Alexander Mae

Businesses of all sizes are offering placements, either via apprenticeship or internship, providing opportunities for students and graduates to gain relevant skills and experience in a particular area of business or a technical skill. For example a student wanting to get a job in IT could start by securing an apprenticeship with an IT and Technology Company, which would provide them with that first foot on the ladder to a career in their chosen sector.

Our experience is that more and more businesses have an interest in these types of placements, in particular internships, for a range of reasons – either as part of their focus to support grass roots talent development through their Corporate Social Responsibility programme or in some cases simply as a way of providing additional resources for their operation.

What Is An Internship?

Wikipedia defines an internship as a period of work experience offered by an organisation for a limited period of time. If you are an undergraduate and want to get ahead in your studies and add real business experience to your CV before leaving university then internships may offer invaluable benefits, help you network and build a business contact list and for some offer the ability to impress which may lead to offers of future employment with that business.  In essence, they can be advantageous as a route to getting hired once you graduate.  Employers also benefit as they have additional resources (in many cases unpaid) from these types of placements.  It can also provide businesses with an alternative way of sourcing future recruitment as they will have experienced firsthand the candidate.

For the intern, it can provide the experience to help them decide if the particular business or industry sector is for them and whether they still have an interest in that field after the real life experience.

What Is An Apprenticeship?

Wikipedia defines an apprenticeship as a system of training future generations in a skilled trade or profession with on-the-job training with skilled and qualified professionals with classroom or home study and examinations throughout the period.  Typically apprenticeships can be from 2 years upwards dependent on the skills and qualifications required to reach competence.  The end result is that the apprentice will have a qualification to practice in their trade or profession of choice.

There are about 200 different professions to chose from and it is really a case of earn while you learn the particular trade.   The Government are also fully committed to supporting apprenticeships in business which makes it attractive as there are a variety of grants available for employers.

Is an Apprenticeship or Internship Right for Me?

Apprenticeships     Last for an extended period of time. Gain a qualification at the end of it (NVQ, GNVQ or Foundation Degree). Qualification and training is monitored by the government. Provide an opportunity to learn and earn on the job. Typically paid. Good selection of apprenticeship schemes to chose from. On the job training by industry professionals.

Internships   Last for a shorter period of time – sometimes only weeks. The intern doesn’t gain any formal qualifications at the end of the internship, but there is a chance of being offered a job. Best suited to people who are not sure of which profession they want to go into Provides an opportunity to explore different career options, to gain experience and improve a CV. Less formal and are not under any government scheme. Often unpaid. Some employers will cover travel and lunch expenses. No guarantee of a job at the end of the internship.

Typically small to medium sized businesses use internships as a way of facilitating training and skills development with the advantage of gaining an additional resource to support the business operation through peaks in its operation. This can help with efficiencies and productivity during seasonal fluctuations or busy periods.  Fresh ideas can provide a different perspective for a business along with new skillsets.  The benefit of bringing an intern into full-time employment following an initial internship is that they are already familiar with the company, the culture and they typically need little training. Learning is the key draw to attracting this talent.

Bristol and South West Recruitment Experts

At Alexander Mae we are focused on recruiting the highest calibre of candidates for our clients and working with our candidates to ensure each person is placed in the right role.  If you are considering recruiting please click here to find out more, email [email protected] or ph: 0117 9055035

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