Brenna Patrick
Staff Writer
Internships are becoming increasingly important as job markets become more competitive. Many internships serve to train students for success out of school.
Career Center Director Lance Erickson said students who intern for someone or a company will most likely work for that company later on if they create a good relationship with them.
The Wall Street Journal did a survey of college recruiters and reported that out of 480 recruiters, over 25 percent of them said more than 50 percent of their new-graduate hires had been previous interns in their company.
Erickson said if students want internships they can do a few things to make it happen. He said students can go to departments, teachers or any work place they find interesting in the region and simply ask if they need an intern.
Erickson thinks internships are very important because “they help students get real experience to put on their résumés.”
At Idaho State University, CPI, or Career Path Internships, are the most relevant and are mostly on the ISU campus, according to Erickson. He also added that this was the first year freshmen were allowed into the program.
Erickson said having freshman CPIs is beneficial because it is helpful to students if they start their training for the future job markets as early as possible.
CPI positions are available to any undergraduate or graduate at ISU. Erickson said you can go to the ISU Career counselor webpage and find applications.
CPIs are paid interns and Erickson said they deserve to be paid “because they are doing actual work for their field.”
Erickson stressed that to become a better candidate for the future job market, people need increased field experience under their belt.
“Students may get internships practically anywhere but they have to be the ones to ask,” said Erickson.
Students can also make their intern search easier by logging onto Bengal Jobs which can be found on the ISU website. It is another resource for students to find jobs and internships available locally, in-state or out-of-state.
For those graduating in May, Erickson proposed that around February students start looking for internships at least so they will have a chance of getting actual experience before they graduate.
Erickson advised that anyone who is graduating in December should already have found an internship and be working.
The ISU Career Center helps students and even alumni with résumé writing help, job or school application help and practice interviews, and they can help with finding and getting internships, according to Erickson.
Erickson also added that the center is there to help anyone in any way they can that’s career related but “it’s really the students’ responsibility,” to come in and start the conversation.
The center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located in Museum Building room 418.
Erickson said he hopes the center is inviting and warm and there are knowledgeable and helpful staff members working in the center to help people.
