUPERVISOR REMARKS How well was the intern prepared for this internship? Supervisor: Can you suggest instructional areas that would benefit this intern? Provide examples of when the intern applied good judgement and had technical competence for assigned tasks: Rate the intern s sense of responsibility towoard their assigned tasks: (Circle one. 1=poor; 5=exceptional) Comments: Provide examples when the intern worked quickly, thoroughly and efficiently: What are the intern s strengths when interacting with others?

7 SUPERVISOR S INTERNSHIP EVALUATION continued What are the intern s strengths when it comes to leadership? What are the intern s strengths and weaknesses in regards to oral and written communications? Discuss areas in which the intern has made significant personal and/or professional improvement: Would you recommend this intern for future employment? Why or why not? Are there other areas involving the internship program or the intern you wish to comment on?

8 30 DAYS INTERN PROGRESS REVIEW Instructions for Supervisor: Record expectations at the beginning of the review period. Each expectation should be reviewed with the intern and it should be explained that the expectations would provide the basis for the review at the end of the review period. Give the intern a copy of this form following the review of the expectations. Intern Name: Period Reviewed: Supervisor: JOB EXPECTATIONS Record the performance expectations you consider as significant and essential elements of the intern s job. Be brief, but specific in defining these expectations REVIEW Describe how the intern has performed for each expectation in the period covered by this review COMMENTS Record any pertinent remarks about the intern s work performance that cannot be appropriately explained in the review section. A conditional or unsatisfactory rating must be explained. Continued on back

9 30 DAYS INTERN PROGRESS REVIEW continued INTERN CERTIFICATIONS I understand the requirements of the job are not necessarily limited to the job expectations listed. I hereby certify that I have had the opportunity to review the job expectations and have received a copy of them. Signature: SUPERVISOR CERTIFICATION Place a check below in the square representing the work performance of this intern for the period covered. A conditional or unsatisfactory rating must be explained in the comments section. Satisfactory Conditional Unsatisfactory I hereby certify that this review constitutes my best judgement of the service performed by this intern for the period covered. Supervisor Signature: Intern Signature:

10 60 DAYS INTERN PROGRESS REVIEW Instructions for Supervisor: Record expectations at the beginning of the review period. Each expectation should be reviewed with the intern and it should be explained that the expectations would provide the basis for the review at the end of the review period. Give the intern a copy of this form following the review of the expectations. Intern Name: Period Reviewed: Supervisor: JOB EXPECTATIONS Record the performance expectations you consider as significant and essential elements of the intern s job. Be brief, but specific in defining these expectations REVIEW Describe how the intern has performed for each expectation in the period covered by this review COMMENTS Record any pertinent remarks about the intern s work performance that cannot be appropriately explained in the review section. A conditional or unsatisfactory rating must be explained. Continued on back

11 60 DAYS INTERN PROGRESS REVIEW continued INTERN CERTIFICATIONS I understand the requirements of the job are not necessarily limited to the job expectations listed. I hereby certify that I have had the opportunity to review the job expectations and have received a copy of them. Signature: SUPERVISOR CERTIFICATION Place a check below in the square representing the work performance of this intern for the period covered. A conditional or unsatisfactory rating must be explained in the comments section. Satisfactory Conditional Unsatisfactory I hereby certify that this review constitutes my best judgement of the service performed by this intern for the period covered. Supervisor Signature: Intern Signature:

12 90 DAYS INTERN PROGRESS REVIEW Instructions for Supervisor: Record expectations at the beginning of the review period. Each expectation should be reviewed with the intern and it should be explained that the expectations would provide the basis for the review at the end of the review period. Give the intern a copy of this form following the review of the expectations. Intern Name: Period Reviewed: Supervisor: JOB EXPECTATIONS Record the performance expectations you consider as significant and essential elements of the intern s job. Be brief, but specific in defining these expectations REVIEW Describe how the intern has performed for each expectation in the period covered by this review COMMENTS Record any pertinent remarks about the intern s work performance that cannot be appropriately explained in the review section. A conditional or unsatisfactory rating must be explained. Continued on back

13 90 DAYS INTERN PROGRESS REVIEW continued INTERN CERTIFICATIONS I understand the requirements of the job are not necessarily limited to the job expectations listed. I hereby certify that I have had the opportunity to review the job expectations and have received a copy of them. Signature: SUPERVISOR CERTIFICATION Place a check below in the square representing the work performance of this intern for the period covered. A conditional or unsatisfactory rating must be explained in the comments section. Satisfactory Conditional Unsatisfactory I hereby certify that this review constitutes my best judgement of the service performed by this intern for the period covered. Supervisor Signature: Intern Signature: