·
Best practices are responsibility of internship provider (company or agency)
o
New internship providers may need information on
best practices
o
Best practices are in the best interest of the intern — help assure learning takes place
·
Know what to look for when evaluating an
internship
o
Excellent learning experiences facilitated by
supervisors/mentors that plan the internship and support it with resources
o
Best practices need to be
in place from the start of the
internship and sustained until the
end of the internship
o
Main priority — provide the student with a professional learning experience
o
Formal training and on-the-job learning
experiences
Checklist
When
evaluating a possible internship opportunity, look for best practices elements:
¨
Training combined with the assignment and
execution of on-the-job tasks.
§
Purposeful
project assignments
§
List of potential projects that will help the
student learn and help the company achieve important goals
§
Interns
need focused, purposeful roles to
keep them motivated, learning, and helping to meet organizational objectives
§
Company tours,
job shadowing, field trips, and attendance at company training seminars
¨
Work is "onsite" in a professional setting with frequent interaction with supervisor/mentor
·
Many opportunities for instant communication and feedback
from an experienced professional
·
Other students should not supervise interns
·
Mentor/supervisor serves as an information source, assures that
interns are keeping pace and accomplishing goals
·
Many opportunities to build personal relationships and networks during the course of the
internship
·
Opportunity to experience working in a professional environment
·
Supervisor/mentor serves as a positive role model while putting a
heavy emphasis on teaching and supporting the intern
¨
Company "invests" in the intern
·
The investment can take a variety of forms
(including money , tangible resources and time)
o
Paid internship (wage or stipend) creates ownership in the program by
both the business/agency and the intern
o
A good
space to work is critical
o
Well-thought-out orientation programs help the intern:
§
Meet
people
§
Learn
more about the company/agency
§
Become
comfortable with the environment
§
Understand
management expectations
§
Understand
business etiquette and policies and procedures
