Every career has a beginning, just like every story has to start somewhere. Internships are a great way to help people gain experience with hands-on projects and everyday tasks within a company. Any company can decide if they want to create an internship program.

As credit unions, we have many internship opportunities! Interns help bring in a fresh perspective and innovation, Build talent, enhance company culture, and strengthen community and industry ties. Credit unions encompass many different positions, which gives interns the chance to work with other teams and gain the experience they deserve.

College students primarily learn about their potential careers in class, but it can be difficult for them to fully understand the work they will be doing without hands-on experience. Companies want to ensure that their internship programs help these individuals grow and aim toward success. Yes, we could assign them tasks and go on with other day-to-day tasks but is this the best way to give them the best internship experience?

There are many ways to create an effective internship program that helps hopeful interns gain a passion for their career paths.

Define your program

Before a company creates an internship program, it must define its purpose and how it wants to structure it. What does your company hope to gain from this program? Are you looking for short-term help on a project? Will the program be regularly occurring?

Companies may start internship opportunities to either help people gain experience, showcase new career opportunities within their industries, or look to hire new employees. These are all important questions to ask because to make any program effective, there must be certain goals and purposes.

These structures influence every decision and addition made to the program and help define its overall success. Defining the structure can also help to identify what kind of interns a company is looking for and if their values align with the company’s mission, goals, and culture.

Define the work

Internship programs need to specify the work interns will be doing. It is vital to make the interns feel valued and included in the company. This can also be an opportunity to allow interns to express their goals and what they hope to gain from this experience. This helps define what responsibilities to assign them and ensure that they grow within their careers.

Giving interns valuable work not only allows them to learn but to feel a part of a team. This work also provides them with the chance to become passionate about what they are doing and the career path they are choosing. Providing interns with important work not only helps the company’s employees move further along with certain projects or work but also builds upon the intern’s skills and knowledge.

The work that companies give to interns should also emphasize what skills and experience a company and the interns themselves want to gain. Internships should know the skills they will be working on, what expectations are upon them during their time in the program, and how these expectations will lead them toward success.

Leaders and managers who have years of experience know the kind of work that interns will potentially see within their careers. Hence, why handing off valuable work and taking time to teach will better prepare interns for their future careers. Assigning mentors to each intern is a great way to ensure that they are being taught and supported during their time within the program. Assigning valuable projects and taking time to teach interns also can create excitement and connectivity in the company.

Intern work is not grunt work

Interns should not be treated as though they are doing only the brunt of the work. Handing off tasks that employees don’t want to do can make the interns feel undervalued and not a part of the team. Managers must help coach these interns and guide them to build upon valuable skills that they will take with them moving forward.

Outside of work, internship programs can create events that show the company’s appreciation and motivation to provide them with more opportunities to grow. Performance reviews, special training opportunities, and lunches with executives are a few examples of ways to include interns within the company culture and provide more time for growth.

Interns should have the opportunity to explore other career opportunities within the company. It can be difficult to choose a career if you have never had hands-on experience. Interns may be surprised when they find a career choice that is more interesting than their original career decision.

Internships should feel encouraged to speak up about their needs and what they hope to gain during their time with the company. Providing interns the opportunity and flexibility to explore other key departments that pique their interest gives them time to gain experience and the assurance about what they want their futures to look like.

Start building your program

Internships can be a critical piece of company development, company culture, and connectivity within employees, teams, and departments. If your company does not have an internship program, there are many benefits that can help companies succeed. With proper research and time, any company can create a successful program.