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An internship program is a great way to create a talent pipeline and inject fresh ideas into your company. The good news is that you can build a successful program using a few best practices and strategies refined by other businesses as inspiration. Here's how to create an internship program from the ground up.
Why Cultural Immersion Matters đ¤
Cultural immersion is a must-have if you want your interns to grow into members of your team. Think about how you can give them a genuine look at company culture and help them experience what it's like to be a part of your business.
By integrating interns with full-time employees, you allow interns to:
- Practice soft skills such as empathy, curiosity, and adaptability
- Receive constructive feedback that helps them grow and develop
- See what it's like to be a part of your organization
When interns connect with people from different backgrounds, they learn to listen more, think critically, and collaborate better. Offer guidance to your interns and give them space to become more self-aware. Throughout the internship program, you want interns to have their own "Aha!" moments.
The internship coordinator should also have a series of one-on-one conversations with participants. These reflective sessions lead to stronger, more thoughtful professionals.
Ideas to Try
The internship coordinator is responsible for bringing interns and full-time employees together. If that task falls on your shoulders, it's important to get creative so you can build a fun, engaging internship program. Fortunately, there are lots of great ideas that you can incorporate into your program.
For instance, you could pair each intern with a culture buddy from a different department. This gives them a go-to person to chat with, learn from, and build a connection with. Also, encourage members of your internship program to interview full-time employees to learn more about their roles.
Invite your interns to participate in global team standups or an async project. Don't forget to discuss their growth periodically throughout the program. During these conversations, talk about each intern's responsibilities, assess performance, and gather feedback about their experience.
Designing an Intern Program Thatâs Fun and Functional đ
Internship programs need to be both fun and beneficial to all involved. Consider how to customize your program around organizational needs while also providing participants with resources to grow. Here are some tips to jump-start your organization's efforts.
Step 1: Kick Off With Intention
Your company can set the tone on day one with a warm, intentional welcome. A virtual mixer with interactive games or trivia is a great way to loosen everyone up and make things feel personal from the start.
Confetti has an entire category of virtual team-building events designed to be intern-friendly. Our packages are great for teams of all sizes and are a great tool for bringing the office together.
You should also create an intern resource hub, which is a one-stop shop for schedules, contacts, and FAQs. If you have time, consider making an intern playbook, which should be packed with resources to help interns get acclimated to your business.
Step 2: Structure for Real Impact
An internship is about more than just assisting staff. Employing interns works best when you give them real work with real results. Let your interns work on special projects with clearly defined goals so they can build expected skills. Interns should have a chance to showcase their work along the way, and their efforts should be clearly linked to college credit or future job offers.
Interns need feedback on how well they carry out their job responsibilities. During regular checkpoints, discuss different duties and the impact they made on your organization.
Step 3: Make Fun Intentional
While you should encourage managers to promote organic interactions between employees and interns, you can also make fun intentional by following a few best practices:
- Host a few virtual bonding events to make interns and students feel connected to the organization
- Set up weekly or biweekly "fireside chats" between employees and students/interns at different levels
- Create a dedicated lounge channel on Slack or Teams for students and interns
You want your interns to have a great time. That's how you attract new graduates to your company and build a talent acquisition pipeline.
Step 4: Mentorship and Team Involvement
Employers need employees to be involved in the internship program. Offer an opt-in mentor pool across several departments, and let interns select mentors based on their interests.
You can also encourage informal connections via virtual coffee chats and Q&A hours. Confetti's Show 'N Share Water Cooler is another great way to break the ice between employees and interns.
At the end of the program, highlight mentor-intern pairs. This recognition is the perfect way to cap off an internship and encourage future students to partner with your organization.
Reflection, Feedback, and Conversion đ
If your organization hopes to build a successful internship program for students, you need to make constructive feedback part of the journey. Here's how.
Make Space for Intern Voices
Keep a finger on the pulse with a weekly check-in survey. Just one to three questions are enough to gauge how students feel about the internship program. At the end of the program, ask deeper questions, such as "What surprised you?" and "What would you tell next year's interns?"
Create Pathways to Stay Connected
Keep interns who are a good fit for the organization connected to the workforce by inviting them to join an alumni Slack group or a monthly newsletter. This is a low-effort way to keep the connection alive. Loop previous interns into virtual company events, even after the internship ends. For instance, you can invite them to a Confetti-hosted trivia party.
These practices make it easy to reach out to recent graduates who are interested in taking a full-time job with your company.
Measuring Success
Conduct an exit interview with each intern. During the exit interview, discuss things like how their responsibilities matched the job description and gather their thoughts on company policies.
Talk to your managers and intern mentors to find out what works and what needs to improve. Don't forget to collect intern testimonials and success stories. You can (and should) talk to faculty members from the interns' school as well.
Build a Better Internship Program That Helps Your Organization Thrive
Internship programs allow employers to source fresh talent and connect with up-and-coming professionals. If your organization needs to expand its talent search, an internship program is a great solution. Leverage these tips to unlock the benefits of internships and level up your workforce.
Looking for more internship program ideas? Check out our Intern collection.
Remember: Interns arenât just temporary helpâtheyâre future teammates, culture builders, and brand champions. Build your program with the same care youâd give your highest-priority hires. And donât forget to have fun doing it.
