Internships are a necessary evil
For the entertainment industry, internships are a must. Does anyone have suggestions for how we 1)convince our graduates that internships are a necessary evil for this industry and 2)keep employers from exploiting our graduates.
HI Brandy
Interesting challenges. If your internship placements are good and if the learning objectives are clear, perhaps that will help convince your students. Are internships a requirement of graduation? They should be a privilidge. Do you mean internship supervisors are exploiting your students? That requires better evaluation of the internship site and the expectations and requirements you place on the supervisors. Not an easy task.
Good luck, Susan
I think it is important to just be honest with your students about what they'll need to do to make it in the entertainment industry. Have you considered making internships a part of your curriculum? When you say that employers exploit your graduates, in what way do they exploit them? Are there set internship periods?
HI Chris
Probably the first step to successful intern and externships is to consider them necessary and not an evil. Internships provide skills practice and opportunities to resume building.
Best wishes
Susan
Internships/Externships are necessary because they/it provides excellent experience for the student....I agree it should be a part of the program, where it has to be completed before completing the program...All of the programs here at our school with the exception of one has an externship that must be completed in order to complete the program....This information is stated during the admissions process and at our Mandatory orientation. I ward off exploitation of our students by keeping in touch with our externs on a weekly basis....The students are to report to me, the good, the bad and whatever else, so that I can intervene and even pull the student from the site if issues arise. I also visit the site before a student is allowed to perform extern hours with a particular company so that I can get a feel for the atmosphere....Student feedback is very important.
Good Luck!
Great points, Maria
Externships are important to help the grads become job-ready. And also gives them some experience to put on their resumes. Intern and externships do have to be monitored very carefully so they are meaninful experiences. One way to do this is constant evaluation of every part of the experience. Also a list of competencies needs to be provided that have to be completed are important. Informal and formal evaluations are a must. It gets easier the more closly you work with the externship site and personnel. Best wishes, Susan
Brandy,
One of the things I tell students is the importance of getting experience...and internships are the best way to do this. Most employers will look in-house first when a position becomes available...and if a student is already there, proving themselves to be a valued member of the team...they are usually the first people offered a job.
Kevin
Brandy and Kevin
Ooo. We don't like to think that internships are evil. Given all the benefits internships should be structured as a reward for completing certain courses, etc. They are often the only way a student has any experience to add to their resume. And as you say, there is a good chance they will be hired by the sponsor site.
Best wishes
Susan
Hi Brandy
It is necessary because it is a way for them to earn the respect of their peers and undestand from the ground up what is expected of them in all departments that they work for. As well Allot of companies only promote from the inside. So if they do an internship they will not only develop great netwoking contacts but the decision makers have faith in them since they started as an intern and stuck it out.
James
Hi James
Intern or externships are effective for many but not all programs. They allow a student to gain experience to add to their resumes. People may be hired from within. But not for entry-level jobs. Your grads will only be able to seek these entry-level positions and have an increased chance with internships.
Best wishes
Susan
At our school we make internship/externship part of the curriculum and a graduation criteria. When used, an externship occurs towards the end of the course as a capstone requirement. Students must complete 195 hours of work with an employer that allows the student with practical theory and the skills taught in the classroom and laboratory settings of instruction. We don't mind the employers explioting the graduates as long as the student obtains experience in their course of study(work is training related). This means that students are aware that externship is a requirement and when the time is near they are proactive in identifying employers to work at.
Hi Kimberly
Interesting points. To avoid employers giving the feeling that they are exploiting externs can anything be done? For example, provide a list of competencies that the student has to complete and be evaluated on? Require weekend meetings? Send an instructor to observe? Just a thought to be sure the student gains valuable experience. Best wishes, Susan
At our school externships/internships are a requirement to graduate. A lot of times the student thinks they just need to "get it over with". I try to make them realize that this is one thing that differentiates us from other schools that do not require an externship. I also try to make them see that this is the perfect opportunity to get real life experience on their resume - something that others they will be competing against for jobs may not have. I stress that they need to make the most of their externship experience, so they should be sure to pick a good site where they will be doing things they are interested in and will have the best experience possible.
As for extern sites "expoliting" our students. For each major we have a suggested task list. This is a list of things that we like to see the student gain experience in while at their externship. 50-75% of the tasks listed should be covered at the externship, otherwise we don't accept them as a site. Also, if a student comes to complain, and I see they are being "used" by the extern site, I step in and see if I can resolve it. If not, we pull out the task sheet and ask what they are learning from that task sheet. If nothing (or less than 50%) I ok the transfer to another site than can properly accomodate the experience.
Hi Lani
Interesting comments. Looks like students are afraid of externships. We never realized that before. Maybe there has to be a lot of training about the value of externships. Or an orientation program prior to externships so students look forward to them. As to the worksite exploiting the student, one way to address this is to list the competencies the students must complete. Even weekly tasks. That helps to keep the site supervisor on task. Thanks, Susan
Our school requires all students to complete an internship/externship. It is a reuirement for completion of the program. The students know this at the beginning so there are no suprises. We have students that are working and we work around the work schedules so they can compete the internship/externship.
As for exploiting students, we have a contract with all our sites and there are certain things that need to be learned/taught at the sites. If students are not learing we back out the contract with that site. We also look at the hire rate from these sites, if they employers are not hiring our students we won't send students there. That is an indication they are just using the students for free labor.
Great list of pros and cons of internships, Jere. In the end we feel that intern/externships are really important. It gives the students hands-on experience, which is particularly important if the student has no work experience. It enhances convidence and gives students a taste of the workplace before they are thrust into it feeling unprepared. It can be a safe environment. Effective internships do require great organization and policies and procedures and lots of checking and assessments. Thanks, Susan
I am the placement coordinator at Business and Technical school and I am trying to figure out ways to have our Electrical and Information Technology students find internships while taking classes. I am hoping that his could lead to placement by the time they are ready to graduate with with the company, or because they are adding experience to their resume. Any suggestions?? A lot of the local employers in both fields give me a stern, "We are not interested at this time in taking on an intern." How can I get the local employers and small business' to budge?
Hi Lea, Very interesting challenges. First thought is to be sure students have finished their classes and have had extensive career services training. Specifically they need to have a strong and mature work ethic and view an internship as an extended job interview. Then there is the task of getting externships. Part of that takes time and also getting employers to see the benefits to them. And then you need to knock on a lot of doors. Once the idea takes hold and once you demonstrate the quality of students you can deliver, the job of locating externship sites will get easier. Patience and persistence is the key. And great training of your students so they don't disappoint anyone and especially themselves. Good luck, Susan
What I have come up with to do is create a portfolio of our course descriptions and a welcome letter to introduce our school and graduates for local companies hiring in the fields our graduates are coming from. I introduce myself personally to make a connect with the employer in hope that when a position for hire or an intership opens up that they will consider and contact me in the placement department. Maybe what I am struggling with is getting a response from them. The students are prepared with resumes and job development courses so they are ready to interview and have recieve their diplomas....the issue is even getting them to an interview. Resumes look great with their newly added skills...interviewing skills are strong...professional dress...They are just not getting interviews. HELP!
Hi Lea
Interesting problem about getting through the employer doors. And yes, it sounds like your students are super prepared. You are doing the right thing and have to do more. Knock on more doors. Also contact alumni and ask them for names of the hiring decision makers at their work. Go to business networking groups and make the acquaintance of decision makers at the companies who can hire your grads. Create a list of all employers. Call, email, visit, invite them to your school. Keep in touch with them on a regular basis. Become THE school where employers look for the best staff. Thanks, Susan
