Today we are celebrating National Interns Day.
The following blog has been written by our current intern, Melina, who has first-hand experience applying for and completing internships, and understands the pressure that young people can feel when doing so. Thanks for your kind words at the end Melina and we wish you all the best in your career!
National Interns Day was launched by WayUp in 2017 as a way for employers to celebrate and thank their interns.
Why are internships more important now, than ever before?
A recent analysis of roughly 4 million jobs posted on LinkedIn showed that 35% of “entry-level” positions required years of prior relevant work experience. So in order for a student to get their first job, they need to have already had a job… Doesn’t make much sense, right? Well that’s where internships come in – they provide students with work experience that gives them a crucial leg up when applying for jobs.
What makes a good internship?
A good internship, however, provides more than just a paragraph to add to your CV…
- The internships I have gained the most from are those that pushed me the furthest out of my comfort zone, teaching me new skills and showing me that my abilities go far beyond what I thought they were.
- There is nothing worse than a month spent twiddling your thumbs… a good internship keeps you busy and teaches you the work ethic that will be expected of you in a full-time job.
- My most memorable moments of learning have come from the people I have met during my internships. You can’t underestimate the value of advice coming from someone who’s been in your exact position before.
- Being an intern can be, to put it plainly, terrifying… you don’t know anyone, you have limited experience in an office, and you may have no clue about what someone in this field of work even does. Nothing is more important than making an intern feel comfortable asking questions, making mistakes and, most importantly, learning without feeling judged.
Finding an internship in the South West
A recent survey showed that just 17% of 9,000 UK students had been paid for their work experience, with the South West being the second most likely region to not pay its interns. This may correlate with students’ struggles to find internships in the area – out of UniHomes’ top 10 UK cities for internship opportunities, only one is in the South West. This indicates a need for companies in the region to provide a larger variety and amount of internships. The presence of both paid and unpaid opportunities within an area is key to ensuring as many students as possible can find an internship that suits them.
Why interns can benefit your company
So, what’s the incentive for companies to give up their time, resources, and money to interns?
- Interns increase productivity, providing fresh perspectives as well as an extra pair of hands to get work done.
- Hiring interns locally can help to enhance the workforce and employment levels of your community.
- 50% of internships result in full time jobs – interns provide a company with a pool of candidates that have been trained first hand, have relevant work experience, and already have an understanding of their brand.
- Putting your current employees in the position of a manager to an intern can help develop their mentorship, leadership, and organisational skills, furthering themselves alongside the intern.
My time at Program Agency
Although I’ve only been working here for two weeks, I have already gained hugely valuable marketing work experience that I know I will carry forward in the future. I have been introduced to different online PR and marketing tools, created content for multiple social media platforms, and performed research into various areas of interest for the company and its clients. The Program team is one of the most welcoming, warmest groups of people I have ever worked with, and have made my internship anything but scary. I couldn’t recommend the experience more!
To find out more about available internship opportunities at Program, please email hello@program.agency and find out more about Program at https://program.agency/
27/07/2023