What is internship for college students? this is one frequent questions by students who know nothing about internship and their benefits. Today we are going to discuss this and give this question a perfect answer. In the end, you do certainly get a clear understanding of what an internship is for college students.
Ever wondered why practical knowledge tends to stick more to memory than theoretical study?. Well, that’s because it’s a psychological fact that our brain captures more of what we see than what we hear. Most times, the theoretical study can be unrelatable and has a way of making learning uninteresting. This is why internship has been included in the university curriculum for college students.
Essential soft skills for internship
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What is internship for college students?
What then is an internship?
In a lay man’s words, an internship is that connecting link between your regular classroom lectures and real-life experiences in your field of study. An internship is a programme that enables you to integrate your theoretical knowledge with practical application in a professional setting. It gives you a deeper understanding and insight into your field of study through exposure and real-world experiences.
Most often than not, apprenticeship is misunderstood as an internship, however, there is a striking difference between the two.
Apprenticeship is a vocational program that entails work-based training to receive a certification. It is usually concerned with the learning of trade occupations such as tailoring and baking.
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Apprenticeships differ from internships because it isn’t in a professional setting and isn’t related to formal education. The duration of an internship is usually shorter compared to that of an apprenticeship which is from 10-18 months.
While an internship is a programme with a specific duration largely related to your field of study. Internships could be long-term or short-term and most times, college interns are retained by them after graduation if they performed excellently leading to full-time employment.
What do college interns really do?
Your duties as a college intern basically depend on the employer, the type of internship and what the company does. As an intern, bear in mind that you’re not an employee hence the emphasis of your programme is on training.
You’re not expected to assume the full responsibilities of a salary-paid worker. Internships are simply learning opportunities for you as a student and could either be paid or not. So the core duties for you as an intern is to meaningfully support the company during your programme.
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Why intern as a college student?
So why exactly should I intern as a college student? you may ask. Having an internship does not only provide you with some work experience but as well as the following :
Gain experience and increase marketability :
In our world today, the market has become more competitive than ever before and it has been a survival of the fittest. Only those who go the extra mile of gaining more expertise and experiences are recognized.
Having an internship provides you with the opportunity of going out of the four walls of a college to gain professional work experience. Not only does this put you an edge over others in your field, but it also gives you more marketability.
Professionalism:
Internships play a huge role in developing your soft skills as a college student. In most cases, employers are keen on your soft skills than your technical skills because they tell them about your working ethics. Soft skills like; critical thinking, effective communication, teamwork, problem-solving can all be learnt through an internship.
See here: Essential soft skills for internships
Upgrades your resume
If given two applications with one having lots of internship experiences and the other having none, as an employer, which would likely impress you?. Anyone would definitely go for the one with good internship experiences. Internships build your resume, upgrades your portfolio and increases your chances of getting a job.
Increases learning
Having an internship helps improve your learning and gives you a better understanding of your theoretical knowledge. During an internship, you learn, practice and see new things daily, this is why gaining this experience is paramount.
In summary, internships are opportunities that aides you as a student in preparing for what is ahead. It broadens your knowledge about your discipline, equips you with the know-how of your field and gives you working experiences too.
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If you’ve been sceptical about internships, I hope this article has really enlightened you? well, why not hop right on that internship application right now!
Also, Join us on Twitter Handle where we dish open worthy companies internship for students to apply.
