As your students settle into the Winter semester, there is likely a big question on their minds: what should I do this summer? Some students will take part-time jobs, volunteer in their communities, job shadow and learn about career aptitude through internships. These opportunities can help students build valuable skills while determining career fit as they think about their futures.
Mary Sheffieck, an Industrial and Operations Engineering major, took a summer internship and shared the benefits:
“My internship was impactful because I got relevant work experience and realized what I wanted to do after graduation. I recommend that students get internships to not only get relevant work experience, but also to determine if this type of work is what they would like to do.”
Senior Coleen Truong similarly noted that her internship allowed her to "better understand the day-to-day tasks" of her field.
For those considering internships or other summer opportunities, the University Career Center (UCC) is available to help your students navigate through the planning and selection process.
If your student is looking for an internship this summer, here are some campus resources to get started:
- Handshake - Find thousands of jobs and internships posted by employers interested in U-M students.
- University Career Alumni Network - Networking is an important step when looking for jobs and internships. UCAN (the University Career Alumni Network) makes networking with alumni easy. Students can connect with over 6,000 alumni who have volunteered their expertise.
- Internship Labs - Students can get personalized assistance from the University Career Center staff at Internship Labs, offered 2-3 times each week. These drop-in sessions help students get started, or re-started, on their internship searches.
- M-LEAD - Encourage your student to tap into the new leadership development resource M-LEAD, which features internship opportunities as well as courses and retreats. The Adventure Leadership Internship is currently accepting applications from undergraduate and graduate students for a May through September internship. Additional opportunities are forthcoming.
- School/College career offices - In addition to the UCC, each school/college has staff and resources to help students with their career questions. You may want to encourage your student to check in with their school/college to learn more about available resources.
It’s important to remember that not all internships look the same. And industries usually dictate the hiring timeline. For example, finance and consulting companies begin their processes very early, while communication and the public sector offices post opportunities closer to their desired start date. It is most helpful for students to reflect on what they are looking for and then learn about the hiring norms for that industry.
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