DO INTERNSHIPS REALLY SERVE ANY PURPOSE?

Internship: What comes to mind when that word is tossed around? Maybe it’s the image of a poor college student working long unpaid hours on top of school and study, or a ditzy girl being rudely told to go get more coffee than she could ever physically carry.

Many times, students discover that what delays their progress in college is the revelation of their true passions in life, forcing them to change their degree path, which may then set them behind in credits.

Can internships help mitigate this? For that matter, just what are internships good for?

First, let’s note what a student internship really is. The University of Iowa defines an internship as structured work experiences, supervised by a professional in that field, that are related to a student’s career goals, and will enhance their academic and personal development. This work can be paid, or unpaid.

By that definition, internships seem like they could be highly beneficial, not quite as grueling as they might seem, and maybe even a chance for students to discover what they love.

However, it goes even further than that. While unpaid internships, especially, may be unglamorous and exhausting, some studies have shown great benefit to be had from the internship opportunity.

A 2004 survey from West Chester University – of 163 graduating seniors from a East Coast business college – found that those who had completed an internship were more able to find career-oriented employment, but were not more confident in the job decision.

In sum, finding work was easier, even though job satisfaction was not necessarily higher, for those who served internships.

A followup study by West Chester in 2014 aimed to uncover more. Through their survey of the 185 employers of 392 interns enrolled in an unnamed but highly accredited business college, researchers found that not only do those students who have completed an internship prior to graduation find employment easier, they are more likely to be offered full-time positions than their non-intern classmates – even if they only displayed average performance/skills throughout the course of their internship.

The study also found that high-performing interns often received higher starting salaries. And it identified a reciprocal relationship between exemplary interns and an employer’s perception of internship programs.

Yet another study out of the University of North Carolina found that students who had completed internships were more in tune with their career desires and the attributes within themselves that could guide them to the right career – or, in other words, their self-concept crystallization.

Through this lens of research, internships can be highly beneficial to students with high aspirations.

Regardless, the UNC study also found that internship status could not be a predictor of commitment to a career, knowledge of a vocation, or sureness in choice; nor were friendship opportunities correlated.

It seems, like many things in life, internships prove to be a double-edged sword.

While they may help graduates find their place in the workforce sooner than their non-intern counterparts, there is no guarantee that these people will be any more confident or satisfied in their vocational decision – even if their starting wages are higher.

At the same time, internships often do provide valuable work experience and self-reflection opportunities. And sometimes, they’re even paid.

Bottom line: Although they may not truly fulfill a student looking for confidence in pursuit of their career or degree, or prevent having to change degree paths, internships often serve an important function. They may help reveal to the student that they are not as passionate about their subject of interest as they previously imagined, a life lesson best served sooner than later.

If given the opportunity, we at the Advocate believe students should pursue an internship experience. It may be somewhat demanding, but the efforts do bear fruit. It is a great chance to make business connections and get familiar with the workload of a potential career, all the while receiving valid work experience to bulk up a résumé.

We want to remind Mt. Hood students of the Career Fair that will be hosted in the Vista dining hall from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 25. MHCC advertises the Fair as a wonderful opportunity to explore job and internship possibilities, or just to get some information about what careers are out there.