All undergraduate students are encouraged to participate in the Internship Program prior to graduating.  It is not too early to start researching companies that offer internship within the first year at GBC.  For a list of active internships available to students, please check the GBC online job board through College central.com.

Attend our Annual Internship Opportunity Fair held every January.  Network with employers who have existing internship/ co-op programs.

Internships

• What is the Internship program?

  • An internship is a unique educational plan for which the student earns academic credit. It integrates classroom study with planned supervised work experience.  This field experience allows students to acquire practical skills, be exposed to the reality of the business world beyond the boundaries of the campus, enhance self-awareness, and help provide direction with regard to career choice.

  • Internships may vary.  All are beneficial from a learning perspective but sometimes do not earn pay. It depends on the company offering the opportunity.  Both volunteer and paid internships are acceptable for academic credit providing the working hour requirements are fulfilled within the timeframe given.

• How does the Internship program benefit the student?

  • An internship helps the student enhance his/her professional skills with actual “hands-on” experience in his/her chosen field.

  • An internship gives the student an inside view of the business world of work.

  • An internship permits the student to apply the principles and theories taught in the classroom to real-life projects.

  • An internship influences the personal, career development and academic performance of the student. 

  • An internship gives students the opportunity to be considered for permanent employment if they successfully complete their assignments.

  • An internship fosters the development of communication skills by giving students experience in personal interaction in career settings.

  • An internship is a way for the student to “test” out his/her chosen field to make sure it is a good fit.  It gives the student exposure to other people doing the same type of work, and helps the student decide if this is the right career for him/her before accepting a permanent position.

  • An internship is an excellent resume builder, since most employers make hiring decisions based upon prior work related experience.  It allows the student to stand out from the rest of the competition when searching for permanent work.

• How do students find the appropriate internship?

  • It is important for the student to develop an action plan to get an internship. Although a student must have completed half of his/her credits for degree, it is not too early to start researching companies that offer internship within the first year at GBC.  It may take a few months to find the right internship.

  • A student may want to define the goals for his/her internship. Some questions to consider include:

    • What do you want to do in your internship?

    •  What industry or type of company do you want to intern with?

    • When do you want to participate in the fall, spring or summer?

    • Do you want to put in 300 hours or 600 hours for internship within a semester?

  • After the goals are established, some steps in getting the right internship to follow include:

    • Visit the Career Services Center

    • Look at the internship opportunities in the binders and job posting web site.

    •  Research internship prospects through Internet sites, company contacts, and directory of employer contacts in the Career Services Office.

    • Attend the Internship Opportunity Fair in January to meet with all the employers who offer internship opportunities.

    • Network for internship opportunities through family, friends, faculty, advisors, student groups and community organizations.

    • Apply with an updated resume and cover letter once the targeted companies are established.

    • Follow up with every employer if you have not heard back within a reasonable time of two weeks.

    • Pay attention to deadlines for applying to companies and deadlines for receiving credit for the semester.

• Can students do two separate internships at two different companies?

  • Absolutely, students can participate in two 3-credit internships within two semesters with two different companies.  It is highly encouraged for students to be exposed to two different companies, taking on different projects to add the variety of experience to their resumes. Students can eventually become more marketable when graduating with more experience in their field.

• Can students use their full time job as an internship?

  • Students who are currently working full time at a job that is directly related to their field of study can use their job as an internship.  However, the employer must assign the student an additional project or responsibility directly related to the area of concentration that is different from the student’s daily job responsibilities during the internship time frame.  The student will still have to meet the hour requirements by counting the hours after the internship paperwork for registration is turned in, and follow the same procedures as for any internship.

Eligibility