What is Internship: Definition and 211 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. ramzerimar

    Engineering How to prepare for internships during 2nd year in MechE?

    I'm now heading towards the fourth semester in my Mechanical Engineering course, and I think it's a good time to start thinking about summer internships. Where I live, those usually happen in January-February, and companies start advertising their internship programs in september. I think it...
  2. O

    Other Should I apply to multiple job ads?

    I am doing my exchange studies in Sweden and have applied to two internship offers at Volvo. However, I've heard that the competition is tough (especially for non-native speakers). Application results are only for the next month. Should I apply to other internships/thesis placements across...
  3. E

    DoE SULI acceptances for Summer 2016?

    I have applied to the SULI program for this summer (2016) and I haven't gotten a response back. I applied to LBNL and NREL. From previous years, it seems like now is the time that the first round of acceptances is sent out. Has anyone else heard anything? Thanks.
  4. S

    How to spend my gap years meaningfully before undergrad?

    Greetings! Having finished my A-Levels, some unforeseen circumstances had forced me to take 2 gap years before starting my undergraduate studies in Physics, and I hope to make these 2 years count by doing something meaningful. The first thing that comes to mind is work experience/internship...
  5. E

    Where can I find Medical Physics placements for a BSc student?

    Hi! I'm currently looking for a placement in Medical Physics, either Summer or year-long. It would preferably be either in the UK or New Zealand. I'm a second year BSc Physics with Medical Physics and achieved a First in my first year. Could anyone recommend any companies or hospitals that...
  6. B

    What salary could I expect from Volvo summer co-op?

    I'm from eastern Europe so i was really surprised to get a call from Volvo that I have naively applied to for a summer co-op internship. The problem is that the summer is short and it would require me to travel to and from USA which is expensive. What pay could i expect from such work and would...
  7. B

    Should I exchange my job for an internship?

    I've been working in manufacturing industry for ~1.5 years starting from an assistant to a technician. Currently I am also pursing my Masters degree and I have a good opportunity to study abroad for a semester. Afterwards I'm considering some internship opportunities abroad too. Is it okay for...
  8. circulos meos

    Paying for school (Physics scholarships)

    Hello, I'm a first year student in pursuit of a physics degree and I'm just beginning to learn the hardships of paying out of pocket for college (and my school is relatively cheap, only about $9,000 a year before student loans.) But basically, I'm paying about $650 a month out of pocket by...
  9. A

    Should I go for an REU or an internship?

    I'm currently a Junior in electrical engineering in the U.S. I have done research for 2 years so far with a professor, but have no publications. I may or may not have one by the time I graduate. I'm thinking about applying to REUs this summer to get more research experience as well as explore...
  10. M

    Where Can I Find a Physics Internship for Winter Break in the USA?

    Hello: I've been trying to find a physics internship, research program, learning experience program, etc. etc. during the winter break in the USA (between the middle of december to the middle of january - so about 1 month). Can anyone guide me to any resources that might help my search. I have...
  11. B

    Which US company internship should I pick?

    I'm an Industrial Engineering graduate currently enrolled in Manufacturing Engineering master studies in Europe. I have an opportunity to seek for internship in US. Don't have any particular strengths, just been working in tobacco manufacturing for a year. I guess my determinants are: 1. Salary...
  12. A

    Admissions French applying for a 6 month internship in Australia

    Mentor note: removed the attachments, see post 3 Hi everyone, I am not sure if this is the right place to ask this, if I am wrong I will delete this thread as soon as possible. I am a french student, currently looking for a 6-months internship abroad, required by my school. Being interested in...
  13. D

    Which Internship Should I Choose?

    I've been offered 2 internships, and I'm unsure which to go with since they both offer advantages. For the record I want to develop my career in the RF/telecomms field, with a focus on design. Also, I want to move to the US in the near future for work, so I'm trying to base my decision on which...
  14. T

    Low GPA, interested in doing research

    Hello all, I have a below 3.0 GPA, but am interested in doing any type of research / internship / co-op in some type of lab. I'm not particularly picky at this point, I just want to get some experience. I am looking for a position for FALL. I am a junior in college but am not attending in Fall...
  15. B

    Fall Undergraduate Internship: School vs Research Experience

    Fall internships for undergraduates? I have myself in quite the pickle. I'm entering my senior year of college pursuing a BS in Physics and a minor in Math. I go to a small university near LA. I was just offered a paid internship across the country by NASA for this upcoming fall. Of course I...
  16. T

    Job Skills DoE SULI Fall 2015: Waiting to Hear Back

    I applied for the SULI program for this fall and I'm really antsy to find out if I got in or not. I applied at PNNL and LANL. Has anyone heard back about their acceptance yet?
  17. chadsalt

    Engineering Electronics textbook recommendations to self-learn

    Hi all, I am starting an internship with Lockheed Martin on Tuesday, May 26. I have just been notified of my duties, which will involve resolving issues with hydrophones/transducers. I am looking for recommendations of good textbooks that I could refer to during this internship. I am a rising...
  18. D

    Engineering Electrical Engineer major taking electrician internship?

    Currently in my 3rd year in college of engineering, and I recently got offered a HV electrician intern for the DoD. Is worth taking? Being that its different towards my degree.
  19. V

    How important is an internship for a non-traditional student

    A bit more info. I am 30, went back to college at 27 for an Electrical Engineering Degree. I have one year left after this semester. I have a wife and a mortgage and a job (non technical, I work in the service industry) Getting an internship is a challenging endeavor for me. I have bills to pay...
  20. Dustin11H3

    Angle/Coordinate Calculation for two "Pulley" System

    Hello everyone. This is my first post on here. I figured that I would give it a shot. Just as a quick background: I'm studying electrical engineering and I'm working an internship for a machine manufacturing company now. One of the projects I have been assigned is to come up with a system to...
  21. A

    UK student looking for internships in US. Recommendations?

    Hi all. I recently attended a very inspiring talk given by a company which sponsors European students for a so-called J-1 visa which enables us to apply for maximum 12 months internships in the US. I would be supported the CIEE which means that all of the problems in terms of insurance for...
  22. teroenza

    Should I Accept a Summer Internship Offer as a First Year Grad Student?

    Hi All, While applying to fellowships last semester as a first year grad student, I also applied on a whim to the AFRL Scholars internship program. I got an offer from them this summer to work on Rb and Ca Vapor Cell Clocks. It's a paid 12-week summer internship, and there are no associated...
  23. T

    Fermilab summer Lee Teng Intership

    Hi, I applied to the Fermilab summer Lee Teng Intership. I have heard it is super competitive though. Does anyone know when should I hear back from them? Do they send an email or letter? Do they notify you if you are not accepted? Thanks for your support!
  24. M

    Engineering or Physics internship?

    I'm a physics major but I can't seem to find any physics internships without having to travel long distances, so I was thinking about an engineering internship but I was wondering if that would be a smart move or not?
  25. H

    DoE/SULI Acceptances: Applying & Expectations

    I applied to the DoE Summer Undergraduate Laboratory Internships for this summer. I chose PPPL as my first choice and LLNL as my second. Has anyone heard back from any lab yet? When should I expect to hear back? Thanks!
  26. pdm0118

    Schools About Medical Physics grad schools, some advice please

    Hello forum, I'm a current undergrad student in radiation health physics planning to apply for medical physics grad schools in the US. There are a few things that make me worry: my GPA (3.24 cumulative) isn't superb because my first two year of undergrad was troublesome (my recent performances...
  27. Mogarrr

    Crafting Effective Emails to Research Mentors for Summer Internships

    Greetings forum-goers, I am planning to apply for a DHS summer internship, where I am encouraged to contact research mentors (although it's stated that OSRI makes the hiring decision). I plan on cold emailing several mentors and, besides introducing myself and mentioning how I am interested in...
  28. W

    Are there paid internships in research for good causes in undeveloped countries?

    Hello, Does anyone know if any companies working for good causes (water filters, disease control, agricultural improvements) in undeveloped countries have paid internships for the summer (if not paid, at least room and board). Actually I'll even take good unpaid internship opportunities. I'd...
  29. billy_joule

    Engineering Engineering internship selection advice wanted.

    Hi all, I am a mechanical engineering student (Bachelor of engineering, 4yrs) , I will finish my degree around august 2015. I will not be doing any postgrad, I want to work in industry, specifically in product development/R&D. This Christmas holidays I'll do my second and final internship...
  30. B

    How do I go about getting an internship?

    I'm studying physics and I've just had my first week of second year. I know it's very early, but I'm determined to get an internship next summer. I am not completely sure how to get one. I imagine it's probably similar to finding a summer job, I find the universities who have a research group...
  31. P

    Looking for input about internship project

    A little background first; I contacted a person at a national lab to see if he could hire me for a year between undergrad and grad school. He advised me to apply to SULI and that way we could work together for the next few months. So I did and luckily got accepted, but it seems that before he...
  32. D

    Advice for internship interviews

    I have 2 interviews coming up this week for potential internships/co-ops, one for a solar company and the other at an electronics company. For one of the positions, a physics PhD will be interviewing me, while I am unaware who will be the interviewer for the other position. Any advice, tips...
  33. S

    Improving GPA to Get an Internship in Power Industry

    Hi all, I am enrolled in the BSEE program at NJIT with a 2.65 GPA. I will probably be improving this rating in the Summer and Fall. Yet, it might be just a little above a 3.0. One of the reasons for a low GPA is that I work full time while studying full time (averaging 17 credits per...
  34. R

    Looking for a summer internship

    I'm looking for a summer internship but I don't really know what to expect. I don't have a degree, I'm still finishing my D.E.C (2 year science program in Quebec that comes inbetween grade 11 and uni) and I probably have the knowledge equivalent of a 1-2 semester-in undergraduate in the US. I'm...
  35. NATURE.M

    Get Advice for Your Internship App: Programming, Electronics and More

    Hey guys, I am planning on applying for a internship when University begins again in the fall. Now I'll be entering into second year, and will most likely be looking for a programming internship or engineering internship (electronics based). I want to use this summer to add skills/projects...
  36. S

    How Can I Improve My Chances of Landing an Astrophysics Internship?

    Hi Everyone, I'm a student at Columbia U, freshman, intending to major in Astrophysics. I'm trying to get an internship in a research astro-lab, but I have not been successful at all. I've tried applying to National labs, to other schools, to the American Natural History Museum, to the the...
  37. C

    Question about internship wage

    I was offered a software engineering internship (by a respectable company) that pays $14 an hour. To me this seems rather low, according to personal testimonies and research on the web. I am wondering what your experience is with internships and what an average wage is. Also, I am wondering...
  38. Z

    Internship for inexperienced students?

    Hello. I'm a Junior in Highschool and will be taking the CHSPE for early entry to begin a 2 year college in the fall. Are there any possible internships that someone with my (lack of) experience would be able to apply for? It could be book keeping or something nearly irrelevant so long as I'm...
  39. A

    Internship Struggles: Chances of Getting an Internship

    Hey everyone! So, I'm worried about getting an internship for this summer. I've applied to about ten internship programs. I'm really interested in three that I've applied to at Sandia and the SULI program at ORNL and FermiLab. I was wondering what my chances of being offered a position are...
  40. B

    Engineering Internship: Advice for Physics Students | Magna Steyr Opportunity

    Hello, at the risk of sounding like a spoiled child, I wanted to ask your advice on a matter regarding an engineering internship. I have the opportunity to spend a summer interning at Magna Steyr (a vehicle engineering company), but I'm studying physics. To put it simply, my goal is to...
  41. H

    Unpaid internship versus Research over the summer

    Hello, I am a math and statistics double major, and basically I have a guaranteed unpaid internship opportunity this summer. I have yet to send out applications to other organizations/REUs. While I am interested in the long term in consulting/finance and industrial modeling, I hope to get...
  42. R

    Engineering Engineering Internships in Philadelphia - Paid Positions

    Hi everyone, I am trying to apply for an internship for electrical engineering and was wondering if anyone knew of any good paid internships around the Philadelphia area? I have already applied to Lockheed Martin and some of the places I looked were looking for graduate students. If you...
  43. I

    Physics Majors Internship Opportunities

    Hey there. I made a thread in the academic guidance section, but I was advised to look here as part of my question pertained more to this area so here I am. I won't go into as much detail, but basically I'm an electrical engineering sophomore at the University of Houston on a full ride...
  44. K

    Seeking Internship in Embedded Systems/Microprocessor Engineering

    hello, I am looking for a internship, I am a computer engineer major and i want a internship with any of the big guys in embedded system, micro processors, ect... Im going to post my resume here so you can give me tips and tell me if it makes me sound appeling for a position OBJECTIVE...
  45. S

    US Astrophysics Internship for International Students

    Hi guys, I'm from Singapore and am starting my studies in Astrophysics in Columbia in like 2 weeks! I am so excited! I am planning a bit ahead and looking at REU website for next summer's internships, and I really want an internship in my field of astrophysics. Looking through that website...
  46. L

    Banking Summer Internship for Maths Student

    I'm a maths student going into 3rd year. I was told to start early looking into a banking internship for next summer. The problem is I'm really confused by all the different sectors of the banks. Taking Morgan Stanley for example...
  47. E

    Possible to get internship over winter break?

    I'm currently an electrical and computer engineering undergrad and I get 4 weeks off for winter break. Is it possible to get an internship (paid or unpaid), preferably in industry, for such a short period of time?
  48. M

    Should I do work in an experimental physics lab or summer internship?

    Hey PF, quick question for you guys. I got offers (on the same day!) to work with a professor at my college (1.5 hours away from home), paid, to do some experimental work. I also was offered an internship at the Naval Undersea warfare center in Newport, RI (~40 minutes from home). I will be...
  49. 2

    Should I Continue My Engineering Internship Even Without Hands-On Experience?

    I work in the department of engineering services in a company. To be more specific, I am doing a job which entails sorting and organizing engineering documents and cataloging them. I spoke with my director and was told that I would likely not get to do much, if any, actual engineering work. I...
  50. P

    Irrelevant internship vs. GRE preparation Please help decide

    I am an undergraduate EE major specializing in signal processing and my ultimate goal is to do neuroengineering research at a university. I am graduating this Fall so I will have to take the GRE sometime during the semester. I want to score as high as possible on the GRE but I feel like if I...
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