Internships

Location

Internships in the Pensacola area do well, likely due to the proximity to the University.

For organizations not in the area, one way to entice students is to offer hybrid/remote schedules during the academic year. Opportunities available in the summer may also increase applicant numbers as many students will spend summers away to complete internships.

Pay

Unpaid internships are becoming less common, and there has been more discussion on the ethics surrounding unpaid work². Nonetheless, there is still some interest in unpaid internships, as evidence shows recognizable companies can receive higher applicant numbers.

If only unpaid internships are a possibility, consider including some other form of compensation. For example, have the student meet with their advisor to see if academic credit is a possibility. You can provide a certificate, housing assistance, free lunch, gas cards, Uber gift cards, and/or a reference letter once the internship is completed.

Introductory Paragraph

A common theme among internship descriptions is an introductory paragraph about the organization. This paragraph includes why they do what they do, their version of a one-minute commercial and describes the organization's unique environment through Symbolic Convergence Theory (Bormann, 1985). This is an emergence of a "reality" between a group of people or community and an expression of their shared meanings, motives, etc³. For example, Amazon refers to its interns as "Amazonians."

Consider using a term and/or introductory paragraph to provide students with a purpose when interning at the organization. This can create a feeling of inclusion for the students in the organization.

Links

Another common theme among internships with a high number of applicants is there is often a link to learn more about the available internships, the organization and/or FAQs.

Add a link to your website, testimonials, YouTube channel and other sources where students can engage and learn more.

Transparency

Many of these postings provided the length of the internship, the amount per hour if paid, and an overall detailed description of the internship and the organization itself.

Transparency and honesty in job and internship descriptions have been other common topics of discussion among students and applicants when looking for opportunities⁴. Dedicating time to build a description that speaks to the applicants as well as provides thorough information can help increase application numbers.

¹Research conducted via Handshake in Spring 2022
²Bormann, E. G. (1985). Symbolic convergence theory: A communication formulation. Journal of Communication, 35(4), 128–138. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1985.tb02977.x
³Ravishankar, R. (2021, October 11). It's time to officially end unpaid internships. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved May 16, 2022, from https://hbr.org/2021/05/its-time-to-officially-end-unpaid-internships
⁴Cowx, U. (2021, February 7). Transparency in recruitment. LinkedIn. Retrieved June 1, 2022, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/transparency-recruitment-utah-cowx 

Job Title: Computer Systems Analyst Intern
# of Openings: 1
Hours/Week: 20 hours a week
Wage/Salary: $15.00/hour
Employment Start Date: January 8, 2024
Employment End Date: May 4, 2024

Who We Are: Help build and deliver applications that keep the world’s largest family-owned organization running with leading-edge technology! Our award-winning Information Technology department is looking for great talent (like you) to fill business system analysis, data analysis and developer/programmer summer internship positions.

If you aspire to work among a distinguished set of individuals and thrive in a career that is part of a dynamic industry expected to double in the next ten years, you’ll love what the Organization has to offer. Learn more at www.organizationhomepage.com.

Job Description and Qualifications: Analysis and formulation of program design of major application systems of data processing. Confers with Deputies to formulate statements of objectives, designs and solutions, and develops effective programs. Interns will gain practical work experience to augment their education and career preparation. During the work experience, the Intern will be exposed to the interpersonal relationships a job requires, both with co-workers and supervisors, that are essential in obtaining a successful, satisfying career.

Working as an Intern, you will be primarily responsible for assisting with programming from the technical design phase to the operational phase. Interns will be supervised by the full-time professional project manager and mentored through the duration of their experience.

Essential Job Functions:

• Assists or develops new or modifies systems to be effective, logical, well-structured and maintainable to solve identified problems
• Develops manuals and written documentation to communicate system procedures
• Analyzes, designs, codes, tests, debugs, maintains, documents and implements programs and systems
• Provides written and oral review reports of activities to the Supervisor
• Performs related duties as required

Learning Objectives and Benefits:

• Apply the principles of safe cybersecurity practices
• Gain experience in project management

Position Title: Marketing and Communications Intern

Position Description: The Marketing and Communications Intern will gain experience in building internal/external relationships with community, agency and media partners. The intern will also gain experience in professional writing and graphic design/photography. This position reports directly to the Marketing Communications Manager. The primary responsibility of the Marketing and Communications Intern is to support the promotion of organizational events and ongoing communication with donors, media partners and staff. Other duties may also be assigned as needed.

Duties

• Uses client stories from funded programs to develop articles that will be used in stakeholder newsletter and organization’s website
• Write press releases for events and announcements
• Conduct interviews to be used in marketing materials
• Support the marketing and communications staff in creating collateral pieces
• Assist with special events including planning and execution of the event
• Assist with any photography needs
• Update social media sites including Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest
• Any other duties as assigned by Marketing Communication Manager

Learning Objectives and Benefits

• Apply the principles of public relations and communication in a non-profit organization
• Gain experience in project management
• Create materials that can be included in a professional portfolio, specifically focusing on press releases, PSAs, Constant Contact announcements and newsletters
• Exposure to community leaders and businesses
• Leadership training
• Increased knowledge of the Escambia County non-profit sector

Education and Experience Requirements

• Must be at least 18 years old, have a valid driver’s license with a clean record and the ability to commit a minimum of 10 hours per week for at least a three-month period
• Intern should have experience in public relations or related field with skills in graphic design, photography, written and oral communication
• Capable of handling high stress while maintaining a positive attitude
• Professional appearance, clear speaking voice and excellent interpersonal skills are required
• Computer skills including Microsoft Office software. Familiarity with Adobe Photoshop and InDesign are desired
• Willingness/ability to drive to various locations for events and interviews

Fact Sheet #71: Internship Programs Under the Fair Labor Standards Act

This fact sheet provides general information to help determine whether interns and students working for “for-profit” employers are entitled to minimum wages and overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Guidelines and information are from the US Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division website.

Internships versus Cooperative Education

• Both co-ops and internships are intended to be learning experiences for the student; the intent should be to help students grow and develop in their career field and to connect their work to what they are learning in the classroom.
• Internships work well for short-term projects, typically only taking about four months to complete.
• The commitment for the student and the employer is shorter with internships.
• Co-ops work well for any organization looking to have an intern for longer than a semester.
• Co-ops allow the students to gain responsibilities semester by semester, and they stay with the organization for at least two semesters.
• Both co-ops and internships are great avenues for converting a student to full-time status without the need for added recruitment costs—you have already recruited and trained a potential full-time employee.

UWF has adopted the following policies regarding remote and work-from-home internships:

• In order for a remote internship to be posted in Handshake, the business must provide an email address, phone number, and web address. The position must include learning objectives and offer the student professional supervision for the duration of the internship. Additionally, the internship must meet the Fair Labor Standards Act requirements if it is unpaid.
• Internships requiring students to work from an employer’s residence will not be posted in Handshake.

1. Write a plan.
   1. Allocate enough time before the start of the virtual internship to:
      1. Select and test the right software for managing work (Google Meets, Zoom, Webex).
      2. Staff training to use the new software/systems (if students are expected to use new software or information technology, it should be provided free of charge).
      3. Develop a work plan for the intern, training materials, activities and tools that the intern will need to be successful in the role.
      4. Clearly define expectations for both the intern and the supervisor/mentor.
         1. These need to be agreed upon before the start of the internship.
2. Determine dates and work hours.
   1. Consider questions that could come up including how are work hours defined? Is 8 a.m.-5 p.m. the main requirement or are after hours okay?
3. Determine compensation.
   1. Will the work hours be based on keeping time on a log or will students need to clock in and out on a software?
4. Define a clear project with goals and expectations that can be completed and skills to be gained.
   1. Goals and expectations should be reinforced on a regular basis
      1. It is essential that all tasks and projects are carefully prepared, planned and accessible online in order for the virtual intern will be able to manage the work effectively by themselves.
      2. The creation of a written work plan that covers the entirety of the experience is suggested.
5. Identify measures for success.
   1. Consider using SMART Goals (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for the entire experience and/or break them up into segments of the internship
   2. Consider adding project(s) that will be reviewed by the team at the conclusion of the internship. Even consider team-based projects with fellow interns.
6. Provide supervision with frequent, timely and constructive feedback.
   1. For the supervisor, it is suggested that you engage the rest of your team in the delivery of the virtual internship experience. By doing this, the intern will have the opportunity to interact with several individuals throughout the course of the experience.
   2. Team members need to be committed and available to engage with virtual interns on a daily basis (and sometimes multiple times a day).
7. Provide exposure to your business.
   1. Create and deliver a well-balanced experience for your intern that includes the opportunity for the intern to:
      1. Learn about your organization including the history and climate of the industry.
8. Prepare your intern for success beyond your company/organization.
   1. Focus on professional development.
   2. Engage in meaningful projects and work that will help to develop their overall ability to become a valuable team member in the future.
9. Help them remember the experience.
   1. Consider incorporating virtual office games if appropriate, or invite them virtually to an office lunch meeting. Try to make the virtual experience seem like it’s not virtual!
10. Constant team communication.
    1. Always communicate with the student’s faculty member to ensure they are aware of the student’s projects and of any issues.
11. Resources for delivering a virtual internship experience.
    1. Face-to-Face Communication
       1. GoToMeeting, Zoom, FaceTime, WebEx, Zoho Meetings
    2. Other communication tools
       1. Slack, Email, Instant Messenger
    3. Free Project Management Tools
       1. Asana, OpenProject, nTask, Monday
    4. Online file sharing
       1. DropBox, Box, GoFile

Content provided by the University of West Florida, office of Career Development and Community Engagement, and by the University of Wisconsin – Madison, Center for Research on College-Workforce Transition.