International Internships

Our community is fortunate in that we have so many post-secondary institutions that allow for our own residents, as well as those from outside of Sarasota, to access post-secondary education. The recent formation of the Consortium of Colleges on the Creative Coast allows for greater collaboration to maximize student benefits, provide a strong workforce and improve our quality of life. Along with this incredible educational landscape is the increasing opportunity of internships for these students within our local community. Internships benefit the individual student as well as the business employer. Students gain work experience and skills, earn income and perhaps secure future employment. The National Association of Colleges and Employers 2015 Internship survey shows that around half of internships convert to full-time employment. Feedback from Chamber members indicates we mirror that rate of placement locally. Businesses gain direct benefits through the ability to use internship progr...

The first day of an internship can be intimidating, nerve-racking, and exciting all at the same time. Although you’ll be experiencing all of these emotions, there are some questions you must remember to ask your boss on the first day of your internship to ensure a smooth work experience. 1) What time do you expect me to be at work in the morning? 2) Where is the bathroom? 3) How do lunch breaks work? 4) Is there anyone that would take me to lunch, so that I can get acclimated? 5) Where is the coffee machine? 6) What is the process for requesting time off? 7) Who am I reporting to throughout the internship? 8) What are your goals for me throughout this internship? 9) Are there any routine tasks that must be completed at the beginning and end of the work day? 10) What software programs will I be using throughout the internship? 11) How often would you like me to report my process throughout various assigned tasks and projects? 12) What are some ways I can transition smoothly into excel...

As thousands of college seniors wrap up final exams this month and head out into the working world, the job picture looks relatively bright. That is especially true for those with internship experience, employers and researchers say. A spring survey for job search engine CareerBuilder found that 67 percent of employers plan to hire recent graduates this year. That was up from 65 percent a year earlier and marked the highest level since 2007. Separate research by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce estimates that nearly two-thirds of college students who finish a paid internship will get a job offer upon or even before graduation, while only about one-third of those without an internship to their credit are likely to have similar good fortune. Brianna Rippin, a 20-year-old junior at Baldwin Wallace University in Ohio, is among the growing number of undergraduates recognizing early in their college careers that internship experience can complement their studie...

Mountain Middle School has always been a school to push the limits and go beyond what the norm is. This past week, Mountain definitely lived up to that. For an entire week, the eighth-graders interned. There were a few weeks of preparation that included contacting organizations and writing résumés and cover letters. Then we jumped right into them. We were required to work at our “job” for 15 hours over the span of five days. Internships are a common occurrence in high school, but Mountain decided to open up this opportunity to younger students to allow them to be more immersed in the real working world at an earlier age. Some kids have experienced things they weren’t expecting, and the internships have opened their eyes to what some jobs actually require. “As a musician, I didn’t expect it to be like this, like I have to do graphic designing,” said Delaney Kehm, 14, who interned at iAm MUSIC. “I feel like that prepares me and has me making a decision if I want to continue what I want t...

I have no qualms about saying that, for a host of reasons, I’m not a fan of internships and the emphasis we place on them as the best (and increasingly only) path to that elusive post-college entry-level white collar job. But, as a career advice Cassandra, I realize I’m in the minority. Interns are going to intern. If your summer plans involve getting on-the-job experience (and a decent paycheck – please hold out for that) in the hope of increasing your future employability in a world in which the value of a college degree seems to erode by the year, you can at least go about it in the smartest manner possible. In other words, don’t make these mistakes. Assuming Your Boss Knows What He/She Is Doing It’s possible your manager hires interns because he or she deeply believes in nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurial or creative talent. It’s also possible that he or she has never managed anyone before, just needed an extra set of (cheap) hands around the office or was told from o...

If they haven’t already, ambitious college students have likely reached out to your company for a summer internship. On the surface, it sounds enticing to get an extra hand for the summer and possibly train a future hire. But bringing a college intern on board for a semester is not for every employer since not every company has the resources or temperament to provide a successful training experience for students. “There are definitely employers that should not have interns,” says Andrew Maguire, chief executive officer of Intern Match in San Francisco, an online clearinghouse of college internship resources and opportunities. An internship is first and foremost a training program – not just low-cost help. We talked with Maguire and university internship coordinators about the most common reasons your business should steer clear of internship season this summer. 1. You just don’t have the time. Training and mentoring a college intern requires significant time and effort, more so than f...

Being a recent grad, I’ve come to learn that in the job-hunting world, they won’t look at your resume if you don’t have some sort of relevant work experience. Internships are a great resource for that, but that’s not the only thing you should be taking with you from your student work stint. Whether you were doing coffee runs or pitching stories, it’s important to absorb lessons that will help you land and succeed at that future job. Here are eight things that I’ve learnt from my past internships that helped me land my job at Adam Global Dubai. 1. Punctuality in all aspects whether it’s arriving early in the morning or getting a task done on time, punctuality is essential. Manage your time well to get things done. It shows that you’re dedicated to your work, and that you’re capable of responsibility and professionalism. 2. Be the eager beaver intern Show your enthusiasm by absorbing everything like a sponge, from corporate culture to knowing the nitty-gritty processes involved in compan...