Caught amidst coursework, sports, co-curricular activities, friends, and social activities, any student might find it hard to take time out for internships. Moreover, the fact that students are mostly offered unpaid internships also makes the entire affair unattractive.
But, as a student, you should not miss out on the rich dividends and benefits that an internship provides.
Listed below are the reasons why Internships are great for fresh graduates.
1.Provides real-life exposure and experience
‘You need the experience to get experience.’ Internships cement your book and theoretical knowledge by letting you experience the practical aspects. Moving beyond getting coffee or running errands, you gain actual work experience. Hence, you no longer remain inexperienced and stand a better chance at future job opportunities..
2. You experience real education
There is a huge difference between reading about a new country and actually visiting that place. Your studies are like reading about a new country, but an internship is like visiting that country for real. This widens your vision and helps you connect with the real picture and the ups and downs of a workplace. The training, first-hand experience, and skill refinement an internship offers are unparalleled.
3. Opportunity to discover yourself
Like Aristotle said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”
Internships provide invaluable experience that can shape the destiny of all students—working in the real space functions like a reality checker where you can finally gauge your talents, skills, and interests in a true sense.
You will get a true vision or clarity on your strengths and weaknesses. Inevitably, this leads you to make a wise choice about your future career path, thereby increasing your chances of future success and prosperity.
4. Spread your wings and develop your professional network
Networking with other people and forming connections is the key to future career growth. Internships provide students with precisely that. Internships enhance your familiarity with people and allow you to network with the right people working in an industry and perhaps the company you have always wanted to be part of. You may also find true mentors who can guide your career path, not something a fresh graduate with no internship can afford to have.
5. Transition into a full-time position
If your employer gets impressed with your work and talent, it is not uncommon for you to land a permanent job that you can continue alongside your studies or resume as a full-timer soon after completion of studies. The opportunity could just be the right catalyst to kick-start your career with jets under your feet.
Education might give you the ground to stand on, but internships give you true wings to fly high. It helps you to test-drive several career options and choose the best fit. There is a thin line between success and failure – an internship program, even unpaid, can make that crucial difference.