Internship experiences vary widely. Interns work in every conceivable type of setting, including voluntary and non-profit organizations, private industry, large and small businesses, and agencies at all levels of government. An internship might be an actual job located at the site of an organization or it could be a research project.
Interns do everything from assisting on special projects, to providing help during peak business periods and contributing special skills and knowledge. The most successful internships include a clearly delineated position description, and duties and responsibilities that are not haphazardly determined or purely clerical in nature. A good internship will expose students to professional staff and clientele, and provide opportunities for mentoring.
Career Exploration - Learn what you like and don't like about a field, a company, or a job. Your experience can help you in focusing your career direction and to get a richer sense of employment options.
Skill Building - Gain a better understanding of specific work functions such as writing press releases, managing employees, preparing reports, and more.
Networking Opportunities - Meet employees in your field of interest and their colleagues. Decide if you want to become part of this network and what it will require of you.
Learning Opportunities - Apply classroom theory to practice.
Some programs require that students complete an internship; others do not. Some internships are done for academic credit; others are done strictly for the experience and students choose not to receive credit. Each program handles internships differently and has its own set of guidelines, as outlined in the following links.
The Internship Coordinator, located in Career Development Center, can provide additional information about internships and advise students on suitable types of internship experiences. Contact the Internship Coordinator at internship@uwb.edu.
There are many avenues for finding internships. A great place to start is HuskyJobs, the online job and internship service available to University of Washington students and alumni. Opportunities are also posted in the "Career Center" in the Library Annex. Additionally, there are numerous online resources. Be aware that a successful internship is with a company or organization whose culture/mission matches your own values.
Target specific organizations and approach them directly (whether or not you know of openings; small organizations are often good prospects).
Network with your instructors, friends and contacts in the community. Get your network working for you - make sure you let others know you are looking for an internship. You never know were the perfect internship will come from.
