How can students earn class credit, gain valuable experience and even get paid? The answer is simple: internships.
Internships can prove to be one of the most valuable experiences that students have while in school. There are many benefits to doing an internship while in school.
“You get career confirmation, gain contacts, learn more about your field and get experience, learn about professionalism and sometimes you can earn credit and get paid,” Steve Sellars of Career Services said.
Students who have participated in internships greatly value the experience.
“My internship has pushed me in ways that I did not imagine,” Tori Stone, a senior Mass Communication major, said. “I became a more prepared and well rounded employee. The experience has influenced me in ways to where I know what I want to do and what I don’t want to do. It showed me my limits, my weaknesses and my strengths.”
Students who have gone on to begin their career also talk about the significance internships had on their education.
“I think internships, even unpaid ones, are beneficial because you learn about work ethic and it gives you a beginner’s glimpse into the field you want to work in,” Julia Greif, a graduate student in Communication and Lead Analyst at the Texas Tech University Health Science Center, said. “Every internship helped me in some way towards my job now and previous jobs I have held.”
Some students do not know how to find an internship or where to begin looking. For those who feel this way, there is an office on campus to help. The Career Services Office located in the Classroom Center offers help and guidance for students as they pursue internships. The first of the resources that they offer is the How to Find an Internship Workshop, which is offered every Thursday at 11:30 a.m.
“I like to tell the students that there is no Easy Button when it comes to internships,” Sellars said. “You have to find them, and what we try to do is walk alongside the students and partner with them throughout the process.”
Many students find their internships on their own, although there are internships posted on Buff Jobs on the university website. It is just important to remember that there is not a single website that has every internship on it, so individual research into internships is a good idea.
Once students find an internship, whether it is through the university website or not, Career Services offers even more assistance. They help students explore the possibility of getting credit for the internship, which is done through the respective academic departments. They also keep in touch with students while they participate in their internships to make sure everything is going well.
Internships are not meant to take the place of classroom learning but to supplement that learning. Internships are an important part of college education, and Career Services offers the resources to assist students in this area.
