More companies offer internships; economy a factor

In the past five years, an influx of internships have been available for both current undergraduates and those who have recently graduated.

Steven Rothberg, founder and CEO of CollegeRecruiter.com, said that the number of internships that are available to students has increased, but most of them today are unpaid.

Rothberg attributed this fact to the recession.

“As the economy continues to slowly rebound from the recession, employers are increasingly staffing up, but they want to do it the lowest-cost way possible,” Rothberg said.

“Many of them are doing through unpaid internships.”

Edwin Koc, director of strategic and foundation research at the National Association of Colleges and Employers, said the increase in internships available is a result of the rebounding economy.

“As a reflection of the labor market, although it is improving, the amount of temporary jobs, including internships, are increasing,” Koc said.

Employers feel that the internship process leaves emotional baggage and paperwork at the door,  since both the employer and intern understand that it is temporary, whether that be one or three months.

Rothberg said that certain interns should receive an offer for permanent employment, though it is not happening as much in recent years.

“If the intern did a good job, they should always receive an offer for a permanent position,” Rothberg said.

Koc said a little more than half of students have at least one internship before they graduate from college, according to a 2009 survey conducted by NACE.

According to the Final Destination Survey, reported to UNC Career Services, 53.3 percent of graduating seniors at UNC had at least one internship during their four years in undergraduate studies.

But there is also an additional competition for undergraduates applying for internships, Rothberg said.

“Recent graduates and professionals changing their careers are searching and willing to take on an internship. It’s rare, but not super rare,” he said.



Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.