
An internship is an opportunity for you to take the skills you've been developing in the classroom and try them out in the professional arena. Are internships worth the time and the effort? Absolutely!
You’re earning a UW degree, and that is a great credential. But so are thousands of other students. How will you distinguish yourself when you apply for jobs?
Recent research shows that more than 70 per cent of new college graduates securing career-track jobs have completed one or more internships. Sometimes, the internship turns into a paid job, but more often it serves as a resume builder, a way to gain professional skills, an avenue for networking, and a source of job recommendations.
Internships and volunteer work show a prospective employer that you are dedicated,
committed, accustomed to a professional environment, and actively building
skills. Even
if the internship is for just a few hours a week and not directly related to
the job you’re seeking, it is an opportunity to show what you’ve been doing
in the community and the professional world. This is very meaningful to employers,
who are eager to hire “self starters” who’ve gone above and beyond their classroom
experiences, transferring their skills into a professional setting.