A quality internship program can double as a pipeline for future hires, and college students today think where they intern is more important than where they go to school.
A new survey of 2,500 undergraduates finds that a majority (72%) think an internship at a prestigious company looks better to employers than a degree from a prestigious university. However, students from different racial backgrounds have varied views. Black students (66%) are significantly less likely than Asian (79%), Hispanic (74%), and white students (72%) to agree.
Only 24% of college students do not plan on having an internship during college. One-quarter (25%) of those students say they can’t afford to work for free. But there is a gender gap when it comes to students’ financial barriers. Female students are more likely than male students to say they can’t work for free (31% vs. 18%).
Female Students are More Likely to Say They Can’t Work for Free
Why do you not plan on having an internship during college? Select all that apply.
Almost three-quarters (74%) of students say all companies should pay interns for their work, compared to about one-quarter (26%) who think it’s okay for some to not pay because interns gain valuable experience.
On top of compensation, internships that clearly involve meaningful work are likely to grab students’ attention. Seven in 10 (70%) students think at least half of internships mostly involve menial tasks, such as stuffing envelopes, filing, or running errands.
“I had a four-month internship where all I did was math checks. I didn’t learn anything about accounting,” an Indiana University student says. Other students bemoan bad internships where they feel like “a glorified errand runner.”
Black Students are More Likely to Value Networking
What is the most valuable part of an internship in your opinion?
More than 3 in 10 students say the most valuable aspect of an internship is networking (32%) or learning new skills (42%), but networking is more important to some. Almost 4 in 10 (38%) black students say networking is the most valuable part of an internship, compared to 20% of Asian students, 28% of Hispanic students, and 33% of white students. Yet across lines of race and gender, the top reason students want an internship is to gain experience for their resume.
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Methodology: This survey was designed and conducted by College Pulse. Interviews were conducted among a sample of 2,500 full-time and part-time students attending four-year colleges or universities in the U.S. who are part of College Pulse’s American College Student Panel.
