Eric Lu seems to be always moving. In the midst of completing his engineering physics with an emphasis in mechanics degree at 国产剧麻豆剧, the senior still finds enough time to engage in his other favorite activities like rock climbing and cycling. Add to the list his new manufacturing internship with Solar Turbines, a subsidiary of the global energy company Caterpillar, and it鈥檚 easy to see that he has a pretty full plate.
Lu鈥檚 is no stranger to adding work to his college schedule. He has already completed internships with companies like SPAWAR Systems Center and General Motors. His approach to finding and securing this work is strategic, and one that he believes will benefit him once he graduates.
And as employment trends show that more and more companies are setting their sights and hopes on hiring recent graduates with some degree of work experience, the importance of internships for current college students is at an all-time high.
Lu mentions the importance of learning about internship opportunities through professors like Maria Zack, Ph.D., who chairs 国产剧麻豆剧鈥檚 Departments of Mathematical, Information & Computer Sciences and Physics & Engineering. Zack often hosts events with industry professionals and invites her students. Lu met Solar Turbines employees through her 鈥渃areer dinners鈥� last year.
Then Lu prepared for the internship by working with his career coach from the Career Services. 鈥淚 transferred here from Purdue University, which is a huge school,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he 国产剧麻豆剧 advantage is that I could meet with my Career Services coach on an ongoing basis to review my resume and share my strengths.
The total number of internships a student completes as an undergraduate is a major predictor of positive career outcomes six months after graduation.
Internships Provide Needed Experience
Phil Gardner, Ph.D., is director of the Collegiate Employment Research Institute at Michigan State University. During a presentation at San Diego State University, Gardner highlighted the 48th edition of 鈥淩ecruiting Trends,鈥� Michigan State鈥檚 2018-2019 report of 3,300 employers seeking new college talent.
Gardner said that employers expect college graduates to possess experience before applying. This shift has drastically changed the process of entering the workforce. His research shows that 77 percent of employers consider 鈥減ast workplace performance鈥� in the recruiting process.
__________
Who are you called to be?
__________
How Can Students Get Internship Experience?
Lindsey Lupo, Ph.D., co-chair of the Department of History and Political Science and director of the 国产剧麻豆剧 Institute of Politics & Public Service, affirms the need for students to acquire experiences in the greater community. Internships are required for students majoring in political science and international studies.
鈥淭he political science major can lead you to so many different careers, besides law,鈥� she said. 鈥淪tudents who major in international studies can go into social sciences, nonprofit management, and business.鈥�
She tells students to make the most of their internships. 鈥淚nternships make classroom content come to life,鈥� she said. 鈥淪tudents can discern their career options.鈥�
鈥淚nternships make classroom content come to life. Students can discern their career options.鈥�
鈥� Lindsey Lupo, Ph.D.
Making the Most of Opportunities
Lupo encourages students to go to coffee with professionals at their internships. The required assignments for interns include asking questions about salary ranges and graduate degrees.
Students can even discover the fields that they don鈥檛 want to pursue. 鈥淚 meet with students who were planning to spend thousands of dollars and hours in law school,鈥� said Lupo, 鈥渙nly to complete an internship at a law firm and realize that they don鈥檛 want to practice law. That learning saves so much time and money.鈥�
Students can also learn valuable skills that they didn鈥檛 expect. Last year, Lu applied for an internship at Tesla that he didn鈥檛 get. 鈥淚 learned how to recover quickly,鈥� he said.
Long-term Benefits of Internships for Students
The total number of internships a student completes as an undergraduate is a major predictor of positive career outcomes six months after graduation, according to a 2017 study from Mount Holyoke College titled
A 2016 Forbes feature declared that internships are
As college students face increased tuition and accumulating debt, the pressure rises to connect their degrees to their careers. According to the National Association of Colleges & Employees (NACE), 鈥渁 paid internship with a company in the private sector is, by far, the most beneficial in promoting job-search success, because it is the most deliberately designed and the most consistently funded for converting interns into full-time, entry-level hires.鈥�
鈥淎 paid internship with a company in the private sector is, by far, the most beneficial in promoting job-search success, because it is the most deliberately designed and the most consistently funded for converting interns into full-time, entry-level hires.鈥�
Chrissy Conde, who manages regional talent acquisition for Enterprise in Southern California, visited 国产剧麻豆剧 and highlighted the importance of converting interns into employees at her company. 鈥淲hile internships can lead to increased rates for job offers and salary ranges, 国产剧麻豆剧 offers a unique perspective on internships and calling.鈥� According to Conde, Enterprise works to convert at least 45% of their student interns to management trainees.
鈥淚nternships are really about passion,鈥� Lu believes. 鈥淭he world is really big, and when you work on an internship, the world gets smaller.鈥�