Beginning an Internship Program

Developing a successful internship program requires planning and organization so that neither the organization nor intern is disappointed with the experience. The clearer you are about the goals for your internship program and how those goals will be achieved, the easier it will be to implement your program. Questions that you should answer while developing your program: 

• Why do you want an internship program? What do you hope to gain from it? How will you achieve your goals? 
• What will your intern learn and gain from the experience? What tasks/responsibilities do you want your intern to perform? Who will train and supervise your intern? 
• What resources will be needed? Will you pay your intern? How much?

When setting up an internship program, remember – the intern should take as much away from the internship as the company. A good internship program provides opportunities for a student to learn about the work world and a particular industry. Involve interns in real projects and include them in meetings to listen and learn.