Internships - Avoiding Square Peg Round Hole
Following on from my recent piece titled “Legacy & Interns”, the subject has captured the attention of several, so I thought I’d expand the theme further.
After a few decades in the workplace, experiencing agency as well as client-side roles in several markets, my insight/journey is inevitably different. Most become focused on a particular sector or industry, becoming specialists in their specific fields or areas of expertise. Others embrace the process and opportunity to adapt and evolve. I fall into the latter category.
But let’s take a step back, as my scenario’s inclusion is purely for introductory and illustration purposes. The point is that work experiences surreptitiously or intentionally channel career journeys. Starting with internships and work experience, these are playing increasingly integral roles in the process of career development nowadays.
Intern placements are generated primarily via three sources, namely the student, the institution and the host organisation or corporation. The first is relatively uninformed due to youth and lack of experience, whilst the last is not only driven by resource support demand, but also scouting potential.
This is where the “square peg, round hole” adage becomes relevant. Placements can often be ineffective due to the lack of an accurate process. Required is a structured, goal inclusive approach engaging applicants, organisations and the education institutions cohesively. The ultimate objective should be to provide a platform for future generations, establishing whether their initial direction should be embraced, adjusted or, in extreme cases, abandoned. Let’s not forget that a significant percentage of students do not know what they are trying to achieve initially. Gaining insight into the industry or sector associated with specific courses, is an invaluable privilege not to be underestimated. Comfort zones are pushed and tested, and new activities are exposed through internships. Fine-tuning the placement process should therefore be a common goal for all involved.
Internships quite possibly are the most relevant way of discovering more about working life, influencing career options, whilst developing skills and employability.
To minimise square peg round hole situations, universities, colleges and internship host companies need to fine-tune the student engagement process. This shouldn’t be seen as just a course requirement or a “gopher resource pool”.
For scholars, internships should ultimately be motivational if the placement process is correct. Inaccurate placements are counter-productive and avoidable. Let’s concentrate on a transparent, simple, foundation-building process. We should work on an approach where placements maximise benefits to students, institutions and corporate business.
Right?