Internships

There are many different types of internships, and internships can be paid or unpaid, full-time or part-time, and be credit-bearing or not-for-academic-credit opportunities. To ensure that a work experience course (internship) is educational and considered a legitimate internship, the criteria must be met as defined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)

Many internships are structured for students and adult learners who are one to two terms from graduating and/or completing their program. If you are interested in earning academic credit for your internship, this may be a requirement per your school and/or program. Check with your school and/program for additional information. There are some internship opportunities that are for students and adult learners earlier on in their programs. The length of internships typically ranges three to six months, but internships do vary. Internships for academic credit typically follow the academic terms (fall, spring, and summer).

Studies have shown that there is a higher likelihood of a job offer with paid internship versus an unpaid internship. “Results from NACE's Student Survey have consistently found that paid interns receive more job offers before graduation than unpaid interns and more than those who haven’t engaged in an internship.” The CNM Student Workforce Success team will work with employers to have paid internship opportunities to the greatest extent possible. There are also legal guidelines for employers for unpaid internships (such as the U.S. Department of Labor’s Fact Sheet #71). While paid internships are the best for the student and the employer, sometimes a paid internship is not an option, and the Student Workforce Success Team can help you navigate these options.

Depending on your school and program of study, internships can potentially be for academic credit. A credit-bearing internship course is performed at an industry location and meets pre-determined learning objectives with a focus on providing practical work experience, while developing professional skills such as communication, problem-solving, and/or team-oriented work. To see if you may have an internship course in your program, go to “Find Your Work Experience.”

Some companies offer both virtual and in-person internships. When applying for internships, review the internship posting for information about in-person, remote, or hybrid work models. You may also reach out to the employer for additional information or contact the Student Workforce Success team ([email protected]) for assistance.

Once you have submitted your Interest Form in your HireCNM account, you will receive an email notification informing you that internship opportunities are now available to view and apply to in the system.

For resume assistance and interview prep, there are many resources and tools available on our “Career Resources” page. We also have workshops that are available on our “In-Class and Virtual Workshops” page, including the Career Readiness Badging course that prepares job seekers to find and apply for jobs. You can also contact an Employment Advisor through Career and Job Placement, which is a part of our Student Workforce Success team. If you have questions or need additional assistance, you can email [email protected].

Once you have applied for an internship and received an offer from the employer, you will need to decide whether to accept or decline the offer. You can ask for the offer in writing so that you can review it in detail. Once you review the offer in writing, think about whether you'd like to accept, decline, or ask for more time to decide. Respond quickly and professionally, and begin your response by thanking the employer for their offer (whether you accept or decline). If you are accepting the offer, discuss start dates and any additional details like the rate of pay, work schedule, projects, expectations, etc.

Once you accept an internship offer, the Student Workforce Success Team will help in create an Internship Placement Form in your HireCNM account. The Placement Form is where all of the information and details about your internship come together and is approved by you and your internship supervisor/manager. The form also includes learning objectives. Learning objectives are what tie together the classroom experience and/or course work that you are doing at CNM with your practical on-the-job experience at your internship.

If your internship is for academic credit with your program, your instructor (faculty) and Associate Dean will approve the Placement Form as well. The learning objectives on the Placement Form are required for academic credit.

Before you begin your internship, the Student Workforce Success team will provide you with an orientation with helpful tips and information for what to expect at your internship. Once your Placement Form is approved, you will receive the information about the orientation.

If your internship is for academic credit, the next steps will be entering hours into HireCNM once a week or every two weeks so that your instructor (faculty member) knows when you completed enough hours to earn credit for internship. We will follow up with detailed information about how to submit your hours after your Placement Form is approved. You will be required to complete a midterm check-in and then a final evaluation about the internship in the HireCNM.

Here are some tips for when your internship comes to an end:

• Reflect on what you learned – Take the time to write down and capture the details about your internship including what you learned and accomplished. Make a list of your projects and assignments. Use these lists as a reference for updating your resume.
• Request letters of reference and recommendations – It may be appropriate to request a letter of reference or recommendation which can help you when applying for jobs in the future. For helpful tips in requesting a letter of reference or recommendation, reach out to the Student Workforce Success team ([email protected]).
• Consider writing a thank you note or say thank you to your supervisor/manager and co-workers – You make take the opportunity to tell those you worked with how much this experience meant to you. You may have met people who will help you grow your professional network, and it would be good to stay in touch.
• Update your resume – It is important to capture that work experience and the knowledge and skills you have gained to build your resume. For resume assistance and interview prep, there are many resources and tools available on our “Career Resources” page. We also have workshops that are available on our “In-Class and Virtual Workshops” page, including the Career Readiness Badging course that prepares job seekers to find and apply for jobs. You can also contact an Employment Advisor through Career and Job Placement, which is a part of our Student Workforce Success team. If you have questions or need additional assistance, you can email [email protected].

If you are offered a job and are close to graduating/completing or have graduated/completed or are looking for employment after your internship, let us know by answering the Graduate Job Placement Survey.