What is an internship for students and why is it needed?

 A-priory: Internship is a type of additional professional education that consolidates the knowledge and skills acquired by the student during training. The purpose of an internship is to help students gain practical experience in a specific field.

How is an internship different from a practicum?

 Internship for students

Firstly , the internship is not a mandatory part of the educational program and is carried out on a voluntary basis, at the request of the student. 

Secondly , the university does not send students for an internship. It takes place during free time from studies, and the duration of the internship is set by the host organization.

Third , the intern's responsibilities may extend beyond the curriculum.

Fourthly (and this is a very important point), after the internship you can get a permanent job in the company, whereas practice usually does not provide the possibility of employment.

What types of internships are there?

Depending on the conditions, a distinction is made between:

• Free internships
• Paid internships
• Volunteer internships 
• Internships combined with studies.  

How can a student find an internship?

Finding an internship is the sole responsibility of the student. Ideally, a prospective student intern should have a clear idea of what they want to do. Here are some tips for finding an internship:

1. Browse the websites of companies that you are potentially interested in: there may be information about internship programs for students.
2. Information about vacancies and student internships can also be found on specialized websites, such as FutureToday or Changellenge . 
3. If the website of the company you are interested in does not have the information you need, do not hesitate to write to them yourself .
4. If you are tormented by doubts about your specialty and field of activity, choose only short-term internships: this way you will be able to try out a new direction and understand whether it suits you.

You should approach the choice of internship responsibly. In Russia, cases are not uncommon when interns are recruited in order to relieve the workload of current company employees by paying less money for the work. In this case, the trainee receives temporary employment with reduced wages.

Ignore internship postings that have vague terms and conditions and no opportunity for future employment.