How Internships can better prepare students for their careers on national internship day
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Colleges in Colorado Springs are calling on local employers to consider bringing interns on board.
At the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, school officials say there are more than 1,6000 full-time, part-time, and virtual internships for students. Those positions are offered through small firms and large companies.
According to officials, the part-time opportunities also work around students' class schedules.
According to UCCS, employers the school partners with are currently struggling to fill the internship positions they offer.
Thursday, KRDO spoke with UCCS College of Business Assistant Dean for External Relations and Student Career Exploration Dr. Meghan Stidd, Ph.D. about the vacancies.
According to Dr. Stidd, the most in-demand fields needing more interns include computer science, engineering, cybersecurity, space economy, aerospace engineering, nursing, and teachers.
To garner interest in internships, UCCS encourages its employer partners to offer paid internships so students can replace their jobs with those. The university also encourages students to be honest about their availability and scheduling.
UCCS students are asked to reach out to the T. Rowe Price Career and Innovation Center for support in finding an internship on the campus job board or at a networking event. Depending on the program, students can earn academic credit for their internship.
Officials with Colorado College (CC) also encourage students to think about internship opportunities.
"It's an amazing opportunity to have the chance to take their academics and what they're learning in class, the theory, and put it into practice in a meaningful way," said Colorado College Career Center Director Megan Nicklaus. "In addition, they develop new skills, they get to test out different fields and explore if they have an interest in that field and expand their network."
At CC, students are directed toward the Career Center for questions about internships.
Additionally, most Colorado schools use a site called "Handshake" for both internship seekers and employers to connect.
