E-mail this pageInternships
Internships are something everyone should consider whether or not it is required in their major. Internship is the most familiar term within the experiential education umbrella.Other terms that may be used are apprenticeship, cooperative education (co-op), practicum, field experience, service learning, volunteering, research, projects, shadowing, and school-to-work transitions.Also included could be part-time and summer jobs. Definitions for these terms vary widely depending on the discipline, school, and company.
What are the benefits of internships?
- Exploring careers and industries
- Gaining practical experience
- Learning new skills
- Network with professionals in field
- Earning possible academic credit (check with academic department)
- Earning money (many are volunteer, but some vary from providing transportation and meals, to a stipend, to hourly wages of over $20/hour)
- Enhancing marketability for competition in jobs
What criteria should I use to evaluate a potential internship?
- Paid vs. Unpaid
- Credit vs. not-for-credit
- Mentor-led vs. self-directed
- Term-time vs. summer-time
- Part-time vs. full-time
How do I apply for an internship?
Applying for an internship is very similar to applying for full-time jobs. Most of the time, resumes and cover letters are required. Most will involve an interview. The CDC workshops will be helpful in preparing for an internship search.Internships are not just for juniors and seniors. In fact, many organizations are open to high school students. On the other end, you do not have to always be a student. Many internships are available to recent college graduates and career changers.
Who should I contact on campus if I want to do an internship?
A career counselor can assist you to identify your career goals and suggest internships that might be most beneficial. The CDC can help you with your polishing your resume and preparing for an interview.
Your advisor, department chair, and other faculty members are great resources. Some employers directly inform them of internship vacancies. You must go through your academic department in order to secure academic credit for your experience. Note: some departments have certain GPA and credit hour requirements before an academic internship can be pursued.
Students in the School of Business & Economics are encouraged to seek out Mary Carpenter, Director of Career Opportunities and Internships in Redcay Hall 0116. This office also lists current internship vacancies on Banner Web .
How do I find out where the internships are?
Internships may be posted on bulletin boards on various academic bulletin boards. Faculty members are valuable resources. Many internships are available on-campus in various research centers including Alzheimer Disease Assistance Center, art museums, Lake Champlain Research Institute, Miner Agricultural Institute, Small Business Development Center, and the Traumatic-Brain Injury Center. These are just a few of the possibilities that generally take on student interns.
The CDC has numerous internship directories and electronic resources. The staff also has identified many internship websites. Many of the targeted websites also contain some internship listings.
For dozens of articles regarding how to get an internship, consult these websites:
Internship Wesbites
- Back Door Jobs
- Best Bet for Internships Abroad
- Campus Internships
- CDS International, Inc.
- College Grad Internship search
- College Recruiter
- INROADS (internships for minority students)
- Intern Jobs
- Intern Web
- Internships
- Internships 4 You
- Internships on the Web
- Long Island Works
- Monstertrak (contact office for password)
- Nonprofit Internships
- Paid Internships
- Princeton Review
- Rising Star Internships
- Student Conservation Association
- Student Jobs in Government
- SUNY-B Washington Semester Program
- U.S. Internships
- Vault Internships
Contact Information
To learn more about the Career Development Center at SUNY Plattsburgh, please contact:
Career Development Center
805 Kehoe Administration Building
101 Broad Street
Plattsburgh, New York 12901
Phone (518) 564-2071
Fax (518) 564-5080
General Inquiries: career@plattsburgh.edu
Credential Requests: credentials@plattsburgh.edu
AIM/AOL screen name: pburghcareer
MSN Messenger screen name: plattsburghcareer@hotmail.com