Internships typically last between three and nine months. They can be during the fall, spring, or summer terms. Internships can be either full-time (usually between 30-40 hours a week) or part-time (less than 30 hours a week) or a combination thereof -such as part-time during the spring or fall semester and full-time over the summer. Depending on an employer’s specific internship program however, the duration, timing, and full/part-time status may vary.

Internships can be paid or unpaid depending on the structure of the employers' internship program, the specific career field and/or the job market supply and demand. If paid, the compensation varies greatly among employers, area of study, and geographic location. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the average hourly wage for interns at the bachelor’s degree-level is $17.20. In some career fields, unpaid internships are common and are the best way to get career-related experience. Students pursuing unpaid internships may be eligible to receive support through scholarships.

Many majors require an internship for their area of study, which provides academic credit for the internship experience. If not required, internships are highly recommended and supported for all students on campus, and a student may still receive credit if they enroll in an Institutional Course (IC). An IC can be for-credit, or not-for-credit, and is designed to support all students in their internships.

Right now! Even if you feel it’s too early, meet with a Student Success Advisor to talk about your timeline, resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, and Handshake profile. Many employers start recruiting in the fall (or earlier) for their next summer internship opportunity so having advanced preparation will only benefit you.

Edgewood College offers an internship preparation course (IC 220) to all students. The course focuses on developing behavioral and professional skills as well as how to find an internship. For more information on IC 220 please contact: success@edgewood.edu

You can also meet with someone in the Career Development Department. They can help you get professionally ready by reviewing your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, etc. They can also help you get ready for your interview through mock interviews. Schedule an appointment on Handshake today!

If your area of study has a career development/internship coordinator, they are also a great resource! They can help you review what the requirements for an internship are in your area of study and can discuss what is required to obtain academic credit (if applicable) for the experience.

Additionally, the Career Development Department (CDD), also offers professional development events throughout the year. Each semester the CDD hosts Mock Interviews where students can practice their interviewing skills with employers, a Career Mixer for students to engage and network with representatives from a wide range of organizations, and executive speaker and career panel series where students can learn from alumni and other experts on a variety of topics.

Our online career management system, Handshake, is a great place to start! As an Edgewood College student, you have a Handshake profile created for you, all you need to do is login and claim it. Once you've logged in, go ahead and complete all the details on your profile - we've partnered with employers to bring their best opportunities to Handshake and it will show you jobs that are a good fit for you based on your profile. And if you make your profile public, it makes it easy for employers to recruit you!

According to NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers), the most highly regarded skills are:

• ability to work in a team
• obtain and process information
• organizational and planning skills
• verbal and written communications skills
• decision-making/problem-solving skills

Edgewood College offers an internship preparation course (IC 220) for students to learn and explore these behavioral and professional skills.

For more information on IC 220 please contact: careers@edgewood.edu

Yes! With support from the Career Development Department and the Center for Global Education, students can participate in international internships, where placements are personalized based on the student’s major and area of focus. For more information, contact:

Sara Liang

Director, Center for Global Education

Director of Study Abroad & International Student Services

sliang@edgewood.edu

Morgan Michaels

Center for Global Education Peer Advisor

mmichaels@edgewood.edu

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), nearly half of all internships turn into a full-time position with that employer!