The prospect of applying for an internship as a college student – navigating seemingly endless forms, followed by meticulous interview preparation – is notorious for its ability to elicit a wide variety of emotions from prospective applicants. Anticipation, anxiety, dread, disappointment, and the overwhelming feeling of LinkedIn FOMO, to name a few.
However, as many students have discovered, the reality of internships is often not as glamorous as a glossy LinkedIn post might lead you to believe. Having gradually evolved from more casual work experience in hands-on professions into the comprehensive summer programmes offered by the likes of Arthur Cox, KPMG, Deloitte, and others, the concept and industry surrounding internships appear to be at a crossroads once again. The way we think about internships and work placements may be reframed in light of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and concerns about the ethics of unpaid internships. However, this would not be the first paradigm shift in this area.
The Origins of the Student Internship
Internships were not always as ubiquitous a concept as they are now. Internships first emerged in the medical profession as a way to gain practical experience. This purpose was adapted over time to suit a wider range of industries, becoming more commonplace across Europe and the US during the 1970s and 1980s. The rise of the prevalence and popularity of internships coincided with the increase in the number of college graduates, symbolising a broader shift in how students, employers, and society at large think about what actually makes a person qualified to hold a particular job. As having a degree became less of a novelty, being able to boast of prior professional experience as a student became a more valuable asset to add to a CV. John Nunley, a labour economist and expert on the internship market, identified the reason behind internships’ popularity with companies as their opportunity to “offer people a glimpse of [interns’] skills and abilities”, such as problem-solving.
Internships and Self-Optimisation
Nowadays, having at least one internship experience is viewed as a rite of passage (a pre-requisite, some would argue) for gaining employment post-graduation, especially in fields like business and accountancy, and law. Sociologist Eleanor Townsley commented that her 2018 study on internships and post-graduate outcomes found that “participation in multiple internships in college helps students to secure employment or enter graduate school within six months of graduation”.
So, understandably, the pressure to gain an internship is palpable, and the process can leave many feeling somewhat disoriented or even disillusioned. Tales loom large of students going through intense interviews and puzzling psychometric tests, in pursuit of a coveted internship, to not even receive a single piece of feedback alongside the all-too-recognisable, cool rejection email. These anecdotes are discouraging at face-value, but are very unlikely to dissuade anyone from applying anyway, as even the mere prospect of such opportunities is not to be missed.
In her essay, “Always Be Optimizing”, Jia Tolentino discusses the concept of “self-optimization” as pervading all aspects of modern life. Guided by the idea of constant self-improvement and self-optimisation, “we all want to get the most out of what we have”. This attitude is visible in our collective approach to internships; as students, we feel a pressing need to make the most out of any and all potential opportunities to not only embellish our CV, but to show that we are using our time effectively, proving our worth in the world of work – as Tolentino puts it, to “always be optimizing”.
Of course, there are a myriad of benefits and learning experiences to be taken from this process. However, it is worth questioning whether, in the rush to gain a very specific, cookie-cutter kind of work experience or internship, we risk overlooking the valuable skills and lessons we can learn from other endeavours, such as regular summer jobs, volunteering, or other kinds of summer projects. This is pertinent considering the changing landscape of graduate employment and, consequently, internships.
Looking to the Future
Clearly, internships have undergone significant transformations before, and this may be happening again. According to the most recent Employment Monitor from recruitment firm Morgan McKinley, there has been a slowdown in graduate hiring by large firms due to the impact of AI. These “notable reductions” are the result of AI’s ability to do simpler tasks previously done by an entry-level employee. People have, understandably, expressed concerns over the wider societal implications of this, but how might this change affect internships?
Some have argued that AI’s effects on the job market will usher in simply another, if somewhat different, era for the student internship. Considering Nunley’s theory from earlier, that internships are a means for employers to test potential employees’ skills in a practical context, then this way of thinking does appear very plausible. After all, internships were originally adopted to address the ever-changing elements of each professional sector. Ryan Craig argues in his article “It’s Time For Colleges To Get Serious About Internships”, that universities should adapt to changes in post-graduate employment by implementing work placements as an essential part of all courses they offer. He believes that, as a result of the use of AI in workplaces, “higher education institutions are about to have “a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom” to integrate work experience into academic program.” Could this possible development be the most serious one yet? Would this be the end-stage of internships? Where field experience of an area is no longer an extra, but officially as imperative as desk study?
These are thought-provoking and timely questions worth pondering. But, for the moment, such questions remain unanswered. Besides, there are more urgent matters to deal with: internship application season is upon us.
