Topic > The role of internships in career development

Traditional internships have been a Western concept, but they have spread across the world and have a role to play in a student's life. Statistics say that in 2016 the amount gradually increased by double compared to the 20th century. It is a form of work-based learning where academic knowledge is applied to the organization. During an internship, university students observe, learn and take on responsibilities by actively participating in some tasks assigned to them and possibly supporting the company's entrepreneurial activities. Simply put, internship serves as a link between academic learning and actual workplace operations. Both organizations and students gain mutual benefits. Students in various fields accept internship programs as part of their academics. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Many universities and teachers mentor interns and support students in finding the right company for their internships. Nowadays, due to technological advancements and growing organizations, there are many opportunities for students to find relevant companies to do their internships. It offers students a wholesome experience by updating them on current business operations in the workplace. There are numerous websites available for students to search for their internships. One of the leading magazines published that "Internshala" was the most preferred online portal for finding internships for students in India. In a survey conducted by Internshala, it was found that there were 1700 internship positions in 2011 and the number increased to 2.65 lakh in 2016. It shows the huge growth pattern of companies offering internship opportunities to students. Companies can enhance students' careers: With an increasing number of organizations and startups hiring interns, students have a variety of choices to choose their careers. Internships as experiential learning and hands-on experience for students beyond just book knowledge. Sometimes the salary is paid to motivate and appreciate the intern's work. Since most universities allow their students to work during the summer holidays, this ensures that students spend significant time in the company, learn about their operations and have the opportunity to apply the theoretical concepts studied in practice. Management is a broad field of marketing, sales, operations, human resources and finance and is the most interesting field with many internships. An organization has around 48% management students as staff. Engineering graduates and also few other sectors like food, media and others make up the rest 52%. Most organizations are faced with the problem of getting an efficient and intelligent workforce. Therefore, internships facilitate as a tool to solve this problem and also reduce the need for numerous trainings and seminars which cost the company. Many companies offer pre-placement offers (PPOs) to top interns once they graduate. This is a mutually effective strategy for the company to get the best out of the new talent pool and the student is placed in a place where they have already experienced what it feels like to work there. Nowadays, being competitive is a great advantage for the company's economics. There are online sites that are very helpful for students to search for internships based on their preferences. Some of these websites are Internshala, Twenty19, Letsintern, etc. Internship – It definitely plays a role in career development: i.