Internships – Not Just for Summer

by Stephanie Lambert, manager of Student & Educator Services, BEC

When most of us think about internships, we envision a student working during the summer months to enhance skills and earn some spending money. In today’s world, internships are not just for the summer. Students at the high school, college and graduate levels are looking for part-time internship opportunities to coincide with their school year.

New education standards = new challenges for businesses
High school reform is well underway in Oregon, and that includes new graduation requirements. Chief among them is the requisite for Career-Related Learning Experiences (CRLE). A CRLE is an experience that connects a student’s classroom learning with real-life experiences in the workplace. One example of a CRLE is an internship.

As part of this experience, students must demonstrate their proficiency in Career-Related Learning Standards (CRLS). These are skills integral for researching career paths tied to interests and abilities and excelling within any work-related scenario. Career-Related Learning Skills include:

Personal management

• Teamwork
• Communication
• Problem solving
• Employment foundations
• Career development

Students across Oregon will be looking for ways to enhance these skills and engage in activities to meet the CRLE standard. Where will they be looking for these opportunities? The answer – within Oregon businesses.

The result for business
In increasing numbers, students will be calling and knocking on your company’s door to see if your business will provide them the opportunity to develop skills and engage in activities that will meet the Career-Related Learning Experience standard.

How will your organization handle the volume of requests? The Business Education Compact (BEC) can provide an answer.

The BEC solution
The BEC is a local non-profit organization that has been connecting business and education since 1984. Through its student services program, the BEC can provide an internship “clearinghouse” for your organization.

The BEC has the infrastructure in place to take in student applications, filter candidates and work with your employees interested in participating as supervisors for interns. There is no increase in human resource-related time and effort for your organization. The BEC will act as your intern’s employer of record – taking care of payroll, workers’ compensation and liability issues for you while the student is working as an intern for your organization.

College-level interns
High school students are not the only ones looking for part-time internships within Oregon companies. College and graduate students are seeking out opportunities to apply the higher-level skills they are developing within their current programs towards real-world, hands-on scenarios.

The students understand that if given the chance to apply what they are learning in meaningful ways, they will become more successful within their chosen field of study.

These students are also motivated by the fact that they will soon be entering the job market full-time. They want to demonstrate their skills, dedication, work ethic and enthusiasm on the job to make a positive impression in the organizations for which they are interning. These students know how important positive referrals on résumés can be for their future. Many would jump at the chance to sign on as full-time employees for the company they’ve interned with upon graduation.

Business benefits
Because business demands don’t follow the school-year schedule, interns working part-time throughout the year provide a flexible and dedicated workforce solution for business.

Organizations benefit when they employ student interns, as those interns are anxious to put their learning to work to achieve organization goals. Interns are focused and ready to use their skills and show you their commitment.

Be part of the win-win internship
Interested in participating in the win-win internship? It’s easy. Contact the BEC with your workplace needs. They will send qualified candidates to your organization to choose from and will help set up the interviews. You pick your intern, put him or her to work and the BEC does the rest.

Contact Stephanie Lambert at the BEC today at slambert@becpdx.org or
503-646-0242 x 23 to get started.

About the Business Education Compact
“Make learning real” sums up the BEC mission. For more than 20 years, the local nonprofit organization has been doing just that by connecting the classroom and workplace with hands-on, innovative learning experiences for students and teachers; by creating and leading working partnerships with business and education; and by advocating for quality education in Oregon. Learn more about the BEC at www.becpdx.org or call 503.646.0242 x23.

About the author
Stephanie Lambert is the manager of Student & Educator Services for the BEC, responsible for cultivating internship opportunities through the development of business partnerships. Stephanie’s path to the BEC included both business and education experience. After working in various roles for International Gaming Technology, Stephanie pursued a teaching degree. She put her business and marketing background to use during her career as a marketing educator for Everett Public Schools where she developed internships and volunteer opportunities for her students with local businesses. Her passion to make learning real in her classroom led her to the BEC after relocating to the Portland area. Stephanie can be reached at slambert@becpdx.org.