As collegestudents prepare to make the grade, they must also consider the demanding andcompetitive workforce that lies ahead. One way to get a jump start on theirfuture is to obtain an internship in their respective fields.
Internshipsare when individuals work before and/or during college, to prepare them forreal experiences upon graduation from college. These positions can be eitherpaid or on a volunteer basis.
“Internshipsallow you to find out if you really want to do what you are studying,” saidShannon Ross III, a senior marketing (Sales) major from San Diego. “Having aninternship will only help you.”
Ross hashad two internships, the first with Tabasco, where he was a Southern UniversityRepresentative. He conducted taste tests and advertised for the company.
The secondwas with the business 3M, where he was also a sales representative. Because ofhis hard work, diligence and performance, Ross was offered an advanced offerletter, an indication that he will be hired upon graduation.
EbonyDeanes, a University of Kansas sophomore Biology major from St. Louis, workedas a sales representative intern for Pfizer Inc. during the summer of 2004.
“Mostcompanies now prefer to train up their employees over a period of time, or lookfor people who have had a lot of experience in their particular fields,” Deanessaid. “You learn and grow so much and you go back to school more focused andgoal oriented.”
There areseveral outlets for students to learn and inquire more about internshipopportunities including job fairs, newspapers, academic advisors, websites andcampus Career Services departments.
“We lookfor experience,” said Adriana Brockman, a staffing coordinator for Gannett, alarge diversified news and information company. “G.P.A. of course, but aninternship or at least one year of experience is needed.”
INROADS, aninternship placing company, is designed to place Blacks, Hispanic/Latinos, andNative American Indians in businesses normally occupied by Caucasians.
The lateFrank C. Carr founded it in 1970 after he heard the famous and inspirational “IHave A Dream” speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Carr quit his executivelevel corporate job and committed himself to the hiring of ethnically diverseemployees in the corporate world.
Accordingto www.inroads.org, there are three keys to success for INROADS students:Selection, Education and Training, and Performance.
Theirmission is to develop and place talented minority youth in business andindustry and prepare them for corporate and community leadership. Since it’shumble beginnings in Chicago, the company has grown to an internationalorganization with more than 55 offices and 5,500 Interns at over 600 companies.
Jason Ware,an Accounting graduate of Harris-Stowe State College, had three internshipsduring his college career.
Two of themwere with Deloitte & Touché, where he was an assurance & advisoryservices intern. He was responsible for auditing clients and making sure theywere following the rules of the United States Government based on the type ofclient they were. The third was with INROADS, where he served as an Accounting& Information Systems Intern, providing administrative and accountingexperience with some emphasis in information systems.
“Bothinternships provided two completely different experiences,” Ware said. “Butboth were necessary learning experiences for my major.”
Ware admitsthat it took approximately six months before he found work.
Hecurrently works for POWER Engineers, Inc. as a Project Manager’s Assistant. Heis responsible for initiating projects, invoicing and maintaining severalcontrols for more than seventy projects.
“If youlove summers and just want to hang out, summer internships may not be for you,”Deanes said. “The long-term outcome however may be worth the sacrifice. Eachexperience continues to push your foot into the doors of opportunity.”
