The pandemic has made it increasingly difficult for college students to get valuable work experience before graduating, especially since students don’t want fully remote internships. Whether they’re looking for an internship or a summer job, students are feeling the effects of the slower economy.
A recent survey of 1,500 undergraduates finds that almost half (46%) hope to intern this summer, while roughly one-quarter (24%) are not sure and 31% definitely don’t want an internship. Among the students who don’t want a summer internship, female students are more likely than male students to report not being able to intern because of COVID-19.
Overall, 3 in 10 (31%) students not looking for an internship say they can’t or don’t want to intern during the COVID-19 pandemic. That jumps to almost 4 in 10 (38%) among female students, compared to 2 in 10 (21%) male students who say the same. Meanwhile, male students are twice as likely to have already completed an internship (14% vs. 6%).
Female Students are More Likely to Forgo a Summer Internship Due to COVID-19
Why do you not plan on completing a summer internship? Select all that apply.
A majority of students who aren’t looking to intern this summer want a job instead. Almost one-third (32%) hope to find a part-time job, while 41% hope to have a full-time job this summer. Naturally, this summer will look very different for seniors. A majority (57%) of seniors are looking for a full-time job, compared to 3 in 10 juniors (30%) and sophomores (29%). Underclassmen are more likely to want a part-time job this summer, with 40% of juniors and 41% sophomores looking for a part-time job.
Wanting a job and finding a job don’t always line up, though. Nearly half (45%) of students who hope to have a summer job are worried about finding one, compared to 1 in 5 (21%) who have a job lined up. But students on financial aid are more likely than students not on financial aid to say they’re worried about finding work (47% vs. 36%). And though students of color are slightly more likely than white students to already have a job lined up (25% vs. 20%), those who don’t are twice as likely as their white peers to say they’re very worried about finding a job (13% vs. 7%).
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Methodology: This survey was designed and conducted by College Pulse. Interviews were conducted between January and February among a sample of 1,500 full-time and part-time students attending colleges or universities in the U.S. who are part of College Pulse’s American College Student Panel.
