Internship Week is set for Monday, Feb. 2, through Friday, Feb. 6, and the University Career Center will host a week of programs and events to encourage students to gain relevant experience, to prepare them for the internship search and to connect them directly to potential employers.
The week culminates with the Off-campus Job and Internship Fair scheduled for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Feb. 6, in the Barnhardt Student Activity Center. The fair will offer UNC Charlotte students the opportunity to network with employers whose organizations are offering hundreds of internships, co-ops, part-time jobs and temporary/seasonal positions.
According to Career Center officials, a high percentage of University students participate in experiential learning, which includes internships, co-ops, practicums and service learning, and it’s not uncommon for students to complete multiple internships before graduation. Gaining relevant experience can help students clarify their career goals, develop valuable professional skills and strengthen their candidacy for future positions. In many cases, an internship could lead directly to a full-time job; employers made full-time offers to more than 64 percent of their interns, as noted in a recent survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
Throughout the week leading up to the job fair, employers will conduct on-campus professional development sessions focused on leadership skills, how to impress recruiters and other relevant topics. Students will have opportunities to meet individually with career advisors for assistance with the internship search – both through the Career Center’s drop-ins hours and extended pre-fair resume critiques.