There are a multitude of ways to define and describe an internship. The information included here is a starting point to consider what to look for in a good internship and how to find an internship that is right for you. An internship can be used to explore education, personal and career interests, to clarify values and to practice job skills that will be essential throughout your life.
Some students find internships during the summer or during time off from college.
Other students create internships with a faculty member for credit as part of their academic work. Internships vary across a range of factors including supervision, responsibilities, benefits, location, experience and the application process. Fortunately most are paid. In some organizations, the financial resources are not available to support a paid intern. If an organization does not pay, they may require interns to receive academic credit in order to comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act and union rules.