The coronavirus quarantine has impacted US summer internships, which are instrumental in establishing a career after graduation.
Traditionally, coveted summer internships involve shadowing a seasoned professional mentor, guide, and liaison who introduces the intern to a professional environment. Internships apply the reality to concepts outlined in textbooks. With restrictions in place because of the coronavirus pandemic, remote work is the norm, so nearly all internships are, too.
COVID-19, and its communicable and potentially deadly characteristics still pose a safety concern that is reflected in the dramatic decline (52%), from March 9 to April 13 in internship opportunities, according to data from economic-research company Glassdoor. It reported the pandemic has had a near-instant impact on US internship hiring.
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Over the last two years, from April 2018 to April 2020, internships posted on Glassdoor declined 39%. From the March 9 start of the study, internship opportunities took a downturn.
The invaluable internship experience
There’s no question regarding the value and effect internships have. Glassdoor’s study found those who completed an internship, reported it being “very or extremely valuable to their career.” Positions in the company are often offered to interns: 40.3%, were hired by an employer for whom they previously interned.
Industries most and least affected by COVID-19
All industries have experienced a decline: Popular and considered-fun internships in the travel and tourism industry were hit hardest, garnering 92% dip. Information technology internships were second with a 76% decline, followed by media and publishing, down 62%.
The smallest drop (22%) were positions in accounting and legal. The most internship openings are in accounting and legal, manufacturing, computer software and hardware, retail, healthcare, and hospitals.
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Internships still exist
Despite the drop, there are summer internships. Most businesses, even pre-pandemic, make course-credit mandatory, so a semester carries the same weight as other courses in the students’ majors.
Going 100% in
PwC continues its summer intern program: Worldwide, PwC has an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 interns annually.
“Interns and entry-level hires are critical,” said Rod Adams, PwC’s talent acquisition leader for the US and Mexico. “It’s very important we do right by them.” In early April, PwC made internships worldwide 100% virtual.
PwC’s internship is expected to transition “seamlessly” into a virtual one, Adams said. There are two intern sessions, one starting on July 13, and the other on July 27. PwC offers an MBA, as well as “advance,” and “start” internship programs.
“We’ll extend full-time associate offers for 2021, or later as appropriate, to all eligible interns,” Adams said. For MBA interns who work “as current staff,” Adams said, “full-time offer decisions will be made at the end of the internship.”
The internships “took a lot of careful planning to re-design,” Adams said. All interns have a “coaching team” and “cohort” to stay connected daily. Interns can access PwC’s suite of digital assets, including online collaboration tools and learning modules that prepare them for success at PwC.
The virtual internship for the win
Bloomberg: “We are moving to a 100% virtual internship this summer,” said Kristen Galgano, engineering campus recruitment team lead, and added those developing the program will ensure it’s still a fun, challenging, and interactive program.”
Cowbell Cyber: The cybersecurity company had already transitioned winter interns to telecommuting.