The Essential Guide to Building a Successful Internship Program

Jill Monte - Content Specialist · Apr 17, 2025

In today's dynamic job market, building a great internship program is more important than ever. As the economy rebounds and competition for top talent intensifies, companies are recognizing the value of internships as a key talent pipeline. Interns not only bring fresh perspectives and energy to organizations but also offer an opportunity to cultivate future full-time employees. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), eight out of ten employers plan to maintain or increase their intern hiring for the 2023-24 academic year, underscoring the critical role internships play in talent acquisition.

With a shift back toward in-person work and a renewed focus on meaningful professional experiences, employers must create thoughtful, engaging, and well-structured programs to attract and retain the best young talent.

In this blog, you’ll hear from Recruitment Manager Tara O'Brien. who runs an expansive internship program across several states in the U.S. The program gives students experience in the workforce development industry, and in turn, her company is able to create a pipeline of talent. To date, more than 20 interns, some of whom are pictured below, have been hired into full-time positions, with more on the horizon.

In the evolving landscape of internship programs, organizations continue to recognize the strategic importance of cultivating emerging talent. For instance, consulting firm Bain & Company was ranked as the top internship program for 2024 by Glassdoor, reflecting its commitment to developing future leaders.

Similarly, companies like Pfizer have established comprehensive early career programs, blending internships with employment opportunities and advanced education, to attract and retain top talent. These examples highlight the ongoing efforts by leading organizations to invest in robust internship programs, recognizing their value in building a strong talent pipeline and enhancing the recruiting process.
Sources: Glassdoor.com, Pfizer.com

Internships are a highly effective yet often underutilized tool for talent development. As companies continue to adapt their work environments, whether in-person, hybrid, or remote, now is the perfect time to enhance existing programs or create new ones to attract and develop emerging talent.

To learn best practices and how to create a successful internship program of your own, be sure to read the interview further down in this blog. But first, let’s take a look at how companies and students both stand to benefit from a well-run internship program.

What is the ROI of an internship program?

In this blog, we will explore what it takes to operate a successful internship program – one that adds value to your organization, helps build your talent pipeline, and improves your organization’s brand as an employer of choice.

Just to be clear, the definition of internship, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), is, “a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Internships give students the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience and make connections in professional fields they are considering for career paths; and give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate talent.” In addition, an internship is typically a semester (fall, spring, summer) in duration, may or may not carry credit, and may be paid or unpaid, based on the Department of Labor criteria.

One of the biggest changes in the intern landscape in the 21^stcentury has been the creation of corporate intern programs by organizations who want to recruit students from local colleges, universities and trade schools. Many do this with the hope that interns will become part of their recruitment pipeline.

“Our organization has been fortunate to welcome interns who bring unique skills, fresh perspectives, and great energy to EDSI, making a meaningful impact on our programs, work initiatives, and overall workplace culture. Through partnerships with local universities, colleges, and our strong employee referral network, we attract students who are passionate about helping others, committed to making a difference in their communities, and who embody our core values: Show Up, Smile, and Support. The experience is truly mutually beneficial, providing valuable opportunities for both our interns and our company,” said Director of Marketing, Casey White.

In the Question/Answer session that follows, you’ll learn how EDSI's corporate internship program came to life, and how you can use many of these ideas, tools and best practices to build your own program.

Q: Once you decided to create an internship program for your company, what were your next steps?

A: In order to begin building a guiding framework for a successful internship program, I:

Met with colleagues to decide what we wanted to accomplish in our internship program
Conducted in-person and online research to gather industry data
Discussed best practices with companies who had successful programs
Wrote a mission statement to help us stay focused on our goals
Created partnership opportunities that linked the program to schools and colleges, and enhancing community connections

Q: What are the benefits of an internship program from an employer perspective?

A: In my program, the boost to our culture is one of the biggest pluses. Team members who work closely with interns often share the positive and collaborative interactions that happen in the office while working on projects or simply having lunch. Companies that devote time and resources to finding, selecting and training interns are also looking for a return on their investment, which is mentioned earlier in the blog.

Here are some other employer benefits:

Opportunity to select and develop your potential future talent pipeline for entry-level positions
Significant cost savings related to recruiting, onboarding and training if intern is hired
Ability to evaluate and screen potential employees prior to making a full-time position offer
Provides good community outreach in support of local schools and the economy
Expands customer base: interns use word of mouth to share their positive experience
Culture is enhanced: staff enjoys sharing knowledge and appreciates intern contributions

Q: What are the benefits of an internship program from a student perspective?

A: An internship offers students valuable work experience that employers look for when they’re hiring graduates. It shows proactivity and dedication, and provides relevant on-the-job experience. More student benefits include:

Skill Development – Interns gain a high-level of experience doing real work, attending workshops, conferences and meetings
Industry Insight – Internships provide students opportunities and building blocks to help set the foundation for their career and explore different career paths
Culture Enhancement – Interns are exposed to a healthy culture and immersed into the camaraderie of what it takes to work productively and comfortably in an office or at a worksite
Contacts and Job Prospects – Interns learn to develop professional working relationships by interacting with professionals in their field of interest, potentially leading to valuable references/referrals during their job search
Competitive Advantage – research shows that students who participate in internships have a leg up on their peers when it comes to applying and interviewing for jobs

Q: How can I design an internship program that meets the needs of my company and the student?

A: Prior to hiring an intern, an employer must understand how interns will fit within the company’s goals and culture. As in many inaugural programs, setting goals is crucial. You can start by asking a few initial questions:

What does your company hope to achieve from the program?
Is your company looking for short-term support on a specific project?
Does your company want to have a regularly recurring rotation of interns or seasonal support?
Is your hiring team hoping to attract potential new hires through this process?
Will there be a mentor and/or supervisor able to commit enough time to provide a positive experience for interns?

Discussions between company leaders, management and HR can create a consensus on goals and a specific internship program can be designed to best meet those expectations.

Q: What are the steps to a successful internship program?

A: Launching an internship program is an extensive process, but with the right planning and support, it can be a very rewarding experience for everyone involved. If you approach your internship program as a training ground for potential new hires, it can end up being an effective way to give talented students the opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute to the team.

The 10 steps outlined below offer a comprehensive roadmap to creating a successful internship program for your organization:

Research other programs and best practices in order to ensure you have the knowledge and tools to start building a framework
Designate an internship coordinator
Recruit mentors or “intern ambassadors”
Write a job description and decide pay and logistics: hourly wage, desk location, supervisor and primary responsibilities
Create an Intern/Employer “contract” that includes long-and-short-term goals
Develop a thoughtful onboarding process, including an internship orientation session where you set expectations. Include a 3-5 minute overview of different parts of the company, with a representative from each department
Consider internship enhancements: special training opportunities, performance reviews, lunches with executives, social events, etc.
Pre-schedule check in’s between the intern, internship coordinator and mentor/supervisor. These should be planned and documented meetings throughout the internship and an exit interview at the end
Capture learning outcomes/assessment of performance through testing or surveys
Encourage interns to spread the word about their positive experience (Glassdoor review, social media post, etc.) and promote your intern program on your website and social media

Q: How exactly do I go about partnering with educational institutions to recruit interns?

A: Colleges are usually eager to help students get internships and real-world experience. Many schools require students to complete an internship to graduate, and your company could be doing them a great service. Working with a college gives your company more visibility and brand awareness, which is helpful in recruiting. Contact your local colleges to find out how you can work together. Usually the Career Center or Alumni Office are good places to start.

Q: What are the 5 most important things an intern should do during their internship?

A: Here is a good start:

Be proactive – seek out opportunities, don’t wait for them
Seek growth – step out of the comfort zone and explore new things
Challenge yourself – increase your knowledge and improve existing skills
Communicate – ask questions and talk to as many people as you can
Aim to meet and exceed expectations – make a great impression!

Building a solid internship program takes a lot of thought and effort, but with today's workload and tomorrow's workforce, starting an internship program is an outstanding way to facilitate success at your company.

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Check out the Highly Desirable Internships chapter in EDSI's debut book, Unquittable.