The
University of Pittsburgh is starting a new project to guarantee that every
undergraduate student has an internship opportunity. This program will help give undergraduates the edge when
they enter the competitive world after they graduate. All freshman students are eligible to participate in
the Internship Preparation Program, which is the first step in obtaining that
crucial internship.
In an effort to help University of
Pittsburgh students obtain a competitive edge and prepare for life after
graduation, the University’s Office of Career Development and Placement
Assistance (CDPA) is unveiling an initiative that guarantees every
undergraduate the opportunity of an internship.
Starting this fall, any registered Pitt
undergraduate on the Pittsburgh campus is eligible to participate in the
Internship Preparation Program (IPP), which is the first step in a student
obtaining an internship placement.
“We are pleased to offer this opportunity to
all of our undergraduates. Internships, like undergraduate research and study
abroad, provide students with opportunities to deepen their understanding of
what they have learned in their classes and are an important component of
ensuring that Pitt graduates make wise career choices and are adequately
prepared for the next phase of their lives,” said Pitt Provost and Senior Vice
Chancellor Patricia E. Beeson.
“The University’s Office of Career
Development and Placement Assistance has developed a thorough preparation
program for students wanting to obtain an internship placement. Pitt’s
internship guarantee is one of the University’s many offerings intended to meet
students’ academic and career needs,” Beeson added.
As one of the nation’s leading public
research universities, Pitt places a high priority on having its students
engaged in experiential learning, said Cheryl Finlay, director of the CDPA,
whether that means conducting research with world-class faculty members or
performing internships designed to build on what students learn in the
classroom.
“Employers are looking to hire new graduates
with experience, so we are working diligently with employers to make more
internships available and accessible to our students,” said Finlay. “At the
same time, we want our students to understand the importance and value of
completing successful internships.”
The IPP will include a series of six
sessions that can be completed during walk-in appointments made at a student’s
convenience. Each session addresses a different aspect of preparing for an
internship: résumé formatting and content, résumé review and internship focus,
preparation for an internship interview, networking skills, and internship
search, as well as a session focused on succeeding in the internship.
Once students complete the IPP, they meet
individually with CDPA staff for personal résumé reviews, mock interviews, and
support in identifying strong matching opportunities for internships. Finlay
said the guaranteed internship opportunities will begin for students in the
spring and summer semesters of 2013.
Alyson Kavalukas, CDPA internship
coordinator, said the internship guarantee program could be the first of its
kind.
“To the best of our knowledge, after
researching this issue, benchmarking at other schools, and through outreach at
national conferences, we believe the University of Pittsburgh is unique in
guaranteeing experiential learning for all undergraduates who complete a
preparation program,” said Kavalukas.
CDPA, which was recently ranked as one of
the best career services departments at a college or university in the 2013 edition
of The Princeton Review’s
annual college guide, will encourage students who haven’t yet determined their
career paths to use internships as a chance to explore potential career fields,
their
individual strengths, and work dynamics.
Finlay said the effort to help students gain
experience-based learning helps the University reach its goal of 95 percent
employment placement for new graduates. She said the closer her office is to
attaining that goal, the better Pitt is able to recruit and retain top students
and to maintain an engaged alumni population.
“Experiential learning provides students
with skill sets and professional savvy that they will use in their careers, and
these experiences are highly desired by employers,” said Finlay. “It also helps
students identify their true passions and strengths in order to make smart
academic decisions and choose the right career paths.”
For
more information check out the University of Pittsburgh.
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