10 Tips for Creating a Meaningful Internship

1. Assign an experienced employee to manage and mentor the intern in a safe learning environment.
2. The supervisor should provide the intern with clear expectations up front and allow the student to voice their own expectations for the internship to create a mutually beneficial relationship.
3. On the intern’s first day, provide them with an orientation including an organization overview, policies and procedures, and offer broad exposure to the organization.
4.  When giving the intern a project, clearly state the directions and what your standards are for the project but allow the student to put their own creativity into the project.
5. Discuss with the intern how the project relates to what the intern is learning in the classroom and the relevance to the operations and success of the organization.
6. Check-in with your intern on a weekly basis to provide guidance and provide the opportunity for the intern to ask questions.
7. Deliver appropriate feedback and recognition when needed.
8. Invite the intern to attend events, meetings and networking opportunities to allow the intern to build their own professional network.
9. Provide the intern with opportunities for growth as the internship progresses.
10. Evaluate the intern’s strengths and provide recommendations on how to develop the areas needing growth.

Want more information? Contact our Director of Work-Based Learning, Alex Breault, at alex@napleschamber.orgalex@napleschamber.org
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