The New Disappearing Act: Internships

In the traditional sense, your college matriculation usually consists of your freshman prerequisite, your major classes and at some point an internship. During times of economic downtown an already highly competitive internship becomes miles harder to secure with companies making budget cuts. The Editor & Publisher article Newsroom Interns: Helped, or Hurt by Cuts explores the limited number of  options students face with companies either reducing the number of internship positions available or what companies are offering internships at all.

The issue is bittersweet because companies offering  internship positions are now more than likely unpaid, but interns are asked to complete real work instead of being an errand runner. This aligns with the ideals of one students who sees the unstable economy as more of a gift than a curse for students looking for internships.

On the other hand, theres a vast amount of students who are feeling the brunt of companies limiting their number of interns. The articles talks to a student who believed she secured her internship but was later informed that the position was no longer available. Though she was able to find another internship she discusses that many of her friends didn’t have the same luck.

For some colleges, internships are a requirement for graduation. So with the number of open positions shrinking, the worry from students is growing as they scramble to find an internship.