Feature F The Importance of Internships By Maura Keller
providing students with opportunities to apply their skills and knowledge. “They also help develop our students’ professional aptitude, strengthen personal character, and provide a greater door to opportunity. Our students gain valuable experience, increase their marketability, network, and build their resume. And they learn what they like and don’t like about the career or job they have chosen,” Kitchen says. Kitchen says that there are two types of internships that companies should examine and understand before they get involved with an internship program.
Makenna Meyers, Marketing and Events intern for the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce, believes this internship will make her more marketable for a job.
F or many young college students and others who are exploring different career paths, internships offer an avenue to “try on” various roles within companies and organizations, and be exposed to a variety of roles within organizations. Just ask Makenna Meyers, currently an intern with the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce. Meyers grew up in the Rochester area and currently attends Winona State University, majoring in Graphic Design with a focus in Business and Marketing. “I chose to become an intern because internships are a great way to expand your skills and gain real world experience. I am looking to have a better understanding of the work I will be doing and build confidence before graduating and applying for jobs,” Meyers says. “By interning at the Chamber I am hoping to expand my networking with other professionals and practice my design skills in a real-world setting. This internship will also make me more marketable when applying for jobs.” Indeed, as WilI Kitchen, director of Innovative Community Engagement and STARTUP at Winona State University explains, internships are critical to
The first is an academic internship – the student is required to do an internship in order to graduate. These internships have a requirement for number of weeks and hours per week. Non-academic internships are becoming increasingly popular with students and businesses due to their flexibility. “The length of time can be negotiated based upon the student’s availability and the type of work that the business needs. These can be project based and time bound,” Kitchen says. Josh Hameister, LINK case manager at Lutheran Social Services (LSS) Rochester Youth Services, values the opportunities given to work with interns. Having interns gives LSS Rochester Youth Services the chance to give back to the human services and social work field because many of the staff bring special gifts to the field of human services and enjoy educating the next generation of helping professionals.” “Most of the interns we accept at Rochester Youth Services are new to the field of human services and an internship with us is the intern’s first experience
| Advantage Magazine 6
September 2021
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