“For students, paid internships are more than a learning opportunity: They are an important path to a career. In fact, college students who complete paid internships receive nearly twice as many job offers than students with no internship experience (1.61 vs. 0.77) and receive a higher first-year salary than those who did not complete an internship.”
Forbes: Paid Internships Are Vital To Student And Employer Success
Research shows that internships improve post-graduation outcomes for students. The on-campus internship program provides students with access to practical experiences while enhancing professional skills.
College and departments with student employment positions that meet all NACE Internships Guidelines may offer their paid positions as internships.
How is an internship different than a part time student job?
- Experience is an extension of the classroom: a learning experience that provides for applying the knowledge gained in the classroom.
- Skills or knowledge learned are transferable to other employment settings.
- Clearly defined learning objectives/goals related to the professional goals of the student’s academic coursework.
- Routine feedback and reflection between intern and supervisor.
- Resources that support learning objectives/goals.
Resources
- Compensation: All experiences must be paid hourly (no stipends) [student wage guidelines can be found here]
- Position Recommendation: Post as Student Worker IV and add the qualifications you are seeking under “desired qualifications”
- Title: Use “Intern” in the title of the posting.
- Work Hours: Up to 20 hours per week
- Academic Credit: If a student is interested in using the experience for credit, they must work with their academic units to ensure compliance.
- Supervision: A qualified professional with relevant expertise and experience must directly supervise the assignment, providing productive feedback, guidance and necessary resources.
Experiences should align with NACE Internship Guidelines
- Follow this checklist to convert a student worker position into an internship
- Sample internship position descriptions
- Leverage our supervisor resources in the “Training + Guides” section below.
For students: Self-enroll in Canvas course focused on internship success
How to be an effective supervisor of interns – Take this training to make your internship posting align with NACE guidelines.
Building an Internship Program
Work Plus Supervisor Trainings
Supervisor skill development – a playlist from LinkedIn Learning that covers coaching, onboarding, recognition, well-being, giving feedback and running meetings
ASU Career Edge – a resource for training and professional growth