Will an Internship Program Work for You?

Effective internship programs have the potential to benefit employers at any point in the life cycle of the business. That being said, internship programs have evolved and employers are realizing such programs go beyond hiring the neighbor’s kid for the summer to pack boxes. In fact, many employers have made internship programs part of their recruiting strategy.

Internship programs are widely utilized due to the need for skilled talent in the workplace. Internship programs serve many purposes.

• Do you own a start-up company and cannot afford to pay top salaries for skilled labor?
• Do you need to cut back on labor costs?
• Are you are looking for a reliable, quick learner to help out during your busy season?
• Is your current staffing plan going to help you meet your company’s goals and objectives?
• Are you having a difficult time competing with larger employers for top talent?

Whether you are looking to hire an intern to assist with a special project or looking to achieve a longer lasting employment relationship, employers need to position themselves as the employer of choice.

Creating an Effective Internship Program

1. Align the intership program goals with the goals of the intern. Prepare a job description that outlines the primary duties that the intern would be responsible for performing. The job description would help the employer and intern align their goals and program objectives.
2. Assign meanginful tasks and assignments. Interns are looking to build their resumes and impress you as an employer.
3. Offer ongoing feedback and coaching.  Oftentimes the intern needs a mentor. An employer’s feedback, coaching, mentoring and leadership will enable both the employer and intern to maximize benefits of the relationship.
4. Promote the "perks" of your company.  What can you offer the intern? Some employers offer discounts on the company’s products and services. Other employers offer a relaxed work environment and casual dress. Some employers offer competitive pay.
5. Design and implement an internship program that matches your company's resources.  Smaller employers may consider only hiring one intern at a time. Additionally, smaller employers may want to consider identifying a position and then working with a career counselor at a university or college to identify candidates. Larger employers may consider having a more formal internship program.

Legal Considerations

Developing an internship program requires an employer to consider the potential associated legal implications and to work closely with its counsel to identify and address such issues. Legal considerations include, but are not limited to the following:  

• Determine what federal and state wage and hour laws might apply to your specific internship program. The Department of Labor (DOL) Web site www.dol.gov offers information on internship programs to help an employer determine if the intern is considered an employee and therefore subject to wage and hour laws.
• Determine whether the intern’s age might be relevant with respect to any federal or state law(s).
• Determine how your existing insurance policies apply to interns. For example, does your Workers’ Compensation and Employment Practices Liability Insurance cover interns?
• Offer training to the intern, consistent with the training regularly given to long-term employees in the same department or holding the same type of job (i.e., Discrimination and Harassment Prevention and Safety Training).
• Work with your HR department and / or employment law attorney to determine that other laws might apply and whether certain written employment (or other) agreements are necessary. 

Effective internship programs have the potential to benefit employers at any point in the life cycle of the business.