Internships not Just for Students Anymore

August 12, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Competition for internships will be stiff this fall, as experienced/mature workers will be competing with college students for the positions, a CareerBuilder survey finds.

Nearly one-quarter (23%) of employers report that they are seeing experienced workers, those with more than ten years experience, and mature workers, workers age 50 or older, apply for internships at their organizations. Regardless of applicants’ ages, more than one-quarter (27%) of employers said they plan to hire interns during the remainder of 2010 to help support workloads, according to a press release.  

Fourteen percent of respondents said they anticipate hiring paid interns, while 7% said they won’t be paying their interns. An additional 5% will hire both paid and unpaid interns. Fifty-three percent of employers said they plan to pay interns $10 or more per hour, while 5% reported they will pay $25 or more per hour.   

When it comes to responsibilities, employers reported the following tasks that interns at their organizations typically handle:  

  • Hands-on experience related to their goals – 73% 
  • Office support – 52% 
  • Working with customers – 35% 
  • Running errands – 23% 
  • Office maintenance – 19% 

  

“The last 18 months have reshaped internships as more than an experience-builder for college students. Now, they’re also a way for experienced workers to explore new opportunities,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder, in the press release.  

The survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder.com among 2,534 U.S. hiring managers (employed full-time; not self-employed; non government); ages 18 and over between May 18 and June 3, 2010.

«