Paid Internships Key to Job-Search Success for New College Grads

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Nov 11, 2011

Paid internships correlate to job-search success, according to a new study conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

Class of 2011 graduates who took part in a paid internship were more likely to get a job offer, have a job in hand by the time they graduated, and receive a higher starting salary offer than their peers who undertook an unpaid internship or no internship at all, according to results of NACE’s 2011 Student Survey. 

The results highlight another perk of the learning experience at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. As part of their curriculum, students participate in real world learning experiences through internships, co-ops, and job shadowing. These experiences allow students to apply classroom learning and dig deeper into their field of study while exploring possible careers, and gaining insight and personal references from local professionals.

The NACE study also found that paid interns in the for-profit sector earned the highest offer rates: More than 61 percent had received a job offer. However, paid interns in the nonprofit and government sectors also outpaced unpaid interns, regardless of sector.
“We also found that paid interns who became full-time employees had higher average starting salary offers than their peers who took part in unpaid internships,” says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director. 

The intern’s duties appear to be the key to the difference in why paid internships translated into better job-search performance.

“Paid interns reported spending more time on ‘professional’ duties and therefore appeared to gain more of the ‘real’ experience that appeals to employers than unpaid interns, who spent more time on clerical activities,” says Mackes. 

The 2011 Student Survey, conducted mid-February through April 30, 2011, covers student expectations, plans, and activities as they relate to employment. More than 50,000 students, including nearly 20,000 seniors, from 559 colleges and universities in all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, took part. Results reported here are for seniors only.   Since 1956, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has been the leading source of information about the employment of college graduates.

Students seeking to learn more about HU's internship program should contact Sara Kehler, Manager of Experiential Programs, atskehler@harrisburgu.eduor 717.901.5157.

Founded in 2001 to address Central Pennsylvania’s need for increased opportunities for study leading to careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, Harrisburg University is an innovative and ambitious private institution that produces graduates who provide increased competence and capacity in science and technology disciplines to Pennsylvania and the nation. Harrisburg University ensures institutional access for underrepresented students and links learning and research to practical outcomes. As a private University serving the public good, Harrisburg University remains the only STEM-focused comprehensive university located between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

For more information on the University's demand-driven undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs in applied science and technology fields, call 717.901.5146 or email Connect@HarrisburgU.edu.

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