Business Guide to Internships Office of Career Development and Internships
Office of Career Development and Internships Debbie Bury, Director 2911 Centenary Boulevard Smith Building, Room 205D Shreveport, Louisiana 71104 Phone: 318.863.5360 Email: dbury@centenary.edu centenary.edu/careerservices
Contents Internship Purpose 4 Internship Characteristics 5 Goal Setting 6 Initial Preparation 7 During an Internship 8 Guidelines for Unpaid Internships 9 Centenary’s Non-Discrimination Policy 10 Centenary’s Non-Harassment Policy 11
Internship Purpose An internship offers students: • Practical work experience or a project, given by a designated supervisor; • An opportunity to observe, contribute, and rotate throughout the various departments of a business or organization; • Career connections, networking opportunities, and mentorships within the business or organization; and • Intentional training and constructive feedback to provide personal and professional development.
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Internship Characteristics Length: • To be completed during the academic semester, or summer; • Should be at least 5-8 weeks. Hours: • 5-20 hours per week, depending on the student’s course load; • Full-time internships may be offered during the summer. Compensation: • Minimum wage up to appropriate industry average based on experience; • Hourly wages are not required but are appreciated by intern.
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Goal Setting • Evaluate your organizational needs and determine what you hope to gain from an internship program; • Define the elements that will make the internship an educational, interesting, and rewarding experience; • Develop individual goals, expectations and learning objectives for the intern; and • Communicate the internship goals with your team to ensure the organization’s commitment.
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Initial Preparation • Draft a job description for the intership position; • Determine the projects to which the intern will be assigned; inventory necessary materials, equipment, and compensation; • Identify who will be responsible for training, supervising and evaluating the intern. Select a staff member who will enjoy and benefit from mentoring and is capable of providing guidance and structure along with constructive feedback; and • Discuss upcoming intern projects and activities in addition to time commitment.
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During an Internship • Orient the intern to your organization; acquaint the intern to the mission, vision, and policies of your company (un/written and un/spoken) along with team members; • Set specific professional and career goals; • Teach the intern about the working world and consider serving as a mentor; • Explain organizational structure and familiarize intern with company culture; • Schedule a formal meeting to discuss progress and expectations for your projects; • Provide key colleagues and staff members with background information about the intern’s projects, responsibilities, and schedule; • Discuss projects regularly and expected outcomes (determine start and end dates in advance); and • Schedule a mid-semester evaluation and exit interview to provide a forum for constructive feedback and questions.
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Guidelines For Unpaid Internships If your organization chooses to have an unpaid internship, it is important to know the qualifying criteria under the Fair Labor Standards Act from the US Department of Labor. • The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to that which would be given in an educational environment; • The internship is for the benefit of the intern; • The intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close supervision; • The employer that provides the internship receives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern and, on occasion, the operations may even be impeded; • The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship; and • The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for the time spent in training.
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Centenary’s Non-Discrimination Policy The Centenary Career Development and Internship Office expects our em-ployers to abide by our Non-Discrimination Policy. Centenary College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, religion, gender, age, marital status, disability, or sexual orientation, in the administration of its educational policies, recruitment or admission of students, scholarship, grant or loan programs, athletic or other Collegeadministered programs, employment procedures, training programs, promotion policies or other related personnel practices. The College prohibits any retaliatory action against an employee for opposing a practice which he/she believes to be discriminatory, including the filing of an internal grievance or a charge with a state or federal civil rights enforcement agency.
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Centenary’s Anti-Harassment Guidelines The Centenary Career Development and Internship Office expects our employers to abide by our Anti-Harassment Policy. Centenary College seeks to cultivate a spirit of community in which each individual may participate without fear of intimidation. The College does not tolerate capricious discrimination in any form.* All employees and students are urged to avoid any action or conduct, which might be construed as sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is defined as follows: Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when (1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a requirement of employment or participation in an academic program or activity, (2) submission or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for employment or academic decisions affecting such individual, or (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working, academic or campus environment. * Harassment on the basis of sex is a violation of Section 703 of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
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