This is a work situation that has to do with hands-on education. Students are expected to get practical learning in a professional setting during an internship period. Companies and other organizations typically engage students as interns to offer them short-term work experience. As interns, students get some entry-level exposure to a specific field or industry. Thus, internships merge work and learning experiences. Usually, interns learn about the particular field, work on appropriate projects, forge industry connections, get exposure to the organization’s upper management, and develop soft and hard skills. Sometimes, internships may even help students get full-time job offers.

For students, internships are important. By getting an opportunity to work with and learn from experienced industry professionals, they can understand what an entry-level role would involve. Apart from gaining work experience to get job-ready, internships would also help them build their own networks, from seasoned leaders to their fellow interns. Internships can also let students find a mentor in a seasoned pro, who’ll provide them with feedback and guidance, along with teaching them what professionalism is all about.

Internships also help students figure out what they would love to do with their careers. By trying out a few things without making any commitments, interning students can know what works for them and what doesn’t. And if they’re lucky, they may even stumble upon something they end up loving and considering as a career choice. When trying to find the right career or job, the more information students have to work with, the easier and better it would become for them to decide. And that’s where internships can help.

Since internships let students get some much-needed work experience, they can make their resumes stand out from their peers with no such experience. In today’s highly competitive marketplace, employers often prefer candidates with previous work experience to their peers who have just done relevant coursework.

For employers too, internships are beneficial. Apart from being a cost-effective employment strategy, hiring interns can also help meet short-term staffing requirements, leverage a group of tech- and social-media-savvy youngsters, and ease the workload of regular employees. Internships are typically viewed as training programs, super-extended interviews, and (often) a smart way to hire suitable candidates for open roles. Some companies and organizations may use internships to pick up relevant talents and add to their standby pool, from which they can pick and choose candidates to fill their own full-time positions down the line.