Yet Even More Reasons for Internships

Entry by Pat Patterson

For students, if you have yet to do an internship, the findings from a recent employer poll through the National Association of Colleges and Employers may motivate you to do so.  The survey indicates that a majority of employers use internship programs to identify full-time hires:

Among employers responding to NACE’s 2010 Internship Survey, 83.4 percent say internship programs are designed to help the organization recruit entry-level college hires. Around one-third (31.1 percent) say the programs are there to help students gain experience, and just under 20 percent report offering internships as a way to build relationships with key schools. (Note: Respondents were able to offer multiple answers.)

For employers who are still hesitant to hire interns, the survey also points to a positive correlation between internships and employee retention:

The survey also found a correlation between doing an internship—either with the full-time employing organization or elsewhere—and staying on the job. At the one-year mark, approximately 86 percent of those who had interned with the organization—and 85 percent of those who had interned elsewhere—were still with the organization, compared to 81 percent who hadn’t served an internship. At the five-year mark, approximately 64 percent of those who had served an internship—either at the employing organization or elsewhere—were still on the job, compared with 57 percent of their colleagues who had not served internships.