What to expect from an internship and why do one?

Want to gain experience in a new field? There’s an internship for that…

Whether it’s to get your foot in the door in your preferred industry, or for your own personal growth, internships are a great way to help you shine in the field of work you’d like to enter.

But where do you start, and what can you expect?

Here are a few things we think you should know if you’re considering an internship:

First of all, what is an ‘internship’?

An internship is a period of work experience offered by an employer to give students and graduates exposure to the working environment, often within a specific industry, which can (but not always relate) to their field of study.

An internship with the Humber Internship Programme (HIP) will last 12 weeks. All of HIP’s internships are paid.

Your HIP internship can be done in a range of sectors, including sales, marketing, engineering, graphic design, management, I.T. and many, many more. Throughout your internship you will develop a variety of soft skills, including communication skills, personal effectiveness, presentation skills, creative problem solving and influencing skills.

‘On-the-job’ experience can be as valuable as anything learned in your studies. After all, you cannot really understand what a job is all about until you have worked in that environment. Internships are great opportunities to speak directly to people who have experience in the role you aspire to; and their knowledge of the job and working environment will give you a greater understanding of what it’s all about and what you need to do to progress.

HIP will soon be launching it’s summer internship opportunity; so, if you are considering if an internship is right for you, now is the time to find out. 

Do you need a summer internship?

If you free time this summer, an internship can be a fulfilling and productive way to use you skills, earn money and open up new career opportunities.

We know it can be difficult to land your first job or get onto a great grad schemes in your field. There’s a lot of competition out there, all with similar degrees and academic calibre – so how do you stand out?

A summer internship could be the answer.

An internship will make your CV stand out above the rest and will always look great on your CV. You’ll be able to demonstrate that you have the skills, knowledge and experience, giving you practical examples you can bring up in future interviews.

An internship can also give you recent references who can vouch for you when applying for future jobs and even confidence being in an actual workplace. A student who’s just been in lectures for three years, and hasn’t had the same work experience, may find the adjustment slightly more difficult (while those with experience hit the ground running).

Or, if you make a great impression during your internship, you may be offered a permanent role to stay and work with the businesses. An internship can open up many doors to a successful and exciting career.

Where can you intern?

You can intern pretty much anywhere you would like.

If you’ve studied in the amazing Hull and Humber region and want to stay for longer or you’re a returning graduate and live in the region; there’s some VERY good reasons to intern and work here.

Once well known for mining, and textile industries these have been in rapid decline but has been replaced by an abundance of ever increasing specialist engineering companies which have become an extremely significant factor in economic growth. Only recently the government pledged £95m of investment into supporting the offshore wind industry with the majority going in to the Humber.

PM Boris Johnson recently said of the investment:
The Humber will be at the cutting edge of the United Kingdom’s future.’

Manufacturing here is very important and there is a fast growing financial and business services sector as well as the digital industry and public services.

Hull and the Humber is one of the most affordable places to live in the country. So, you’ll find your money goes a lot further here than in other cities, like London, Manchester and Leeds.

What types of jobs might a summer intern do?

Social media, computer programming, analysing data, accounting, engineering, whichever career you have your sights on, HIP will help you get there. We offer internships to graduates and students from all degree subjects and disciplines.

The best way to find out what roles are on offer this summer is to register with HIP. And as soon as roles are available in April you’ll be the first to know.

So what does an intern do exactly? That depends on the industry in question and the role.

But, an intern is primarily a support role – at least in the beginning. When you join up, your main job will be to assist, learn, and grow. After you’ve settled in, you’ll be expected to pull your own weight.

Here’s a general overview of the work you can expect to do as an intern:

• Assist and contribute to the team
  As an intern, don’t expect to spearhead a critical project right off the bat…at least not yet. In the beginning of your internship, you may use your time simply trying to learn how the company works. You may shadow an employee to get an understanding of their role. After a a few days of learning the ins-and-outs of the company. You’ll start to assist and contribute more to the team.
• Learn and gain experience
  You’ll be expected to learn as much as you possibly can while you work, regardless of the kind of internship you’ve signed up for. This will include working on the technical skills you need to carry out the role and your ability to communicate well with colleagues and clients.
• Take on responsibility
  As time goes by, expect to take on an increasing amount of responsibility. Initially, they’ll gauge your current skill set and reliability with your initial workload. As you prove yourself to your colleagues and bosses, you’ll be entrusted with more crucial tasks. The better you perform, the more the responsibilities you’ll be given. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase your abilities to your employer. It can also help contribute to you receiving a full-time role afterwards, once you have graduated.
• Network
  While networking isn’t an official requirement as such, it might as well be. Networking involves building relationships with your bosses, colleagues, and customers and clients. You’ll need the backing and support of people in places to build a successful career. Also, building good relationships with customers is always good for the organisation.
• Make a career call
  Your internship is going to shape the course of your career without a doubt. It’ll assist you in acquiring the skills you need to perform up-to-par when you’re hired full-time.

It will also raise career defining decisions; continue in the field you interned in or try your hand at something else entirely. That’s the beauty of an internship you can always go into another field you would like.

Have we convinced you? We hope so, because taking on an internship this summer with HIP can only be a good thing.

Register with Humber Internship Programme (HIP) today.