¼ø»Æʦapp

Internships: Rationale and Benefits

There are many reasons to pursue an internship:

1. Opportunity for "hands-on" experience: While ¼ø»Æʦapp may gather a great deal of information in their courses, there is no substitute for direct experience in a professional environment. Internships allow ¼ø»Æʦapp to gain direct experience.
2. Opportunity to sample various career options: Students can use internships to test their interest in and aptitude for different career areas. This enables ¼ø»Æʦapp to find out where they might fit best in a professional environment.
3. Preparation for job searches: Students prepare resumes, write cover letters, and go through interviews as if they were applying for a job. This gives ¼ø»Æʦapp valuable experience in preparation for employment.
4. Compilation of a portfolio: Certain internships allow ¼ø»Æʦapp to compile their work in a portfolio. This portfolio can later be shown to potential employers.
5. Visibility for ¼ø»Æʦapp from ¼ø»Æʦapp: Students from ¼ø»Æʦapp are given the opportunity to demonstrate their professionalism. This enhances the reputation of the University and increases the credibility of a student’s degree.
6. Incentive for academic achievement: Since only ¼ø»Æʦapp with a strong academic record are permitted to do internships for credit, the School of Communication and Multimedia Studies wants ¼ø»Æʦapp to view the internship program as an incentive to perform well in their courses.
7. Enhancement of the maturation process: Since internships require a great deal of personal responsibility, the experience provides an important step in an individual’s personal and professional maturation process.
8. Confidence building: Successful completion of an internship often provides ¼ø»Æʦapp with professional confidence.
9. Professional learning experience: The internship allows opportunities for the development of practical skills in contexts where professional criticism is both immediate and constructive. It also furnishes ¼ø»Æʦapp with opportunities to observe and understand connections between coursework and skills needed to perform effectively in a given profession. Finally, internships aid in the identification of knowledge and skills essential to doing well in a particular profession.
10. Potential employment opportunities and/or contacts: Occasionally internships lead directly into employment opportunities. Even when they do not, they provide a student entry into a professional network. Contacts made through the internship can be invaluable sources of information for securing eventual employment.

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