What is Work experience: Definition and 28 Discussions

An internship is a period of work experience offered by an organization for a limited period of time. Once confined to medical graduates, internship is used for a wide range of placements in businesses, non-profit organizations and government agencies. They are typically undertaken by students and graduates looking to gain relevant skills and experience in a particular field. Employers benefit from these placements because they often recruit employees from their best interns, who have known capabilities, thus saving time and money in the long run. Internships are usually arranged by third-party organizations that recruit interns on behalf of industry groups. Rules vary from country to country about when interns should be regarded as employees. The system can be open to exploitation by unscrupulous employers.
Internships for professional careers are similar in some ways. Similar to internships, apprenticeships transition students from vocational school into the workforce. The lack of standardization and oversight leaves the term "internship" open to broad interpretation. Interns may be high school students, college and university students, or post-graduate adults. These positions may be paid or unpaid and are temporary. Many large corporations, particularly investment banks, have "insights" programs that serve as a pre-internship event numbering a day to a week, either in person or virtually.
Typically, an internship consists of an exchange of services for experience between the intern and the organization. Internships are used to determine whether the intern still has an interest in that field after the real-life experience. In addition, an internship can be used to build a professional network that can assist with letters of recommendation or lead to future employment opportunities. The benefit of bringing an intern into full-time employment is that they are already familiar with the company, therefore needing little to no training. Internships provide current college students with the ability to participate in a field of their choice to receive hands-on learning about a particular future career, preparing them for full-time work following graduation.

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  1. P

    Physics Going back for a masters, or is work experience just as good

    I am just looking for some opinions. I have been considering going to get my masters in Material Science (I have a B.S. in physics). I currently have a great job in the field, and it teaches me a ton. When getting my masters, I would keep the job, and they would even pay for a lot of it. I can't...
  2. tensor0910

    Engineering Technician getting an Engineering degree -- Will my work experience transfer?

    I work now as a technician on a military base. Looking to get my Bachelors in ME. The problem is I have zero experience in engineering ( as expected ). No internships, nothing. I guess my question is will I have to start from the bottom of the pay scale when I graduate? By the time I am...
  3. VNN

    Admissions Is Work Experience Necessary for Studying Physics at Top Universities?

    Hello,I am a current GCSE student(going into Y11) and my ambition is to become a theoretical physicist. My goals is to study physics at oxford...As physics is not a vocational course does it require work experience? I know friends who want to do medicine and are applying for WE in...
  4. Einstein's Cat

    What work experience is valuable for studying physics?

    I desire to study physics at university and thus I am required to participate in work experience. The issue, however, is that I am ignorant to what work experience would be extremely valuable on a person application for studying physics. Any help would be very much appreciated.
  5. cde010

    Engineering Help Enter the Engineering Field

    I got a BS in Electrical Engineering back in 2007. I've held a bunch of cools jobs since then but nothing in the Engineering field. Now, I'm ready to hop in but I have ZERO experience. What can I do??
  6. A

    Job vs Academic Experience for MS&E PhD & Future Career

    Hi all again. I had received very good advice from my previous posts on PhysicsForum. Those advices certainly have helped me to navigate through all the confusions I have for my future career path. So I really appreciate the help from all of you. As I become more informed, I have more specific...
  7. A

    How Can I Find a Work Experience Placement in Astronomy?

    Hello everyone, I am new here and wondering if anyone could help me. I am currently a year 12 student doing Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Further Maths and Psychology at a Sixth form in London. I have plans to study Astronomy at University. I would like to get a work experience placement...
  8. trollcast

    Work experience application form?

    I've got a form to fill in for work experience over the summer and just wanted to ask a couple of really stupid questions (I haven't really filled in any proper serious application forms before) The form is available online as a word doc so would it be ok to fill it out on screen and print it...
  9. R

    Year 10 Work Exp: Questions for University Placement

    Hey, I'm a year 10 student at a grammar school in North Yorkshire and am planning to apply for work experience at a Univerisity, but I have a few questions: Who should I apply to e.g. Academic staff, teaching staff, Emeritus & Research Professors or research staff. And just so you know I would...
  10. R

    Work experience placement ideas.

    Hey, I'm currently in year 9 in secondary school and am aspiring to become a theoretical physicist. Since my year is taking linear G.C.S.E. physics and all the exams are taken at the end of the 11th year our school is taking ages teaching all of G.C.S.E. physics and over a year we have almost...
  11. R

    Ideas for work experience for Chem. Eng, E.E. or physics?

    I'm interested in studying Chemical Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering (I'm more interested in Electronic) or Physics at university. I'm looking to get some work experience days for after my GCSEs. I have 4 days at the end of June for work experience (I also could get more...
  12. R

    Get Valuable Work Experience for Electrical Engineering Studies

    I want to study Electrical Engineering at university and want to do a bit of work experience before I would have to be making any definite choices about doing this topic. I have contacted 2 companies who have offered me work experience. The first is the company my school gave me the details...
  13. K

    Getting into a Top Engineering Program easier with work experience

    Hi all I was wondering if Top programs are more accomedating to those with some work experience before applying. I want to try for the top ie MIT, UCs, Stanford etc... but I definately would like to work for a bit before conintuing on to grad studies. Is it less competitive for these...
  14. C

    Is Gaining Work Experience in Patent Law Beneficial for an Engineering Career?

    I'm coming to the end of my chemistry degree (in the UK) and I've been looking into applying for jobs as a trainee patent attorney. I'm hoping that someone here can give me some valuable advice. Am I a suitable candidate? What's the competition like? - My degree is a BSc in Chemistry, this has...
  15. R

    Does work experience count in getting into a top US school?

    Hi, I have two majors ,one in Physics and the other is Electronics engineering.I have 7 years of work experience in Embedded systems and firmware development. I want to do MS from a reputed US university( like Stanford ,University of California Berkeley etc). Do you think I stand a good...
  16. A

    Physics Finding Work Experience for Physics: What Are My Options?

    Hi, I'm a Year 12 student in the UK looking to do Physics (Theoretical/Astro) at uni in sept' 2011. A lot of the unis I've looked at so far, predominantly Manchester and Imperial, have mentioned on their websites that work experience can give you the edge, especially as it is so hard to find for...
  17. H

    What Job Opportunities are Available for a Physics Student with No Work Experience?

    I'm a 20y.o. physics student at the university of durham UK. I've never had a job, so I reckon by the time I graduate etc. it'll be hard for me to get started with a career because of my lack of experience. The job market isn't exactly fruitful at the moment, people are being laid off...
  18. B

    Taking PE exam without work experience

    Graduated with a BSME last year and have not had any luck finding work. I was wondering if it is possible to take the exam and have the license activated when I acquire the neccesary experience? I have also heard that in the state of Nevada, work experience is not required; does anyone know if...
  19. S

    Unpaid Internship: intern or work experience?

    Hello, I'm in the process to apply for several jobs tomorrow and next week. I have two strong internships even though they are unpaid. In the linguistic sense; I was working in demanding tasks. However, can I say in my cover letter that I 'worked' or should I explicitly say I 'interned'? In...
  20. J

    Math Math B.S. - no prior work experience

    Hello, I just graduated from Penn State this past May with a bachelor's degree in math and a minor in psychology. I tried out the NYC Teaching Fellows program for a few months, but I've recently quit my job there. As I'm still living in the city, I was wondering what sort of jobs might be...
  21. D

    What Can I Do as a First Year Engineering Student to Improve My Employability?

    Im a first year engineering student; just about to start my second semester infact. I've been thinking, and i thought that i should really be starting to get experience other than the theory i learn at uni. Things that will make me more attractive to an employer when it comes time to finish my...
  22. T

    Applied Math Major: Work Experience Impact?

    Ok, my major is applied math so I'm obviously going to end up in a scientific or statistical application based job latter on. Does having working experience that doesn't relate to jobs similar to the types aforementioned hinder my prospects later on? I'm thinking that I could get a job over the...
  23. T

    Work experience in Physics/Astronomy

    I am kind of hoping to get a work placement next summer related to physics or astronomy preferably research based. I am a first year undergrad so no one is going to want a useless first year lying around. I see lots of opportunities for 3rd even 2nd year undergrads, I was just wondering do...
  24. Gib Z

    Help me find Work Experience Placements

    Help me find Work Experience Placements! O noo! I've left it to the last minute, everyone else seems to have work experience placements even though its still months away ! And worst of all, I sent in a few emails to a local University, lazy try i know, and they didn't reply. Does anyone know...
  25. N

    Civil/Environmental Engineering: Pros and Cons

    i've finally decided to pursue a course in civil/environmental engineering at uni, but cos of my late decision i have no work experience or any for that matter with the subject. would this sort of lesson my prospects of getting in?
  26. R

    Schools Work experience for physics students at college

    Im having difficulty thinking about where i can apply that i have half a chance of being accepted! Due to health and safety regs etc i realize this may be difficult. Can anyone give me some ideas of places, or if youve had anything related to physics can you let me know how you applied, what you...
  27. L

    Gaining Physics Work Experience as a Year 12 Student

    Hello. I am a year 12 student and everyone around me is currently doing work experience (e.g. people interested in medecine are working in hospitals) and I am obviously interested in a Physics degree and was wondering if anyone could recommend a place for me to do work experience relating to...
  28. Ivan Seeking

    News A Scary Look at Past Work Experience of a US President

    This is an update of a previous one. It's frightening. Past Work Experience I ran for US Congress and lost. I produced a Hollywood slasher B movie. I bought an oil company, but couldn't find any oil in Texas; the company went bankrupt shortly after I sold all my stock. I bought...
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