Thanks to the economic situation, graduate jobs, particularly entry-level, are hard to come by, and increasingly many top graduates are looking for internships after graduation. The Graduate Recruitment Bureau has produced a guide to starting an internship programme, for recruiters who wish to improve their current recruitment offerings. They have produced an Internship Charter, which are six principles for employers to consider when attempting to implement a high quality internship scheme.
There are a number of terms used to describe work experience, and it may happen during someone’s time in education (generally referred to as “work experience”) and after they have graduated (known as work placements or internships)
The six principles in the guide each have a section of the guide dedicated to them, with information about how the principle can be applied by recruiters keen to create a new internship programme. It’s important that internships benefit both the employer and recruiter, in order for it to be successful and longstanding.
The guide includes a checklist which employers can use to assess the quality of the internship programme being offered, as well as a voluntary written agreement giving employers the option to formally recognising the principles in the guide.
Internships are fast becoming an essential first step on the career ladder in many industries and professions. Unfortunately for graduates, working for free or expenses is the norm if they intend to enter into certain, high-demand career paths.
Overall, the purpose of an internship is to provide interns with a meaningful working experience which will improve their employability and skill base. Despite this, there are very definite benefits for businesses who provide good internships, bringing new skills into an organisation and increasing profitability. Many will argue about whether you should pay interns, either small wages or expenses, but the experience, knowledge and skills gleaned by the intern are still the most important part.
Some graduates think that internships are a joke – working for free after accruing four figures of debt might not seem like such a bright idea, but the skills and experience that a candidate can gain from unpaid internships can mean earning more money in the future and having a better chance at the roles that most appeal. Many organisations will offer payment in some form, although more often than not this is simply a paltry few pounds to cover travel expenses.
The Graduate Recruitment Bureau's Guide to Internships can be found here: http://www.grb.uk.com/
