Internships
Career & Professional Development seeks to partner with faculty to promote student engagement in internships. Internships are an effective way for students to develop relevant skills for success in their future careers. As faculty often advise students on internships that align with particular majors, it is important that you maintain an awareness of the industry definition of an internship:
An internship 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.
This definition and the following criteria are defined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), a global organization comprised of career services professionals and employment professionals.
Criteria For An Experience To Be Defined As An Internship
To ensure that an experience—whether it is a traditional internship or one conducted remotely or virtually—is educational, and thus eligible to be considered a legitimate internship by the NACE definition, all the following criteria must be met:
- The experience must be an extension of the classroom: a learning experience that provides for applying the knowledge gained in the classroom. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or be the work that a regular employee would routinely perform.
- The skills or knowledge learned must be transferable to other employment settings.
- The experience has a defined beginning and end, and a job description with desired qualifications.
- There are clearly defined learning objectives/goals related to the professional goals of the student’s academic coursework.
- There is supervision by a professional with expertise and educational and/or professional background in the field of the experience.
- There is routine feedback by the experienced supervisor.
- There are resources, equipment, and facilities provided by the host employer that support learning objectives/goals.
If these criteria are followed, it is the opinion of NACE that the experience can be considered a legitimate internship. Whether an internship is paid, unpaid, or grants academic credit, Career & Professional Development seeks for the above criteria to be consistently met to ensure an appropriate developmental experience for our students.
While academic credit legitimizes an unpaid experience, in order to be identified as an internship, that experience must fit the above criteria. For experiences that employers make available only if academic credit is awarded, the college or university’s requirements in combination with the criteria laid out above should be used to determine if the experience is a legitimate internship.
We encourage faculty members to support students by facilitating internships for academic credit when possible, particularly in cases where an employer will not be providing compensation. If you have questions about this process, please contact our office. Campus Greensboro, Humanities at Work, and the SECU Foundation Public Fellows are just a few of the fantastic internship programs available to Spartans.
Source: Position Statement: U.S. Internships, National Association of Colleges and Employers
Local Internships
We have curated a collection of local internships and made them available to students in Handshake. The list below contains a few of the internships in that collection. Please have your students log in to Handshake to see the entire collection.
- Employer: Nordfab Ducting LLC Expires: 06/22/2026 Production Engineering Intern- Production – NordfabAre You?Hungry to always find a better way of doing things?Ready to use your skills in a work environment to develop and gain professional experience? Thrilled about working for a global industry leader in its mission to shape the future for clean air?Nordfab introduced Quick-Fit® […]
- Employer: Clapping Hands Farm Expires: 06/22/2026 DISABILITY INCLUSION INTERNSHIPS- SUMMER 2026Clapping Hands Farm Camp is seeking summer interns committed to disability inclusion who are eager to work with children who have autism, ADHD, PTSD, OCD, anxiety, family trauma and more. We are looking for energetic team […]
- Employer: Ames Construction – Engineering Expires: 06/18/2026 Ames Construction is one of the 20 largest self-perform highway heavy contractors in the US. We are based out of Charlotte, NC. Most of our work is located in North Carolina . We are a first generation family owned company that tackles projects that are less […]
- Employer: The Budd Group Expires: 06/06/2026 Shared Services (HR) Summer InternPosition Summary:The Shared Services (HR) Summer Intern will support the daily operations of the Shared Services team across multiple divisions. This role provides hands-on experience in recruiting, onboarding, human resources, administrative support, and exposure to basic financial processes. The internship is designed for […]
- Employer: Toyota North America Expires: 06/06/2026 Company Overview:Collaborative. Respectful. A place to dream and do. These are just a few words that describe what life is like at Toyota. As one of the world’s most admired brands, Toyota is growing and leading the future of mobility through innovative, high-quality solutions designed to enhance lives and delight […]
- Employer: Hagen Engineering Expires: 06/05/2026 Civil Engineering Intern A hands-on internship for current civil engineering students looking to gain real-world experience in land development. You will assist our team with site civil design, construction document preparation, stormwater calculations, and site visits — with direct mentorship from licensed Professional Engineers and a potential pathway to […]
- Employer: The P&A Group, LLC Expires: 06/14/2026 Acme Sample is seeking an Industrial Engineer Intern position in High Point, NC. This part-time position offers flexible hours and bi-weekly pay.You will be responsible for supporting our operations team, observing manufacturing processes, conducting time and efficiency studies, and making recommendations to our operations leadership team. You will […]