What is an internship?
An internship is a program that provides qualified students with a supervised learning experience. The Latin American Business Program seeks internship positions in all aspects of international business, with a primary focus in the Latin American region.
What are the objectives of the internship?
The following goals outline the parameters of this unique educational experience:
1. To provide the student with an opportunity to apply knowledge and skills obtained in the classroom to real life situations.
2. To provide the student with an orientation to the international business environment, operations, and procedures.
3. To provide an experience to assist in transition from student to professional status.
4. To develop and refine problem-solving techniques.
5. To refine communications skills.
6. To aid the student in personal development.
Why should my company/agency get involved in this program?
The Cooperative Education Association lists the following advantages of internship programs to employers:
1. The students can be thoroughly grounded in established employer practices and organization while the students are still at a formative level.
2. The infusion of bright young people, fresh from an educational environment, into an organization can provide new ideas and viewpoints that can be very refreshing and stimulating.
3. The students serve as "goodwill ambassadors" for their organizations with faculty and other students upon returning to campus.
4. The internship program is an excellent source of temporary and potentially permanent employment.
5. The internship program will provide the company with a low cost training program since the student generally earns a salary that is below the average paid to the graduate. Students more nearly "earn" their salary at the beginning stages of professional employment.
6. A mutually important industry-college relationship is enhanced.
What kind of compensation should the intern receive?
The essential factor of the internship is the education and experience a student receives from the opportunity an employer affords him/her; upon this no monetary value can be placed. The intern's salary is a personal matter between the student and his/her employer. We favor paid internships for our students.
What is the work tenure of the internship?
During most internships, the student remains in employment of the same firm for a period of one semester. The student who participates in the internship program is not under obligation to seek employment with the sponsoring firm or agency. Likewise, the sponsoring firm is not required, as a result of participation in the internship program, to provide employment for the intern upon completion of his/her academic degree.
Does the intern earn college credit for the internship?
Yes. The student will receive three credit hours upon successful completion of the internship.
What makes the internship program different from just another part-time job?
The educational nature of the work experience makes the difference. The participating firm will formulate, in cooperation with the intern and the internship coordinator, an internship proposal. This proposal gives a summary of the intern's responsibility to the company and learning outcomes for the intern. The intern will be expected to fulfill their responsibilities during the internship period.
What kind of paperwork will our company be expected to do?
The participating firms are required to provide the following:
1. Assistance in formulating the internship proposal.
2. An employee to serve as the company supervisor of the intern.
3. Approval of the intern's Mid-term and Final Reports before the intern sends the reports to the Internship Coordinator.
4. An evaluation of the intern.
How can our company/agency participate in the Latin American Business internship program? |
