As the education coordinator, I've had interns off and on for the last 10 years. Some are paid, the early ones were not. These talented individuals become a valuable part of our organization in their year with us. So I thought a post about internships from our current intern, Hannah George, would be worthwhile. If you are a college student, have children in college, or are in a position to hire an intern, here's a perspective that may interest you. Enjoy!
This year I have the enormous
privilege of working for the ODNR Division of Wildlife as the education intern.
This is the second internship I have had during my college career and I just
wanted to share how important I feel internships are in preparing students for
the real world and finding a job after college. Enjoy and please pass along to
anyone you think could benefit.
Getting an internship is a very
important part of anyone’s college education. In my opinion, grades are
secondary to training and work experience, especially in science-based fields.
While grades are significant, they are not the only factors that contribute to
success after college. Classes give us the basic knowledge and fundamental
tools to be successful in whatever field we choose. But making connections and
gaining first hand experience is what really makes the difference when it comes
to finding a job once the cap and gown has been hung back up. Internships also
help us decide if we even like the field we have chosen, or if we need to look
elsewhere for something that better suits our passions and interests. Although
internships are very important, it does not make it OK to slack off in classes.
A slacker in the classroom is often a slacker on the job, and to make an
impression or even find an internship, good grades are a must.
Internships are great tools for
expanding experience. Whether it’s in the field, in a lab, or in an office,
experience in each of these places and more is something that cannot always be
learned from a classroom. The one-on-one instruction that goes along with
internships is what makes them so great. And once you’ve got the hang of the basics,
you have the opportunity to improve in what you do by practicing everyday and
applying what you’ve learned in the classroom to your tasks. A single
internship can also offer very diverse experiences. Each day can offer
something completely different from the last and use skills developed not only
from your major classes, but even from classes you never thought you’d use.
**Cough** GEC’s.
Internships are also a great way to
decide if you are even in the right field. If you get an internship while you
are still in school and decide that it is not the right place for you, you
still have time to make the proper adjustments to your major or better
understand what kind of job you want after college. Do you like an office
setting, or do you prefer to work in the field? Do you even like anything about
what you are doing? If not, it may be time to reevaluate your major and pick
something that you think you will enjoy more. Once college is over, there is
not much you can do to switch fields completely without going back to school. So
try out as many options as you can and figure out what works best for you,
preferably before graduation.
Another reason internships are so
important when it comes to job hunting is because of networking. The more
people who know who you are or even just recognize your name, the better chance
you have of finding a job. It is important now more than ever to meet the right
people and make the right impressions. In many cases, who you know can become
just as important, if not more, than what you know. Getting your foot in the
door is the first step when looking for a job and already knowing someone on
the inside can make a huge difference.
Contrary to popular belief and
reality TV, most people have to work hard and make sacrifices to land that
dream job. Your social life and extra-curricular activities may have to take a
hit in order for you to ultimately get what you want, but it is completely up
to you what sacrifices and trade offs you are willing to make.
As I’ve said before, grades are important, but the
life lessons and experiences to be learned on the job during an internship are
what really pave the way to success as well as happiness. So get out there,
work hard, and APPLY, APPLY, APPLY to all kinds of internships!
Hannah George is a senior at the Ohio State University in Fisheries and Wildlife Management. She will graduate this spring. We'll be very sad to see her go.
