Internships are opportunities offered by an employer to potential employees, called interns, to work at a firm for a fixed period of time. They are typically undertaken by people looking to gain relevant skills and experience in a particular field. Employers benefit from these placements because they often recruit employees from their best interns, who have known capabilities, thus saving time and money in the long run. One to four weeks can be sufficient to change perspective, taste a different kind of work and get new impulses.
Pros:
• Personal growth and fulfilment
• New perspectives
• Discover/learn new skills
• Widen employees’ professional network
• Get to know new areas and organisations
• Boost motivation of employees
• Prevent burn-out
• Explore a new career path
Cons:
• Not easy to find for older people
• Unknown outcome
• May not match the individual or sending company goal
• Having to overcome the ageist prejudices of some hiring managers
• Your financial obligations are likely to be greater and many people don’t have the resources to quit their jobs to work for free (if unpaid)
This information was part of the SASSI LLC training materials. If you want to learn more, visit the Ambassadors for Mobility on the SASSI Hub.
