Why should internships be a part of your recruitment strategy?

Internships can be an important part of a businesses’ talent pipeline and resourcing plans.

Not only do these programs increase your ability to secure highly qualified & talented candidates but provide an opportunity to integrate new talent to make sure they are the right fit for your business.

 It’s not about numbers, it’s about quality – and as employers invest more time and resources into finding the right people (considering role & cultural fit and alignment of values) internship programs simply make sense.

 Importantly, they also provide students with valuable practical experience and the opportunity to connect classroom learning to the real working world. As we see it, it’s win-win, for everyone.

 During COVID, we saw internship programs often marked as important, but not urgent initiatives. Many paused their internship programs due to a shift in resources/competing priorities but recently we’ve seen a swing back in the other direction.

For a business considering an internship program, here is some rationale to why internships should be a part of your core business strategy moving forward: 

 Talent pipeline 

Internships allows businesses to tap into an eager graduate market before they get snapped up in the often-frantic post-graduation job search. In a time where the talent pool has been limited due to border closures access to high-achievers who want to succeed is crucial for businesses. An internship program will allow a business to stay ahead of competitors in a highly competitive recruitment market and attract high quality candidates.

As touched on, internships also allow a business to gauge someone’s ‘employment fit’ analyzing performance, skill set and cultural suitability in a real working environment before committing to a hiring decision. 

New ideas  

In a world where innovation is often key to business success, an internship program can offer a helping hand with new ideas and a different perspective. By having ‘fresh eyes’ or an ‘outsider’ viewpoint it can contribute to business improvement initiatives or new ways of thinking. Remember, graduates are usually up to date with the latest trends and technology in market which can be a boost for any organisation

An extra pair of hands 
 

Aside from the initial training period with an intern, where extra assistance may be required, and intern is an extra set of hands within your business. Often it provides the opportunity to reallocate beginner tasks from current staff to an intern, which provides a great opportunity for them to cut their teeth with new learning opportunities, and current staff to take on more!

Opportunity for staff to step up 

An internship program is also an excellent staff development opportunity – if you have staff who have expressed interest in managing team members, this is a great way for them to get hands on people experience without having to hiring or promote. By having a team member mentor an intern, it provides the opportunity to practice leadership, delegating and facilitation skills.

We know internships are an all-round winning formula for both graduates, employees and companies – not only do you cultivate talent and build your workforce – but participants gain valuable hands-on experience working on real business issues. What’s not to like!?

To learn more about hosting an intern click here!

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