Services + Resources — Career Services — Internships — Employer Internship Information — Employer Internship Guidelines — Set Goals and Policies
Set Goals and Policies
What is the main goal for your company’s internship program?
- Look at current business activities and consider what ongoing work you would like to expand or projects you would like to initiate or complete.
- Consider projects that are beneficial to your organization and provide challenging learning experiences for students.
- Examine your company’s recruiting needs (i.e. employees retiring or departments that are expecting growth).
Who will supervise and mentor the intern?
- A supervisor should be selected because he/she likes to teach or train and has the resources to do it. The supervisor will help the intern keep their project on time and on budget.
- The mentor may be a department head, project leader, long-time employee or acting supervisor who is knowledgeable on the project where the intern will work and can provide some orientation and wisdom to the student.
Will you pay the intern?
Determine ahead of time if you will be able to compensate your intern, and make it clear up front. Compensation could be in the form of an hourly wage or a stipend. Be sure to review the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
Fact sheet #71: Internship Programs under the Fair Labor Standards Act, to be sure you are in compliance with federal regulations regarding unpaid internships. In addition to, or in lieu of stipends or wages, you may also be able to provide funding for the student to go through training programs.