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Student Advice Center » For students, experience is invaluable.

For students, experience is invaluable.

As students begin to search for an internship either during or after college, the search is often centered on the type of company and industry. And for good reason. These are both important factors in choosing an internship program that will lead a student in the right direction. But just as important as company and industry is the type of internship.

There are different options which all have their advantages. Before looking for an internship, know the options available and be educated so you can tell potential employers exactly what you hope to accomplish.

 

Externship

            An externship is one of the most common types of internships. Typically, students will work part-time at a company to get a feel for the industry and the position in which they might be interested in. Externships can be as short as a week and can go on for months. Often, the student will remain with a company for the duration of a semester.

            Externships provide a great opportunity for a student to shadow someone throughout the day and learn what the position entails on a day-to-day basis. While most externships are unpaid, the experience can be valuable in that it educates the student as to whether or not that company and industry is a good fit.

 

Co-op (Cooperative Education)

            A co-op is very similar to an externship. One of the key differences is that co-ops are often paid. Colleges are more involved in a co-op in comparison to an externship; they have partnerships with select companies and work together to provide practical learning experiences for students. For example, if a student majors in marketing, a college with a co-op relationship with a marketing company might be able to get that student a paid part-time position for an entire semester or even a year. Co-op positions can occur during the summer too, making work hours much more manageable as opposed to trying to work around class schedules.

 

Practicum

            A practicum is very useful in that students can apply their education to real scenarios in the field. A supervisor at a company manages a student or team of students and oversees their work. A school counselor also helps supervise the students and manages their time between fieldwork and classes.

            This type of internship is attractive to companies because they get hands-on assistance from up-and-coming young professionals. Plus, students interested in a practicum usually already have gauged their interest level in a certain industry and want to work in that field. With an externship or co-op, sometimes students are in the process of finding out if an industry is a good fit.

 

This is just a sample of internship options for students. Contact a USAIntern representative today to see which kind best suits your needs.