NEW ORLEANS (Sept 27, 2018) – It’s time now to start thinking about internships – and that’s plural.

Experiential learning, such as internships, allow us to apply what we learn in the classroom and “audition” for real-world jobs while we gain experience, according to Dr. Jonathan Wright, director of DU’s Center for Career and Professional Development.

Research from the National Association of College and Employers, or NACE, found that 61 percent of graduating seniors had participated in an internship or other experience in their field. Another 2017 NACE report on the impact of undergraduate internships suggested a link between multiple internships and getting a job or into graduate school within six months of graduation.

The report said the “strongest predictors of initial career outcomes” were GPA and the total number of internships.

Wright added internships are an effective way to network, citing statistics showing students who intern are more likely to get a job. For example, PricewaterhouseCoopers draws 70 percent of their new hires from interns. And Wright said the job experience one gets from an internship is much more valuable than the money made from internships. Often students are deterred by the lack of pay, but unpaid internships are beneficial to a resume.

Wright said, “A resume is a living document, and it grows as the student grows. Any experiential learning – internship, community service and/or job shadowing experience – should be included on a resume.”

Kaylin A. McGlothen
Sophomore
Mass Communication
Grambling