Sarah just graduated from college. She received that degree knowing it is essential to obtaining a good paying job. She applies for a position and gets called in for an interview. This is good news. Sarah gets to her interview and the potential employer asks, "What kind of previous work experience do you have in this field?" Since she has just graduated and this is her first attempt at obtaining a "real job," she doesn't have any previous work experience; therefore, she does not get the job.
This is a common situation among new college graduates and it is frustrating. They've studied, they've gotten good grades and they are ready for the job market. However, no employers will hire them because of lack of experience. How does Sarah get experience if no employers will give her a chance because she has no previous experience? Sounds like a catch 22, doesn't it?
This kind of situation does not need to happen. There is a way for college students to gain valuable work experience while they are taking classes: Internships.
Internships are on-site pre-professional experiences that provide exposure to careers. They give students a chance to 'test the waters' in their chosen field while building skills and connecting with industry professionals. Internships have proven to be beneficial to students, businesses, and communities as a whole. Internships build confidence, bulk up a resume, and provide networking opportunities and great references.
At New Hampshire Community College - Berlin, many programs include internships, affiliations, co-operative experiences and clinical experiences as part of the curriculum. The Human Services program requires students to participate in internships totaling in 270 hours within two semesters. This experience offers an in-depth opportunity to apply knowledge by working with a specific client population. The Office Management program includes an internship seminar that gives students 180 hours of work experience in an office setting and a one hour per week seminar during the second semester of their senior year. The Business Administration program requires students to complete a Management Practicum in which they secure a position with a local business for 60 hours to observe, work with, and be evaluated by experienced managers. Students in the Nursing program complete their clinicals at five different North Country hospitals. Culinary Arts students complete 400 hours of on-the -job training during the summer between their two years. These are just some of the examples of internship opportunities that are available at your local Community College.
Internships help businesses and the surrounding communities as well. Bringing students into the workplace provides the rest of the staff with the opportunity to build supervisory skills. Internships also provide opportunities for employers to evaluate and train students for possible permanent employment. This in turn brings in the next generation of employees and helps keep young intelligent people active in the surrounding communities.
So is there an easy way for businesses to promote internship opportunities that they may have available? Of course there is! An organization called New Hampshire Internships and First Careers was developed to align local businesses with local talent and keep New Hampshire's highly trained students in the state. The program is a joint project of the NH College & University Council, the NH High Technology Council, and the NH Higher Education Assistance Foundation. Businesses interested in posting internship or career opportunities can log on to www.intern2careernh.com and register to gain access to more than 70,000 enthusiastic students from 24 New Hampshire college campuses. Intern2careernh.com is a free recruiting service designed to help employers fill internships and entry level jobs. Registered members can post an unlimited number of first career positions at no cost to the organization.
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