What are the benefits and drawbacks of internships and apprenticeships for graduate recruitment? (2024)

FAQs

What are the drawbacks of internships? ›

One disadvantage of doing an internship is the often low or non-existent pay opportunities. Many interns are expected to work for free or for a nominal stipend, which can be financially challenging for those who need to support themselves.

Lack of Formal Education: While apprenticeships provide valuable hands-on training, they may not offer the same level of formal education as college programs. This could potentially limit career advancement opportunities for some individuals, especially in fields where a college degree is preferred or required.

An internship provides you with firsthand experience, professional opportunities and personal growth. It will also make you more competitive when applying for jobs. As an intern, you'll gain relevant skills to showcase on your resume.

The paper mentions several challenges of doing an internship, including a lack of defined objectives, no guidance or mentorship, poorly defined tasks, strict deadlines, no opportunities for growth or the acquisition of new skills, no networking opportunities, exclusion from meetings, and insufficient training.

What is the difference between an apprenticeship and an internship? Apprenticeships are regulated, long-term, paid positions that train participants in a skilled trade. Internships tend to be short-term, and they may offer college credit instead of a wage.

Since there is a lot of demand for apprentices, the competition is tough. As far as looking for an apprenticeship is concerned, you should follow the same approach that you follow when looking for any other job. In other words, you can create a network and look for these programs online.

Students with internship experience get 26.3% more interview requests, 16% more job offers, and 12% higher salaries than their less experienced peers. And these statistics apply whether the internship is paid or unpaid. As you can see, the main reason to do an internship is for career advancement.

Internships can be the launchpad that helps you on the journey of self-discovery, personal growth, and confidence building to handle real-life challenges. In the field, you'll also discover what you're good at (and not so good at) so you can guide your future career decisions with real insight—not just your best guess.

What should interns not do? ›

A poor attitude

Aside from being violent or explosive, being negative is just about the worst thing you can do at an internship, or any job for that matter. Negative attitudes are toxic and can be easily spread among coworkers, weighing down the entire company culture.

Less flexibility: some apprenticeships offer fewer opportunities to explore different industries compared to a regular university education. Lower initial pay: apprentices may earn less than fully qualified employees in the same industry, until they've completed their apprenticeship.

Faster Entry into the Workforce: Unlike college, which typically takes four years or more to complete, apprenticeships can lead to job placement in your chosen field within a year or two. If you're looking to get into the workforce quickly, this is a good option for you.

Pros of an RAP:

RAPs often lead to well-paying jobs with good benefits. Apprentices earn a salary throughout the program. RAPs can lead to jobs that are in high demand. Apprentices receive on-the-job training, which can be more relevant to the job they will be doing than classroom instruction.

No Money for Your Hard Work

Strapped with tuition and other college-related costs, many students simply can't work without pay. Participating in an unpaid internship can require commuting or even relocation during the summer months, increasing your need to have money in a bank account or earning it at another job.

The intern must not displace regular employees: The intern cannot perform work that would otherwise be done by a regular employee. The intern's work must be primarily educational or training in nature. The intern must not be entitled to wages: The intern must not be entitled to wages for their work.

1. The need to work paid jobs. The most commonly reported obstacle that prevented students from taking an internship was the simple fact that they had to continue work their full- or part-time job. Sixty percent, or 405, of the students who wanted to take an internship but could not cited this obstacle.