Here are some practical skills you can gain with an internship as a student!

Oral and written communication 

When you intern at an organization or company, there are events you attend because you are a part of their team. These are events you may not have thought about attending had you not been an intern there, for instance, annual conferences, virtual webinars, meetings, coffee chats, and so much more. As an intern, these events require great communication skills via email, LinkedIn, messages, etc. because you are informing your organization’s audience to not miss out on the incredible opportunity that awaits them. Thus, before the event, you may send hundreds of emails, and write numerous paraphrases of what to expect, and what the goals of the event are. This puts you in a unique position to learn about the most concise way to inform and engage your target audience. During the event, you may find yourself surrounded by CEOs, council members, Presidents, Vice Presidents, and many more influential people. As a college student, it is crucial to get out of your comfort zone and network with the people at these events. You learn how important it is to speak clearly, listen to their advice, and ask questions about their journey, as well as steps you could potentially take to where you want to go. After the conference or webinar, I would encourage taking out that business card and thanking the people who took the time to get to know you. Connect with them on LinkedIn. Schedule future coffee chats. See what they are up to once in a while. As an intern, you really learn to muster up the courage to make yourself known and that starts with how you communicate with those around you.  
 

Work ethic 

College students get to a point where they need a strong recommendation. That can be difficult when your reputation precedes you as unreliable, constantly running late, falling behind, or disengaged. An internship is an opportunity to build a strong foundation for your brand: you! This opportunity allows you to show your supervisor that you are punctual, reliable, dedicated, focused, and open-minded. You quickly learn to ask questions, be more engaged, and become passionate about the work that you are doing. As an intern, you gain a strong work ethic because you take a moment to decide that you want others to know how great you are. And, that starts when your supervisor sees all of the above qualities in you and your work.  

Sector knowledge 

An intern can work for a non-profit organization, a for-profit organization, an institution, a private company, etc. You will likely gain a better understanding of how non-profits are managed, or a better understanding of how jobs in academia work. Regardless of what sector you intern in, the knowledge you gain about this field will be invaluable. Exploring as many different sectors as you can will help you determine where you would like to work in the future: what are the pros and cons of academia? Would I like to work for a non-profit? How will my previous experience in a private company relate to my future career? All of these questions and answers are crucial to your growth in any field. Thus, being able to answer these questions based on lived experience is even more important.  

How your time as an intern will help you in the long run 

There are several other ways your internship will positively impact you and your career path, other than the ones mentioned above. A huge chunk of your time spent at any internship already reflects numerous qualities to your future employer: dedication, hands-on experience, loyalty, reliability, and more. Not only will you be an asset to your future team based on internship experience, but you will be putting yourself in a great position to be a competitive candidate for that job, post-graduate program, or other. Most importantly, as an intern, you will likely build connections and relationships with people that will last a lifetime. Whether this be meeting CEOs, future CEOs, and friends, networking is the best lesson and takeaway that will help you when applying for your desired position. Overall, your experience as an intern will help you become more well-rounded.