Topic 2 DQ 1: Importance of Internship
Having a degree is no longer sufficient to secure a much-needed graduate job in the current job market. The majority of the employers are currently concerned with pertinent work experience, which is equally valuable as the degree when building a thriving career. Internships are vital in helping students to amass pertinent work experience needed in their field of study and make them stand out in their professions. An internship is crucial because it serves various purposes such as presenting new opportunities and skills, provision of technical skills, developing essential soft skills, and learning how to relate with professionals in a workplace (Zehr & Korte, 2020). The selected items from the topic resource on the benefits of the internship experience include the provision of exposure to the real world and the provision of a platform to develop crucial networking connections.
Regarding the provision of exposure to the real world, participating in an internship is critical in gaining real-life exposure, developing an understanding of the career field, and establishing whether or not the career field is appropriate. Internships serve the essential role of providing first-hand experience in the career world and also providing an opportunity to acknowledge the career trajectory for the needed job title. It also provides an opportunity to learn how to implement the knowledge gained during an internship in future workplaces (Karunaratne & Perera, 2019). The other benefit of an internship is the provision of a platform to develop crucial networking connections. Internships are experiential education opportunities that provide valuable chances for students to network and develop important professional networks even before graduation (Galbraith & Mondal, 2020). The professionals that students interact with during internships enhance their chances to develop as professionals. Interns get to understand how these professionals work, the techniques they use to address challenging situations, and the strategies to get the job done.
References
Galbraith, D., & Mondal, S. (2020). The Potential Power of Internships and the Impact on Career Preparation. Research in Higher Education Journal, 38. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1263677
Karunaratne, K., & Perera, N. (2019). Students’ perception of the effectiveness of industrial internship programme. Education Quarterly Reviews, 2(4). https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3507959
Zehr, S. M., & Korte, R. (2020). Student internship experiences: learning about the workplace. Education+ Training, 62(3), 311-324. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-11-2018-0236