Students aren't the only ones who benefit from an internship. Employers also profit when they open their doors to soon-to-be graduates.
How Employers Can Benefit from Offering Internships
Consider the following four employer benefits outlined in a recent collegiate article.
- Reap immediate rewards without a hiring commitment
Mary Anderson and Carrie Taylor Kemp from The College of St. Scholastica's Career Services department point out that the days of unpaid interns fetching coffee or spending hours making copies are long gone. "The expectation—for both the student and employer—is a professional, valuable, compensated experience that benefits both parties."
- Evaluate up-and-coming talent
By identifying young talent and offering internship opportunities, organizations have an opportunity akin to an extended interview that goes far beyond traditional interviewing processes. "Internships allow employers time to assess a student for competency, drive and cultural fit," offers Christopher K. Lee, career consultant and founder of PurposeRedeemed.
- Expose young professionals to their brand
In addition to viewing internships as an opportunity to get an in-depth evaluation of soon-to-be graduates, organizations can also use them as a chance to introduce the up-and-coming generation of industry professionals to the unique aspects, offerings and needs of their brand.
Since many internships are coordinated with school programs, Lee explains the benefits of exposing those entering the workforce to the company's brand. "Employers leverage these relationships to inform educators on current needs and in-demand skills in the workforce," he explains.
- Learn from students' fresh perspectives
"As an employer, I found some of the best, most innovative ideas were coming from the interns," offers Kaitlyn Trabucco, founder of Educents by CoLearn, a parenting marketplace for educational resources, stating that they often offer fresh eyes and unparalleled enthusiasm. "The interns were the ones who were willing to take on the dirty work and pick up the tasks others didn't necessarily want to do, but some of the best findings came out of those projects."
Just as students reap the benefits of an organization mentoring, teaching and guiding them in their learning processes, employers can learn just as much from their interns. "Employers report discovering new perspectives, energy and specialized skill sets through their interns," Anderson and Taylor Kemp explain.
A Well-Established Local Option
Summer on the Cuyahoga (SOTC) is a summer internship program for a select group of regional colleges and universities from Ohio, the East Coast, and the greater Midwest. Cleveland is the focal point and gathering place each summer for 70 to 80 students from our nine partner schools.
Since 2003, SOTC has been providing students with professional opportunities enriched by all the best that Northeast Ohio has to offer, from civic and social events to alumni networking and community engagement. Students are offered group housing in Cleveland for the duration of the program, making local internships seamless and summer programming impactful.
Summer on the Cuyahoga is a win-win for employers and students. Employers provide challenging and enriching paid internships, and students get connected with anchor institutions and businesses spanning the non-profit, private, and governmental sectors—including manufacturing companies.
Our Experience
In 2022, Manufacturing Works posted an opportunity with SOTC for the first time and had great success. The experience was seamless from the posting, through the interview process, the eight weeks of the internship, and, finally, to the closing ceremony.
We identified three promising candidates, but quickly narrowed it to the one we thought would be the best fit for our team. Our intern Gloria, a student at Case Western University, brought a new perspective to our work. Some of you may have interacted with her as she helped us prepare for our networking picnics last summer. Additionally, we were able to introduce Gloria, and perhaps a few of her fellow interns, to the opportunities available in the manufacturing sector.