At UTS, and particularly in the Careers unit, we get a lot of inbound inquiries about internships. Students want internships, and the University wants to place them. However, not every internship opportunity is one that will mutually benefit both a student and the employer. Sometimes employers want interns to work, for free, to help them relieve their workloads. While that might not be the best motivation, we certainly do want to try and make things easier across the process.
Early in my career, I remember undertaking multiple internships, with a desire to learn more and be better equipped for a job. Some experiences were positive, and some were a little less so. What I found, is that people who want to help interns succeed tend to make the best supervisors. The work might be complex, the company may not be the ideal place to work, but all of those things can be less of a focus if the person managing the intern is ready and equipped to do it well. I remember an internship where my boss asked me to help him move offices, and throw out a dumpster-worth of rubbish. At least I learnt how to cause repetitive strain injuries!
UTS aims to provide all students with an internship, or internship-like experience as part of the learning process. We know that the future of work is becoming more dependent on automation, outsourcing and new ways of thinking and so it's critical that we empower our students with opportunities to learn critical skills, in the workplace, before they graduate.
If you are thinking about hiring interns, here are some things to consider:
Do you have an intern-friendly office?
This may seem obvious, but some employers expect interns to complete work from home, or remotely and without any supervision. Having a workplace that fosters learning, collaboration and support is key to a successful internship. Have you got a physical space to work from? Is there access to facilities and staff to assist if needed? Is it clear that interns can approach you if they need to ask for help? These are all important things to consider when thinking about setting up an intern for a successful experience.
Are you ready to help them learn?
Some internships require a steep learning curve, and that's good. However, sometimes it's best to pace the learning so that an intern can become familiar with the space, the team and their role, before being thrown in the deep end. Learning can look like many different things, but one key question is: are the tasks being assigned going to help the intern learn within their areas of education? Collecting the mail, delivering food, depositing coins at the bank? Possibly not. Learning a new productivity tool, observing a business development call, sitting in on team discussions; possibly yes!
Are you across the legalities?
We don't all practice law (wouldn't that be handy), however, there are some things we do need to know when it comes to employment law. As with other institutions, UTS allows unpaid internships, strictly if they are learning experiences. Hours, duties and days of work must be monitored and supervised by the University if the internship is to be covered by UTS insurances. If an internship is paid, does it match the current fair work award wages? If you are unsure about what sort of internship you should provide, have a look at fairwork.gov.au, or contact the Careers team.
Do you want them to succeed?
A simple yet powerful thought. Interns choose to work as interns, because it will boost their employability, and hopefully, they will learn new skills. It always helps to have a manager, or supervisor, who believes in you, and who can guide, as well as instruct. Even if the work itself isn't as thrilling as you want it to be, you can create an engaging experience. If you desire to help students succeed in their careers, then you are likely going to host a fantastic internship experience.
Interested in UTS talent? Contact us at wehire@uts.edu.au to find out more, or visit industry.uts.edu.au
David works with UTS Careers to develop industry-facing content and communications campaigns, and also works with the Startup Internships program, which places UTS students with employers from the startup ecosystem in Sydney.