Internships give students an edge
Cathryn Baker’s participation in mentoring and internship programs while attending Edison High School in Minneapolis helped her discover that she wanted to attend college and major in business. So she was delighted then when she was accepted at the University of St. Thomas which has a business program that she deemed one of the best. During her sophomore year, INROADS, corporate recruiters came to campus and Baker was persuaded by a friend to hear what they had to say about their internship program.
At first, Baker found the program a little intimidating, with its rigor and minimum two-year commitment, but she decided to challenge herself. “It was the best thing I ever did,” she says. Baker was placed at Target Corporation, where she worked during the summers of 2004 and 2005. Target then invited her to stay and work part-time during the 2005-06 school year.
INROADS places talented minority college students in internships with corporations and provides support and guidance to ensure their success. Students can start an internship as early as the summer after they graduate from high school so it can last up to four years. Students benefit from the coaching, advising and professional, personal and career development support. Corporations appreciate INROADS interns because it gives them access to a future talent pool while adding more diversity to their work forces.
“My internship taught me about business etiquette, networking, interviewing and what to wear,” says Baker. “I used to be shy and not very confident, but I learned what to do and how to just be myself.” Each INROADS intern is assigned a business coach and Baker’s was a great source of support. “I called her all the time to ask ‘how do I do this, how do I say that.’”
Baker says that once she learned how to network effectively she found it to be valuable and enjoyable, and she loved the interview process. During her senior year in the spring of 2006, INROADS helped Baker line up seven interviews – five for positions at Target. She was offered all seven positions and chose a communications associate position at Target. “I wanted to continue to develop my writing and business skills and the group seemed fun,” she says.
According to Melvin Collins, strategic accounts manager at INROADS, internships are no longer a luxury for those seeking to be competitive in the marketplace. “It is now an imperative, and college students need to expend maximum effort to ensure they gain the valuable experience that internships provide.” Collins cited a survey by the National Association of College and Employers reporting that 70 percent of employers prefer new hires with job or internship experience.
The internship advantage
Jennifer Kaysen Rogers, employer relations specialist at the University of St. Thomas, agrees. “Over the past ten years internships have become more important for both college students and employers. Students get to “test-drive” a career; learning what it is like to work in a professional setting. They learn what they like, what they don’t like, their strengths, and skill areas to develop. Some have changed majors as a result, but most just appreciate the hands-on experience.
Employers have always valued additional help, but the trend among larger corporations is to develop sophisticated internship programs that act as a screening tool for new, professional employees, according to Rogers. “This means that students interested in corporate life need to be strategic about the internships they apply for, making sure they are truly interested in that career field and that company, because their internship could lead them to their post-graduation job,” she says.
Students at all 17 member institutions of the Minnesota Private College Council (MPCC) participate in internships; eight have students in the INROADS program. Career offices offer a variety of resources to help both students and employers get the benefits of internships. On February 20-21, Minnesota private colleges will host the 30th annual Job and Internship Fair at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
“My internship helped bring me out,” says Baker. I discovered that you have to take ownership of your goals, and that was what helped me get a full-time job.” So what would she say to other students considering doing an INROADS or other internship? “Do it…just do it!” she laughs.