The Impact of Internships on Graduate Employability
The Impact of Internships on Graduate Employability
Executive Summary
Are internship programs an opportunity for students and fresh graduates in the search of employment or are they a corporate excuse to optimise a cost-effective, pro-active, and eager human resources’ capital without fees and benefits? Are internship programs beneficial and relevant for students and fresh graduates to leverage themselves to limited opportunities in a highly competitive market? This paper is a critical review of the state of internship programs which actually take their root as practiced as an apprenticeship system since time immemorial (Haire & Oloffson, 2009, p. 1). This apprenticeship system practice is institutionalised in modern times as part of the academic requirements to immerse students in the community, companies and in multinational organisations to provide a practical dimension to the theories learned during their undergraduate. Every year, thousands of youths and fresh graduates flock to the job market in the search of opportunities to hone their knowledge and to gain competitive leverage in the job market despite there being limited opportunities for millions of job seekers. This year, there are about ‘370,000 graduates who will be competing for limited jobs in the market’ (Grunwald, 2012, p. 1). However, the economic recession became an impetus for companies to accommodate interns to maintain their operations in a cost-effective measure. For the companies, the jobless attempting to secure a place on an internship program is a remedial opportunity in response to economic depression. Recently, youths began complaining that their rights and welfares are being abused as they are unpaid workers of the company.
Introduction
Internships are an opportunity to gain experience in a specific field. For certain degrees such as medicine, nursing and hotel, internships are an academic requirement (Loretto, 2012, p. 1). Others undertake internship programs to gain
Executive Summary
Are internship programs an opportunity for students and fresh graduates in the search of employment or are they a corporate excuse to optimise a cost-effective, pro-active, and eager human resources’ capital without fees and benefits? Are internship programs beneficial and relevant for students and fresh graduates to leverage themselves to limited opportunities in a highly competitive market? This paper is a critical review of the state of internship programs which actually take their root as practiced as an apprenticeship system since time immemorial (Haire & Oloffson, 2009, p. 1). This apprenticeship system practice is institutionalised in modern times as part of the academic requirements to immerse students in the community, companies and in multinational organisations to provide a practical dimension to the theories learned during their undergraduate. Every year, thousands of youths and fresh graduates flock to the job market in the search of opportunities to hone their knowledge and to gain competitive leverage in the job market despite there being limited opportunities for millions of job seekers. This year, there are about ‘370,000 graduates who will be competing for limited jobs in the market’ (Grunwald, 2012, p. 1). However, the economic recession became an impetus for companies to accommodate interns to maintain their operations in a cost-effective measure. For the companies, the jobless attempting to secure a place on an internship program is a remedial opportunity in response to economic depression. Recently, youths began complaining that their rights and welfares are being abused as they are unpaid workers of the company.
Introduction
Internships are an opportunity to gain experience in a specific field. For certain degrees such as medicine, nursing and hotel, internships are an academic requirement (Loretto, 2012, p. 1). Others undertake internship programs to gain
Bibliography: Beard, D. F . (2007). Assessment of Internship Experiences and Accounting Core Competencies. Accounting Education, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 16(2), pages 207-220. Briggs, L. & Daly, R. (2012). Why internships and placements are popular route to employment. The Independent, London, UK., p. 1. Coughlan, S. (2012). Graduate jobs market ‘better than feared’. Education and Family News. BBC, London, UK., p 1. < http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-19899305> Accessed: 1 Nov. 2012. Grunwald, de T. ( 2012). Ten things every graduate should know before they start job hunting. The Guardian, UK., p 1. < <http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/jun/01/graduate-job-hunting> Accessed: 1 Nov., 2012. Haire, M, & Oloffson, K. (2009). Interns. Brief History.Time. Time Inc. , California, US. < http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1913474,00.html> Accesed 1 Nov. 2012, p. 1. Kadlec, D. (2009). Finding a New Boom Amid the Bust. Time. Time Inc. , California, US. <http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1901876_1901874,00.html>Accessed 1 Nov. 2012, p.1. Loretto, R. ( 2012). What is an Internship. Internship. About.com Guide. <http://internships.about.com/od/internshipsquestions/g/internshipdefin.htm> Accessed: 1 Nov. 2012. Shah, D. ( 2012). Young Workers: Never Forget Your Dreams. Business, BBC, London, UK., p. 1 < http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19464117> Accessed: 1 Nov. 2012. Unfair Internship (2012). Unpaid Internships are just not worth it. Unfair Internship: A critical look at the un (der)paid jobs called ‘internship. <http://unfairinternships.wordpress.com/> Accessed: 1 Nov. 2012.