Internship program guide

Building an Internship Program for Your Small Business

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Defining an Internship Program

This document will help you build an annual internship program at your organization (vs. simply recruit one intern for one semester/summer).

An Internship Program includes, the plan, resources, and processes to bring on an intern(s) Fall, Spring, and Summer that can contribute to the organization’s goals, accomplish pre-defined tasks, and receive experience, supervision, and expertise for their time and energy


Benefits for Employers

Build capacity and bench strength Access to new expertise, trends, and

educated talent Opportunity to evaluate and screen

students for full-time positions Consistency of intern(s) each semester Fresh ideas and energy


Top Intern Positions

Social media Online and other marketing Research (grant, market, trends) Graphic design Programming (web and application) IT support (desktop) Sales support Administrative Copywriting


Benefits for Students

Job and workplace experience Resume builders – project-work Class or internship credit to graduate Various financial incentives Build a network/get exposure to industry Potential for increased starting salary Faster ramp-up with first full-time job


Processes Recommended

Establish program parameters and goals Set expectations and define interests upfront Complete orientation and onboarding Create discrete projects intern can complete Have a Mentor or Buddy for the intern Conduct performance reviews/feedback Develop training and development opportunities Assign a single supervisor/manager Perform regular checkpoints


Internship Success Factors

Eliminate “ just an intern” mentality A formal welcome for intern to the organization Clear roles, responsibilities, goals and tasks Intern commitment and management support Explain how internship relates to business goals Find the proper incentives Schedule time for transition & documentation End of semester presentation/wrap-up Staying connected after the internship


Available Incentives

Performance bonus Commissions Class credit (students will know the process) References/connections/networking Mentorship Professional development Unique experiences Unique contributions


On-boarding Checklist

Welcome announcement to all employees Discuss start and end dates Define work hour and on-site expectations Provide dress code and day 1 directions Provide buddy and supervisor information Define list of projects & owners/contacts Ensure intern has proper supplies/resources See Sample Orientation Outline for more


Daily Operations Checklist

Orient students and get them started on assignments

Explain bigger picture – why project matters Provide regular training and development Meet weekly to provide feedback/check status Have them document their work/processes Have them develop a transition plan See Sample MOU for an Internship


End of Program Checklist

Have them present their findings/projects Transition the role and material to new intern Conduct an exit interview Identify improvements to your internship

program and make revisions Have the intern Complete Employer Eval Complete the Student Eval See Sample Exit Interview for more


For More Information

If you have any questions, contact us at: [email protected]

To find any of the forms referenced in this presentation check out Internship Forms on our Employer Resources page at
