For SNU students looking to join the workforce after graduation, one of the best ways to go about this is through internships. Internships present people with great opportunities to find exactly what they want to do and then excel at it. Beyond that, it allows people to become slowly acquainted with the workplace before finding a full-time vocation they can sink their teeth into. These college years are incredibly formative for students in many ways, and finding a career can be one of the most important aspects of that time.
When looking at this from the perspective of an educator, our professors at SNU are always looking to help their students succeed in this endeavor. SNU professor, Melany Kyzer, expresses that internships allow students to “jump into the career world and work alongside professionals.” She then goes on to say that if it does not become your official job, it also acts as a way to get a “foot in the door” as an employee and see if you want to do this job for a living. These early experiences in the workplace are often eye-opening experiences for SNU students, offering great opportunities and even greater insights into what people may want to do with their lives.
In addition to the opportunities, internships also give students the practice to balance different responsibilities in their lives, such as work and school. SNU student, Carson Dial, discusses how this aspect of being in an internship can be challenging, but “most internships luckily are understanding” of this and will try to work with students. The skill of balancing work and school will translate to other parts of life as well, such as trying to make time for both family and friends, as well as work. The possibilities are endless with these internships, but it is important to use them to learn life skills as well.
Internships are a way for students to have the chance to find what they want to do in the future, as well as pick up an array of beneficial skills for the workforce. As important as it is for college students to have fun and make lasting connections with one another, this is also a time for growing into adulthood. Applying for internships is one of the key ways in which students grow into working professionals, setting them up for success.
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