Navigating Internships at the University of Minnesota: A Comprehensive Guide

Internships are more than just resume boosters; they are vital stepping stones that bridge the gap between academic knowledge and real-world application. Employers increasingly seek graduates who not only possess theoretical understanding but also demonstrate practical experience within their chosen fields. At the University of Minnesota (UMN), internships are viewed as extensions of the classroom, offering invaluable learning experiences that allow students to apply their knowledge in professional settings. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of internships at UMN, covering everything from finding opportunities to maximizing the experience.

The Value of Internships

Internships provide field-specific training and experience, offering students pre-professional work experience under supervision. These opportunities add value to organizations through meaningful student work. An internship is a learning experience that provides for applying the knowledge gained in the classroom. There are clearly defined learning objectives / goals related to the professional goals of the student’s academic coursework.

Internships can be paid or unpaid, and they may or may not be undertaken for academic credit. They can be formal or informal, varying in hours and length, and can take place at any point during formal education or after graduation.

Co-operative Education (Co-ops) at UMN

Co-operative education, or co-ops, is a structured approach to gaining practical experience. It involves alternating semesters of full-time enrollment with semesters of full-time, paid employment directly related to a student's academic program.

Eligibility and Application

Students can apply for co-op programs after completing their sophomore year. Approval from the academic department is required, based on GPA and completed coursework. Applications should be submitted around the midpoint of the sophomore year.

Structure and Requirements

Most co-op programs commence during the summer or fall semester. Each work session is designed to expose students to increasing levels of responsibility and experience. Students must complete a minimum number of work sessions to fulfill co-operative education requirements.

Compensation and Academic Credit

Co-op positions are paid, and students may also receive academic credit for their work experience. A letter grade or other designation may be assigned upon completion of each work session. Both the student and their employer are required to complete periodic evaluations, which are then shared with the academic department.

Finding Internship and Co-op Opportunities

There are multiple avenues for UMN students to locate internships or co-operative education experiences:

On-Campus Interviews: Some employers conduct interviews directly on campus.
Resume Referrals: Some employers request resume referrals of interested students.
Online Postings: Many employers post current opportunities online.
Handshake: Start with Handshake, the University of Minnesota’s free job and internship search database. Click on the “Jobs” tab at the top of the page. On the page that follows, click on the “Internship” button to display the entire list of internship opportunities.
CLA Internship & Career Fair: Attend the CLA Internship & Career Fair, an annual event where you can explore internship opportunities with a wide variety of organizations that are hiring CLA students for internships.

Internship Agreement Form

Students will complete an Internship Agreement Form on Handshake once they have a confirmed internship listing the total number of hours for the internship, position description and list of responsibilities and learning goals. Internship Supervisors and faculty members will electronically sign the Internship Agreement Form on Handshake.

Earning Academic Credit for Internships

Each UMN college and department manages internships differently. It is the student's responsibility to consult with their department and/or academic advisor to determine eligibility for academic credit.

Read also: History of the Block 'M'

Typically, if a student can pursue an internship for credit, the department will require the student and their supervisor to complete and sign a learning agreement. This agreement outlines the specific goals and intended outcomes of the internship. The process is initiated by the student and department.

Creating Internships: A Guide for Employers

Career & Internship Services encourages employers to develop internship programs, as they benefit both students and organizations.

Benefits for Employers

Staffing Needs: Interns can address current staffing needs on special projects. Interns allow employers to meet current staffing needs on special projects.
Potential Full-Time Employees: Internships allow employers to assess potential full-time employees with minimal risk and expense. Internships allow employers to test out a possible full-time employee with minimal risk and expense.
Increased Retention: Interns hired full-time tend to have longer tenures due to a better understanding of their fit within the organization, leading to increased retention. Interns hired full-time typically stay longer with the organization since they are sure of their fit leading to increased retention.
Fresh Perspectives: Interns bring energy, technology skills, and innovative ideas to the organization. Interns bring great energy, excellent technology skills as well as innovative and fresh ideas to your organization.
Talent Pipeline: Competitive hiring advantage and talent pipeline.

Resources for Employers

A valuable resource for developing internship programs is "Starting and Maintaining a Quality Internship Program" created by the National Society for Experiential Education. Career & Internship Services staff can also provide consultation on developing productive internships.

Remote/Virtual Internships

While in-person internships offer valuable exposure to workplace culture and on-site professional relationships, remote internships provide distinct advantages. Remote internships give students the opportunity to flex and grow multiple skills required by the task, including digital literacy, while adding value to your organization.

Benefits of Remote Internships

Broader Applicant Pool: Access to a more diverse range of candidates and expanded geographical reach. Broader applicant pool allowing for a greater diversity of candidates and expanded geographical access.
Flexibility: Greater flexibility in internship length and potential cost savings. Flexibility in length of internship and potential cost savings.
Increased Capacity: Enhanced ability to advance organizational goals through creative solutions. Increased capacity to advance your organization’s mission and goals through creative solutions.
Gen Z Insights: Access to new ideas from "digital natives". Tap new ideas from Gen Z - commonly referred to as “digital natives.”

Tips for Successful Remote Internships

Workspace & Technology: Provide necessary equipment, virtual workspace, and access (e.g., VPN) for remote interns. Examples of software could include: GSuite, MS Office Teams, Google Drive, DropBox, Zoom, Go to Meeting, Google Hangouts, Join.me, Skype & Canva, etc.
Communication: Maintain regular communication through scheduled check-ins. Maintaining regular communication with remote interns is critical for success. Set regular times - at least once a week -to synchronously connect. These check-ins provide an opportunity to build rapport with interns, answer questions, check on work progress and offer feedback. Additionally, identify tools such as Trello or Slack that work best for your organization to manage projects, and communicate quick questions, updates, and daily work goals.
Training: Incorporate training on software and tools as part of the orientation process. Incorporate training on the software and tools you are using as a part of orientation.
Asynchronous Work: Encourage interns to share their work schedules to promote structure and accountability. It’s okay and even likely that dedicated time spent on work projects will not align for both the remote intern and supervisor. It is a good idea in this environment to ask interns to share a schedule of when they will complete their hours. This sets up structure, encourages accountability and identifies times both parties can connect synchronously.
Learning Goals & Detailed Work Plan: Establish clear goals and action plans through a Learning Agreement. A Learning Agreement - employer or university designed, for the purpose of establishing clear goals, tracking the action plan to achieve those goals and identifying how to measure progress - is even more critical in a remote internship. When discussing learning goals, contextualize projects interns are working on so they understand how their contributions fit into the larger goals or efforts of your organization. Finally, a learning agreement can serve as the basis for a weekly work plan and provide structure for remote work for both you and your intern.
Intern Engagement: Facilitate connections with colleagues through virtual meetings and informational interviews. Establishing a professional network is a key advantage of internship participation and although more challenging is still achievable in a remote setting. Intentionally support your intern in connecting with colleagues across departments or in your field about specific project needs or for informational interviews. When possible, facilitate interns connecting with one another through virtual lunch meetings, virtual coffee hours or a Slack channel just for interns.
Feedback: Provide regular and clear feedback on work progress. Providing clear and regular feedback about work projects is even more essential in a remote environment. Consider ways to deliver real-time feedback about work progress to ensure the intern is clear about what they are doing well and areas for improvement. Additionally, encourage the intern to share how the process of working remotely is going.

Internship Pay

Like full-time salaries, internship pay varies by field. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has information on average wages.

Read also: Legacy of Fordham University

Pitch Your Own Internship

Pitch your own internship to customize your experience or connect with a particular organization.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for International Students

If you are an international student (F-1) and you would like to pursue a paid internship, you will need Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization. Many CLA departments have internship courses (3896) that fulfill CPT requirements.

Resources

Handshake: University of Minnesota's job and internship search database.
CLA Career Readiness Guide: Covers how to find an internship in the "CLA Career Management Model: Experience" section.
National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE): Information on average internship wages. Position Statement on Unpaid Internships.
National Society for Experiential Education: Starting and Maintaining a Quality Internship Program (PDF).
Internship Programs under The Fair Labor Standards Act: Unpaid Internship.
CLA created a “How to Find an Internship” module to help you explore the many ways CLA students have found internships and provide background on search strategies so you can choose a strategy that will work for you.
Internship Learning Agreement Overview (PDF)
Internship Site Expectations (PDF)

tags: #university #of #minnesota #internships