Navigating NBCUniversal Internships: A Comprehensive Guide to Requirements and Opportunities

NBCUniversal, a global leader in media and entertainment, offers a wide array of internship programs designed to provide students and early-career professionals with invaluable hands-on experience. These internships span across various divisions, including television, streaming, film, news, and technology. This guide provides a detailed overview of the requirements, opportunities, and benefits associated with NBCUniversal internships, helping aspiring candidates navigate the application process and maximize their internship experience.

Introduction to NBCUniversal Internships

The NBCUniversal Internship Program is crafted to unlock students' potential by allowing them to contribute meaningfully to significant projects. To succeed as an NBCU intern, candidates should demonstrate a strong passion for media, entertainment, and technology, coupled with a continuous desire for learning.

NBCUniversal's policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, membership in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access nbcunicareers.com as a result of your disability.

Available Internship Programs and Platforms

NBCUniversal provides internships across a diverse range of its programs and platforms, including:

NBC News
MSNBC
CNBC
NBC Local Stations
Telemundo
Entertainment Group (USA, SYFY, Bravo, E!, Oxygen, and Universal Kids)

These internships are available in both virtual and in-person formats, depending on business needs, allowing students from various locations to participate.

Read also: Intern at Universal Music Group

Benefits of NBCUniversal Internships

NBCUniversal internships are not only paid but also offer a comprehensive package of benefits, including:

Paid Company Holidays: Full-time interns receive paid company holidays.
Networking and Development: Robust networking, learning, and development opportunities are provided.
Peacock Subscription: Interns receive a complimentary Peacock subscription during their internship.
Universal Parks Admission: Free admission to Universal Parks is available for use during the internship.
Mental Health Resources: Access to mental health resources, including counseling sessions, is provided.
Financial Assistance: Need-based financial assistance may be available to offset expenses for transportation and housing for eligible in-person interns.

AAJA/NBCU Academy Summer Fellows Program

The AAJA/NBCU Academy Summer Fellows Program offers students real-world experience and exposure to NBCU News Group, which includes NBC News, MSNBC, and CNBC. This program includes:

A full-time, 10-week paid internship within the NBCU News Group. The start date for the 2023 program was June 5th.
Hands-on training and real-world experience.
Special leadership roundtables and discussions.
Relevant training sessions, such as news standards and practices and news writing.
A $2,000 travel stipend for those who live over 50 miles from their internship location.

All internships are located in 30 Rockefeller Center, except for CNBC placements, which are in Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Transportation is provided to Englewood Cliffs, NJ, from various locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

NBCUniversal Page Program

The NBCUniversal Page Program is a 12-to-16-month, full-time role designed for early-career talent who have completed at least a bachelor’s degree and have a passion for media. Pages work across NBCUniversal businesses in three 4-month assignments and serve as ambassadors of NBCU.

Program Highlights

Rotational Assignments: Pages complete three different assignments, each designed to give a well-rounded view of the industry.
Learning and Development: Pages receive regular feedback, coaching, and access to tailored learning experiences.
Community and Networking: Pages are hired in cohorts, creating a built-in community and professional network.
Locations: The program is based in New York, NY, and Universal City, CA. Applicants must pick one coast when they apply.

New York Page Program

Based at NBCUniversal’s headquarters in 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York Pages experience the company’s history and future. Assignment areas include Corporate Functions, News, Ad Sales, Peacock & Entertainment, Late Night, and Sports, supporting functions such as marketing, communications, distribution, partnerships, and production.

West Coast Page Program

Located on the historic Universal Lot in Universal City, West Coast Pages work behind the scenes of film and television. Assignment areas include Film & TV, supporting functions such as marketing, production, development, publicity, acquisitions, and current programming.

Assignment Process

First Assignments: Typically business-focused, these assignments balance current skills with new areas for learning and growth.
Second & Third Assignments: Pages participate in a collaborative placement process to match their interests with available assignments.

Post-Program Opportunities

After completing three assignments, Pages have time to apply and interview for open NBCU roles with guidance from program leaders and internal recruiters.

Internship Opportunities at NBC 7 and Telemundo 20 San Diego

NBC 7 and Telemundo 20 San Diego offer internships that provide students with real-world experience in the television news industry. These internships are paid and do not require course credit.

Production Intern Responsibilities

Learning about industry-specific technologies used to create live newscasts.
Shadowing APC Operators during pre-production and execution of newscasts.
Receiving hands-on training with Automated Production Control technology.

Qualifications for NBC 7 and Telemundo 20 Internships

Basic Requirements:
- Familiarity with Windows OS and PC environments.
- Proficiency in MS Office applications.
- Basic knowledge of TV studio operations.
Desired Characteristics:
- Tech-savvy, PC-centric.
- Eager to learn.
- Team player with a positive approach to work.
- Self-motivated.
- Strong work ethic.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Actively enrolled in a degree-granting program at an accredited institution during the entire duration of the program.
- Current class standing of sophomore or above (30 credits). Students with a class standing of junior or above preferred.
- Presently authorized to work for any employer in the United States and must not require work visa sponsorship from NBCUniversal now or in the future.
- Ability to work in-person at the San Diego station for 15 hours per week.
Additional Requirements:
- Required On-Site: This position is required to be performed in-person at our San Diego station.
- Interested candidates must submit a resume/CV through www.nbcunicareers.com to be considered.
- Must have unrestricted work authorization to work in the United States.
- Must be covered by Solutions, NBCU’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Program.
- Must be 18 years or older.
Compensation: The hourly rate for this internship is San Diego minimum wage.

NBC News Digital Internships

NBC News Digital offers internships in various areas, including product and design, data visualization, and quality engineering.

Product and Design Intern Responsibilities

Designing the future of NBC News’s digital products.
Supporting flexible systems that fuel brands like NBC News, TODAY, and Telemundo.
Involvement from strategy to execution for mobile apps, OTT platforms, web experiences, and the Big Board used on broadcast.

Data Visualization Intern Responsibilities

Explaining the news through visualizations and data analysis.
Building interactives, charts, maps, illustrations, and graphics to tell the news in a compelling way.
Finding stories that can be told in a new and visual way.

Mobile Application Development Intern Responsibilities

Working on native mobile applications across all the NBC News brands.
Collaborating with developers, product, and project management in shipping out features.
Being mentored by senior developers in the team.

Quality Engineering Intern Responsibilities

Learning quality-engineering processes and practices involved in building and delivering high-quality scalable products across NBC News’s digital platforms.
Working in an agile team and gaining exposure to all phases of SDLC.
Developing automation solutions using Selenium WebDriver, Appium, Java & JavaScript.

General Requirements for NBCUniversal Internships

Eligibility:
- Must be actively enrolled in a degree-granting program at an accredited institution during the entire duration of the program.
- Current class standing of sophomore or above (30 credits).
- Must be presently authorized to work for any employer in the United States and must not require work visa sponsorship from NBCUniversal now or in the future.
Availability:
- Must be available to work 40 hours per week during the program dates.
- Must be willing to work in the specified location (e.g., New York, NY).
Desired Characteristics:
- Students with a class standing of junior or above preferred.
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.
- Strong interest in the media industry.
- Previous internship experience and on-campus involvement.
- Strong interest in and demonstrated knowledge of current affairs.
Desired Majors:
- Journalism or Broadcast Journalism
- Digital/New Media Studies
- Communications
- Political Science
- Production
- Social Media
- English
- Business
- Meteorology

Application Process

Prepare Your Application Materials:
- Resume: Submit a one-page resume that outlines your work experience, accomplishments, and your graduation month and year.
- Cover Letter: Submit a cover letter that highlights your passion for NBCUniversal, the locations you are open to for internships, and your top areas of interest.
- Transcript: Upload a transcript (unofficial transcripts are fine) that confirms your status as an actively enrolled student in a degree-granting program.
Submit Your Application: Apply through the NBCUniversal careers website.
Recruitment Timeline:
- Applications Open: Typically in the fall (e.g., November 10 - December 5).
- First Round Video Interviews: Mid-November - Late December.
- Second Round Interviews: Mid - Late January.
- Offers: Late January - February.

Tips for a Successful Internship Experience

Professional Development: Take advantage of career prep, leadership exposure, and networking opportunities.
Contribution: Contribute to big projects in meaningful ways.
Learning: Embrace the opportunity to learn from industry leaders and gain hands-on experience.
Networking: Connect with fellow interns and industry professionals.

Intern Testimonials

Ava Rosenfels, Ad Sales, Platform Monetization, Sports Digital Planning: "The systems and processes that go into the planning, pricing, and inventory of multi-million-dollar ads, and how so many different pieces come together to make commercials possible on our sports programs! I also gained insight into how different teams across Ad Sales collaborate both pre-sale and post-sale to ensure everything runs smoothly."
Haley Pender, TODAY Show, Production: "That you cannot dwell on little mistakes for too long in the world of live production. News is constantly happening, so you have to be able to adapt to that environment. It’s not going to adapt to you and your comfortability as a researcher, correspondent, producer and so on."
Temi Oyefeso, Peacock, Strategic Analytics: "Working within the Strategic Analytics Team at Peacock during this pivotal time truly underscored the importance of making data-driven decisions. I learned how critical it is to leverage insights to inform strategy and direction, especially in a dynamic industry like streaming, where understanding user behavior and content performance is crucial to staying competitive and growing our audience."
Alysa Juarez, Universal Pictures, Creative Advertising: "Putting together highlights from Jurassic World Rebirth’s international campaign! It was great to see all the incredible things such as photo-ops, interactive activities, and even huge 3D billboards. I loved seeing a culmination of all the amazing creative materials that come from the team and learning about how these things work to create a successful campaign."
Jackson Juzang, NBC Sports, Research/Editorial: "I really enjoyed working on both NBA Finals research and Big Ten Media Day prep. For the Finals, I pulled together historical notes and context for internal use, which helped our team stay sharp on-air and behind the scenes. For Big Ten, I researched player hobbies and off-field stories, so producers had angles beyond the game itself. It was a cool mix-one project rooted in legacy and context, the other focused on making athletes feel more human to the viewer."
Gena Giardella, Executive Search, NBCUniversal: "There have been many exciting projects but the most rewarding, in my opinion, is the Media Insider project my team does. Each week the team sends out a report of the executive changes in the market, and I’ve found a couple myself and got to add them to this report."
Cris Granada, NBC Sports, Digital Video: "Meeting other interns and learning about their day-to-day departments. As I'm wanting to start my career in sports production, being in a building where all the studios are, control rooms, is most definitely an amazing experience!"
Paige Seastedt, Bravo TV, Social Marketing: "I absolutely loved getting the opportunity to meet fellow interns also working on the Universal Lot! Whether it was at intern connects, grabbing lunch, or coffee chats, I met so many amazing and like-minded individuals!"
Ava Pedorella, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Production: "I have loved exploring unfamiliar places around Rockefeller Center."
Gabriela Hevia, Entertainment Marketing Group, Project Management: "I do see myself learning more about project management. It is a crucial part of the industry, and I am passionate about organization, problem-solving, and giving support to achieve goals. I think my past experiences reflect a lot on this field, and I am happy and inspired by what could be next! I am so grateful I got to learn from the art director and designers on my team. I would love to explore that part of the team again!"

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