Preparation of Students for Internship

Students need to be thoroughly prepared before embarking on an internship experience. Preparation includes classwork that focuses on research, career exploration, and skills that will be applied at the worksite. Practical concerns must be addressed as well.

Many districts provide students with an internship handbook that includes the following:

• Internship agreements: These agreements should include the purpose of the internship experience and an outline of the worksite supervisor’s and the student’s responsibilities.
• Dress and behavior expectations ​​​​​: Remind students that they are representing the program, the school, and themselves at a worksite. The teacher/coordinator should be aware of the dress code at each worksite and discuss appropriate attire with the student. Students must be informed about sexual harassment issues.
• Checklist: Give students a checklist that includes everything they need to do to prepare for the internship experience. These may include preparing a résumé, developing objectives, contacting employers, arranging schedules and transportation, and doing background research.
• Evaluation materials: Students will be evaluated by their worksite supervisors throughout the internship experience. Students should be provided with a copy of evaluation forms and encouraged to become familiar with it to enable them to understand how they are being appraised. Ask students to evaluate their internship experience, as well. Student evaluations of the program are helpful to ongoing program improvement.