Andrea Sanmiguel/Contributing Writer
Andres Pena, electrical and biomedical engineering graduate student, interned for his senior year as an undergraduate and said it was this experience that helped him secure a job as a support engineer for a local medical device company.
The University is granting students more and more internship opportunities, with an increase of 13.8 percent from 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 in students with courses that required internships and student placed in internships through Career Services, according to an email from Media Relations. “ Than number does not surprise me at all, due to the fact that students know that’s the key to success,” says Assistant Director for Internships Matt Tanner.
An even larger increase of 88 percent from 2010-2011 and the 2011-2012 school years was reported by the Office of Institutional Research.
As the number of internships increase, reasons why students intern are becoming more clear.
Juan Neira, junior art history major, said students can have a degree, but if they don’t have experience, they will not get hired.
Pena agreed. “Most jobs require some sort of experience, even if they are entry level.”
Internships have created a buzz the last couple of years. Students are realizing now more than ever that there are multiple advantages to internships opportunities. They are seeing it from their colleagues and friends, hearing it from professors and when they come into career services.
“It’s very competitive in the job market right now, and you have to build a network for yourself, you have to have experience and for a college student the best way to get that is through an internship” says Tanner.
When it comes to applying for these programs, students can get confused as to what steps they should take to achieve work as an intern. Tanner, who is located in the Career Services office, specializes in helping students develop professionally.
“Having a high GPA or having a college major that individuals are looking for are just a small piece of the pie now. What all employers seek is actual real world, first hand experience,” said Tanner.
As for those who are having trouble identifying what programs to apply for, Tanner explained that it doesn’t matter in which area a student majors; employers are open to interns with different areas of studies. Students can think outside the box. Employers also see this as an advantage because they can turn interns into full time employees.
[pullquote]“A classic mistake students make is thinking they have a chosen major and that they are only able to work or intern for an organization that sits perfectly with their industry,” said Tanner.[/pullquote]
The increase may point to this realization that there are more opportunities if a student ventures outside of their major or interest, according to Tanner. He said that no matter your major, there is no limit to the possibilities of what can be learned through an internship at any level.
For those interested in applying or more information about the programs, there will be an internship fair on Sept. 11. The career fair on Sept. 18 will host employers offering various internship opportunities.
– news@fiusm.com
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