Internship Opportunities and Outcomes

If you are currently on an internship or about to wrap one up, this is for you. Internships and co-ops shape more than your résumé; they shape how you think, work, and build relationships that last a lifetime.  Here are a few lessons that shaped my journey and could help you, too: 🔹 𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Every organization values those who create impact. Don’t just complete tasks. Look for problems to solve, no matter how small. During one of my past co-op roles, I worked on a project where our brainstormed ideas helped save billions in future projected costs. That came from paying attention, contributing, and working with a multidisciplinary team with 10,000+ years of combined experience across local and global projects. 🔹 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐃𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲 Study the values, culture, and policies of your workplace. The more you understand what drives the organization, the easier it becomes to align your contribution with real impact. 🔹 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐀𝐠𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 & 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 Some of the most important doors in my career were opened by relationships I built during internships. Your next mentor, advisor, or sponsor may not come through a qualification, but through a genuine connection. Up till today, I still get calls from my past supervisors I once worked with, to consult on problems I helped solve as an intern. 🔹 𝐁𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐥𝐝 & 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐮𝐭 Confidence is noticed. Share your ideas, volunteer for challenges, and leave a footprint of contribution. What people remember is the impact you created, not the hours you spent. 🔹 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 Before your internship ends, have deliberate conversations with your manager, supervisor, or team lead. Ask for feedback on your performance, seek mentorship opportunities, and request recommendation letters. These will serve as bridges for the next phase of your career. Here are a few sample questions you can ask: 💡 What did I do well? 💡 What could I have done differently? 💡 Would you be open to mentoring me beyond this role? 💡 Could I request a recommendation letter for future opportunities? These conversations are priceless; they provide clarity, open doors, and create connections that last far beyond the internship. At the end of the day, one truth remains: you cannot rush or substitute experience. Every day on the job is shaping the professional you are becoming. So to every intern reading this: be intentional, be courageous, and leave your footprint. 👉 Who’s the one intern in your circle that needs this reminder today? Share this with them.

Today is #NationalInternDay, and it’s the perfect time to highlight one of the clearest findings in early talent recruiting: paid internships produce better outcomes for students and employers. Over the past several months, I’ve shared research about the critical role internships play in developing skills, strengthening the college-to-career pipeline, and helping employers build future talent. Our data also reinforces an important point: if employers are serious about their internship program, they should pay their interns.  NACE has long maintained that internships should be paid, even when students receive academic credit. When a student takes an internship for academic credit (1 to 3 hours of credits), and it is unpaid... remember this, the student is paying for the credit, then working 20-40 hours for free. Let’s face, that’s just unfair. The data about unpaid internships continue to validate that position. Compared to students in unpaid internships, those in paid internships were: -More satisfied with their internship experience (86% vs. 81%) -More likely to want to accept a full-time offer from that employer (72% vs. 68%) -More likely to convert into full-time employees (66% vs. 56%) -More likely to receive at least one job offer before graduation (54% vs. 40%) For employers, the return on investment is equally compelling. Paying interns expands access to talent by removing financial barriers that prevent many students from accepting opportunities. It strengthens your employer brand, improves your ability to attract top candidates, increases engagement during the internship, and ultimately creates a stronger pipeline of future hires. For students, the benefits extend well beyond the internship itself. Paid internships provide meaningful work experience, accelerate skill development, increase career confidence, and are associated with stronger employment outcomes, including more job offers and higher starting salaries than students with unpaid or no internship experience. At a time when organizations are focused on building skills, improving productivity, and securing future talent, paying interns isn't simply the right thing to do, it's one of the smartest investments an employer can make. The evidence is clear: Everyone wins when internships are paid. #NationalInternDay #Internships #EarlyTalent #CampusRecruiting #FutureOfWork #CareerReadiness #TalentAcquisition #SkillsBasedHiring #unpaidisunfair National Association of Colleges and Employers

👏 Congratulations to Strada Education Foundation and the Center for Research on College-Workforce Transitions (CCWT) at UW-Madison on another strong research report around Work-Based Learning! Internships and Beyond: Strengthening Career Value Across Diverse Models of Work-Based Learning. This new report draws on insights from over 2,000 graduating seniors to examine how different WBL models, paid and unpaid internships, practicum, undergraduate research, and project-based learning, shape perceived career readiness. A few key takeaways: 🔹 Students highlighted social capital (building professional relationships) and technical skill development as the two most powerful drivers of career value. 🔹 Practicums, paid/unpaid internships, and undergraduate research stood out across multiple dimensions, including mentorship, relevance, and skill-building. 🔹 And while paid internships often ranked highest, we’re reminded that: Only 25% of public university graduates participated in a paid internship, and that number hasn’t changed since 2013. As we look toward more scalable and accessible models, it’s worth noting that unpaid internships showed clear parallels to paid ones, particularly in developing technical skills relevant to a range of careers and expanding professional networks. These shared benefits underscore how structure, relevance, and support shape outcomes, regardless of compensation. But here’s what I keep thinking about: 💬 First, social capital. We know most jobs are filled through networks. And in this report, students pointed to social capital, building meaningful professional relationships, as a top driver of career value. So should we be viewing social capital not just as a “nice to have,” but as a necessary condition for career success? If so, we may want to double down on WBL experiences that generate strong network growth and career connections, not just task experience. 💡 Second, where are durable skills and workplace norms? The report didn’t touch on them, possibly because they’re harder to observe in undergraduate research or project-based learning. But communication, reliability, adaptability, and ability to navigate workplace norms are what employers consistently say are missing in early-career candidates. So how are we capturing and teaching those? And where do they show up across WBL formats? These are just a few of the lenses we might apply when prioritizing and evaluating work-based learning, not just for perceived value, but for real career outcomes.

Within 24 hours of posting my summer internship role, it garnered over 18,000 views and approximately 100 amazing applications, showcasing the incredible talent available. If you're not hiring interns this summer, you're making a huge mistake, and here's why. When I started my first company, I initially hired interns mainly due to budget constraints. However, in retrospect, those interns turned out to be some of the most valuable long-term hires I ever made. They demonstrated remarkable dedication and hard work, eager to prove themselves. Their loyalty was unparalleled, grateful for the opportunity we provided when no one else would. My personal experience echoes this sentiment, as my first significant role at Microsoft began as an internship within the Exchange/Outlook team. What stood out to me was the company commitment to meaningful work over menial tasks. I wasn't relegated to fetching coffee; instead, I engaged in substantial, customer-focused work alongside other engineers. Inspired by this, I implemented several core principles when hiring interns for my own company: 1. Equal Hiring Standards: The criteria for hiring an intern are identical to those for a full-time employee. While it's common to lower the bar for interns, we differentiate between experience and execution capability. Interns might have less domain-specific experience, but they can still excel in execution and productivity. 2. Equal Work Expectations: Our expectations for an intern's work output mirror that of a full-time employee. This approach ensures that while interns might need more time to complete tasks due to their learning curve, the quality of work remains high. The internship is a learning opportunity to develop real-world skills, and lowering expectations would compromise both the work quality and the learning experience. By maintaining consistent standards for hiring and work output, we foster a culture of respect and meritocracy. The exceptional talent responding to my posting confirms that there are many outstanding individuals out there deserving of opportunities. I highly recommend hiring interns; they might just be the best investment you make.

Internships are your fastest path to a great job! During my bachelor’s degree, I did 5 internships in 5 different domains—each one building on the last. That diverse experience helped me land my first product management internship in the U.S., which then led to another offer as a PM. Eventually, all these experiences combined made me a strong candidate for my current job! In today’s ultra-competitive job market, internships aren’t just optional—they’re essential. They help you stand out and increase your chances of landing interviews. I started with an unpaid internship because I lacked experience, but I used that as a stepping stone. One opportunity led to another, and soon, I was working with some of the best companies out there. 👩🏻💻If you’re a student: ✅ Find internships early – Many top companies start hiring interns months in advance. Set up alerts on job boards like LinkedIn, Handshake, and Glassdoor. Maybe say yes to an unpaid internship? ✅ Network your way in – 80% of jobs aren’t posted online. Reach out to alumni, attend career fairs, and connect with industry professionals on LinkedIn. ✅ Leverage side projects – If you don’t have experience, create it! Work on personal projects, contribute to open-source, or freelance to build a portfolio. ✅ Be open to startups & smaller companies – Big brands are competitive, but startups offer hands-on experience and faster growth opportunities. ✅ Keep learning – Certifications, online courses, and workshops can help you gain new skills that make you a stronger candidate. By the time you graduate, you’ll already have a competitive edge in your job search! 🚀 #career #tips #students #linkedin #internship

#GetSetIntern – From Stipend to Salary - Part 1 "𝑴𝒂’𝒂𝒎, 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝑰 𝒈𝒐 𝒂𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒏 𝒖𝒏𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑? 𝑰 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒈𝒐𝒕 𝒂𝒏 𝒖𝒏𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑, 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒑 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑨𝑰 𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒍𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒔!" That was Vivek — a 2nd-year engineering student I was coaching last summer. His friends mocked him: 🤣 "What will you even learn without a stipend?" 🤣"You’re doing someone else's work for free!" But Vivek had 𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚 most students don’t. He said: “I want to see what I like before 𝑰 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰’𝒍𝒍 𝒅𝒐 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆.” 3️⃣ months later: He had hands-on project #experience, his first GitHub push, and LinkedIn endorsements from startup #mentors . 6️⃣ months later: He got a paid internship with a #product company. Currently, he is interning with a unicorn—and on track for a pre-placement offer (PPO). Too many students wait until their final year to get "serious." But internship is #not just a checkbox. ✅ It’s the lab where your skills meet the real world. Here's why internships matter more than ever in 2025 🎯Real-world exposure beyond classroom theory 🎯Build a job-ready resume before graduation 🎯Learn communication, collaboration & confidence 🎯Networking with mentors and industry professionals 🎯Open the door to PPOs and global career clarity Tag a student who needs to see this. Share if you believe every student deserves career guidance. #GetSetIntern #InternshipIndia #StudentLife #engineering #CampusToCorporate #CareerCoach #SoftSkillsTrainer #LinkedInForStudents #InternshipOpportunity #PPOReady #AIcareers #StudentSuccess #CareerKickstart #LearningByDoing

I’ve been seeing this question pop up more and more—thank you for raising it, Oshadha Goonathilaka. As someone working in Talent Acquisition, I get messages almost every day from students looking for internship opportunities—especially in IT. It’s clear the landscape has changed quite a bit compared to just a few years ago. Here’s what I’ve observed, both from a recruiter’s lens and the reality of what companies are looking for: So, what’s different now? 🧩 More students, fewer spots The number of IT undergrads has increased rapidly, but the number of quality internship placements hasn’t kept up. That naturally creates more competition. 🧩 Higher expectations from interns Internships aren’t just “learning opportunities” anymore. Many companies—especially startups and lean teams—expect interns to add value from day one. 🧩 Remote work changed the game Post-COVID, remote/hybrid setups became common. But not every student is equipped to thrive in self-managed environments. It takes maturity and initiative to work well without constant supervision. 🧩 The skills gap is real Unfortunately, some academic programs still focus heavily on theory or outdated tech. That mismatch can make it tough for students to hit the ground running in modern tech stacks and agile workflows. What can students do to stand out? 🏗️ Show what you can do—not just what you’ve learned Personal projects, GitHub contributions, freelance gigs—anything that demonstrates your initiative and problem-solving skills is gold. 🏗️ Sharpen your fundamentals Strong understanding of basics like data structures, OOP, and databases still matter more than jumping from framework to framework. 🏗️ Practice problem solving Platforms like HackerRank, LeetCode, or even simple code challenges go a long way in developing structured thinking—which is what many hiring managers assess first. 🏗️ Don’t ignore soft skills Being a good communicator, a reliable team player, and someone who can take feedback well matters more than most people think—especially in remote teams. 🏗️ Network genuinely Share your journey, connect with professionals, ask thoughtful questions. LinkedIn is a powerful space when used meaningfully. 💬 Final thought: Internships are still very much out there—but students need to approach them with a mindset of readiness and initiative. Instead of only searching for opportunities, build yourself into the kind of candidate companies are eager to bring in. Happy to connect with students and share insights when I can—feel free to reach out. Students and professionals—what do you think has changed most about internships today? Would love to hear your take. #Internships #TalentAcquisition #ITindustry #SriLanka #EarlyTalent #RecruitmentInsights Image courtesy: @ankitrathor

𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀: 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁-𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 Internship programmes are often treated as a seasonal exercise... something to fill the immediate gaps or to offer students a brief exposure to work. The most effective organisations see internships very differently. They treat them as a strategic investment in future talent. When designed well, internships are not about observation. Instead, they are about contribution. Interns should not be on the sidelines. They should be solving real problems, working alongside teams, and seeing how their work connects to business outcomes. That shift requires intentional design: 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 A strong programme starts with clear learning outcomes and defined success measures for both the intern and the organisation. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸, 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 Meaningful work builds capability and confidence. It also gives organisations an authentic way to assess potential, far beyond interviews or assessments. 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗜𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Interns thrive when they are embedded into teams, exposed to leaders, and given visibility across the organisation. They should not be treated as temporary add-ons. 𝗔 𝗣𝗶𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲 The best internship experiences don’t end when the placement does. They become a critical feeder into the organisation’s long-term talent strategy—reducing time to hire, improving retention, and strengthening employer brand. In a world where talent is increasingly scarce and expectations are evolving, internships are no longer a “𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦”. They are one of the most powerful levers we have to shape the workforce of tomorrow, starting today. #DrJaclynLee #TalentStrategy #InternshipProgramme #EarlyCareers #TalentPipeline #NextGenTalent

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve had a handful of coffee chats—some with professionals, others with interns and students currently navigating their internships. One question kept coming up: What can I do to secure a return offer? I’ve been there, and I know how much that question weighs on your mind, especially as you hit the midpoint or start thinking about how to wrap up strong. When I interned at AWS, a few intentional moves helped me turn that experience into a return offer. 1. Get clear on expectations Have a direct conversation with your manager about what success looks like. Set goals, schedule midpoint check-ins with mentor, manager and work backwards from a clear plan. 2. Track your progress Keep a running doc of what you’re working on, who you meet, feedback you receive, and lessons learned. This helps with final presentations, and reflection. 3. Ask for feedback early and often Don’t wait for your exit review. Ask what’s going well and what to improve while you still have time to act on it. It shows committed to growing and gives you time to make real adjustments. 4. Stay organized and manage your time It’s easy to get disorganized towards the end of your internship and you start to lose track. Use a system that works for you—calendar, task list, Notion, etc. Stay on top of your work so nothing slips through the cracks. 5. Be proactive and add value Say yes to new opportunities and look for ways to contribute beyond your project. Leading a task, supporting a teammate, organizing a team building activity. Just be intentional—impact > quantity. 6. Build meaningful connections Network with people outside your team. Schedule coffee chats, quick intros, staying after meetings to ask questions. This all counts, follow up, and stay curious. These relationships often outlast the internship itself, they can become mentors, advocates or even friends. 7. Show your growth, not just results Speak up in meetings, and reflect on how you’ve grow not just what you’ve done. Let your team see your progress in real time. How have you adapted what you’ve learned? Growth over time is just as valuable as the final results. 8. Work on both technical and soft skills Yes - master the tools, write clean code, build the dashboard. But, also practice communication, time management, collaboration, and self-awareness. These skills will set you apart. 9. Build your personal brand on LinkedIn Connect with the people you meet. Share what you’re learning, showcase your journey. A thoughtful presence can leave a lasting impression and open doors. 10. Keep your resume updated Make weekly updates to your resume, write down your wins and impact while it’s happening. This saves time later and keeps your achievements accurate. Finishing strong isn’t about doing everything perfectly. It means being thoughtful, consistent, and intentional with how you show up. Let me know which of these help and share your own tip.

Transitioning service members entering a SkillBridge internship: It may not be your dream job, and that’s perfectly fine. Consider this story: I was mentoring a job seeker transitioning from operations to a human resources SkillBridge internship at a Fortune 100 company. He was initially thrilled - ideal company, perfect location. However, just one month in, he realized this career path wasn't for him. During an update call, he explained that while nothing was wrong with HR or the company, he missed the dynamics of leading a team and was now considering a shift back to operations. Fortunately, his current organization offered pathways to operations that allowed him to shift his professional direction. The realization he had during the internship also re-energized his external job search. Eventually, he secured a new operations leadership role at another organization, which aligned well with his career goals. This story isn't a critique of SkillBridge but an illustration of its value. These internships provide a unique opportunity to test a career path and decide if it's truly right for you. Keep your options open, continue your search, and use the internship experience to enhance your resume and clarify your professional aspirations. It's all part of the transition journey to finding a career path that works for you.