Internships are a popular way for college students to gain entry-level experience, build skills, and network. Whether you find one online or create your own opportunity by reaching out to companies directly, internships let you build valuable skills and connections in just a few months. You can start interning as early as your first year – it’s never too early to explore your career interests! While some programs call it a clinical, practicum, or externship, these experiences all serve the same purpose: hands-on learning in your field.
Why are internships important?
• Get hands-on experience
• Learn from industry professionals who actually do the job
• Built connections that could lead to future jobs
• Test-drive a career before committing – A part of the internship experience is discovering what you do and do not want to do.
Internships vs. Jobs
Internships typically focus on learning and growing your skills, whereas jobs focus on performing regular responsibilities for a more fixed, long-term period. It is important to clarify your internship goals and responsibilities with your supervisor before starting any work.
How long are internships?
Internships are short-term positions, often lasting several weeks or 4 months (a semester). They can be full-time or part-time hours. You would work with your internship site to create a schedule that suits your needs as a student.
Are internships paid or unpaid?
Internships can be either paid or unpaid. It is important to review this information before you accept an internship offer or when you talk to a company to create an internship.
How much an intern gets paid varies. Interns may receive an hourly wage or a stipend for the entirety of their work. Since internships are short-term positions, they often do not offer health or other benefits that full-time employees receive. If an internship is unpaid, you are volunteering your time with the company and it is important to set boundaries of how much time you can and are willing to spend as an intern. Unpaid internships are common in fields such as politics, healthcare, education, and nonprofits; whereas, tech, finance fields, and larger businesses often pay higher.
Can internships count for credit?
Yes, internships can count for credit. Many programs at NECC include required experiential learning for a specified number of hours during the semester as part of a class. This may be an internship, externship, clinical, or practicum required to graduate. Other programs offer an elective course option. When considering elective internships, it is important to understand the cost and transferability of those credits if you plan to transfer to another college. Meet with your Academic Advisor for additional information about your elective credits and the course options for your major. Of course, completing an internship does not have to be for college credit. You have the option of pursuing an internship that is not linked to a class to be proactive and gain experience in your field.
When is the best time to start looking for internships?
Internships can require a lot of planning and searching. Companies with a more competitive application process will open between 4 to 8 months before their start date. This means internships for summer 2025 are already accepting applications. Typically, most internships will invite applicants about 3 to 4 months before the intended start date. If you are creating your own internship or looking at more local companies, the timeline can look very different and it may take 1 to 2 months to secure a position.
It takes diligence and patience to find the right internship. If you are looking for a local internship, we recommend starting your internship search 2-3 months before the start of the next semester.
How do I find an internship?
There are two primary ways to find an internship – (1) searching and applying online or (2) directly contacting an employer and creating your own internship.
(1) When it comes to searching for internships online, get started by logging into your Handshake account (necc.joinhandshake.com/edu). Handshake is NECC’s job and internship board, and you already have an account! You can use your MyNECC Portal information to log in.
Once you find an internship, check out the responsibilities and qualifications. Some internships require students to take certain pre-request classes so they are ready to step into the technical demands of the internship. After you review the description, review the company’s website to understand its mission and purpose. Like what you see? It’s time to apply! Many internships will require the same materials as a job application, including your resume and cover letter.
After exploring Handshake, your search may extend to additional job search sites, such as LinkedIn, Indeed, or companies’ personal websites.
(2) Sometimes the internship you’re looking for does not exist and is waiting to be created. Crafting your own internship can be a bit more time-consuming, but it’s worth it. To get started, identify your internship goals – are you looking to explore an industry or work on a specific project? Who is doing similar work? Use your goals and interests to explore potential companies. You can then use Handshake and your local Chamber of Commerce website to get contact information for the best-matched companies. From there you can email potential companies and express your internship interest.
If you would like to talk more about this process and have a cheerleader in your search, contact NECC’s Career Services through Navigate or email (careerservices@necc.mass.edu).
