Internships are a great way to "test-drive" career possibilities. By participating in an internship, you gain hands-on experience and enhance your knowledge of a career field.

Internships

• typically are one-time work or service experiences related to a student's major or career goal
• generally involve a student working in a professional setting under the supervision and monitoring of practicing professionals
• can be paid or unpaid and the student may or may not receive academic credit for performing the internship
• are structured educational experiences which incorporate productive work experience as a regular part of a college student's curriculum

Internships can help you:

• learn about a career field from the inside
• decide if this is the right career field for you
• work alongside a professional in your chosen career area
• gain new skills and add to your knowledge base
• gain confidence in your own abilities
• apply some of the ideas you've learned in school
• gain the opportunity to practice your communication and teamwork skills
• meet new people and practice your networking skills
• gather evidence that you have initiative, are reliable and have a sense of responsibility
• provide a bridge between school and the professional world
• add a v aluable addition to your resume
• enhance your application to Graduate School
• open the door to a job offer or a recommendation about the next steps you should take on your career path

During an internship, you will:

• learn more about a specific industry / field
• test career choices
• gain real world work experience and develop professional competence
• become more familiar with specific work functions and learn career-related skills
• develop values and confidence, assertiveness, and decision-making abilities
• work as part of a team
• learn and improve specific skills such as communication, problem solving, teamwork, new computer applications, interpersonal skills, networking and presentation skills as well as product, company, and career knowledge
• witness classroom theories and principles being applied in real world situations
• increase your marketability
• gain experience in job-seeking skills such as resume and cover letter preparation and interviewing

Other experiential learning opportunities

Undergraduate research programs

• UW-Eau Claire's Faculty-Student Research
• National Science Foundation's Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU). These programs are for students pursuing degrees in the Sciences: Biology, Biochemistry/Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Geology, Physics, and Math

Additional Opportunities

• Learn about Service Learning options
• Participate in a Study Abroad experience
• Investigate the National Student Exchange
• Look for part-time jobs related to your career interest through the Office of Financial Aid
• Explore Summer Camps as a great place to gain experience

---

No one at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire can guarantee that every student will obtain a internship position. You need to remember that economic conditions and candidate competitiveness will affect the number of internship placements that are successfully made each semester.