McGuire Woods Consulting is a full-service public affairs firm with the mission to empower organizations to shape public policy and influence public opinion.
The Live Client
Virginia is on a mission to support the goal of ensuring that all postsecondary students have at least one paid internship during the time it takes them to complete their degree.
The Background
Less than 50% of Virginia graduates completed undergraduate internships
More than 50% of Virginia graduates said their internship helped them receive a job offer
The Ask
Internships offer valuable benefits to students, yet many still miss out on these opportunities. We were asked to research employer motivation for hosting interns and how to engage employers in internship opportunities.
"Internships are a strategic asset for both future talent and business, reducing hiring costs and fostering innovation while preparing the workforce for economic growth. This dual-benefit approach ensures that both parties feel valued and championed."
-Samantha, CoStar Recruiter
So we talked to employers
And realized that
Focusing only on employers is a mistake.
It ignores the entire ecosystem required to create successful internships. To address this, we need to expand our focus to include all factors that contribute to employer satisfaction.
Students
Students are the ones that have to focus on doing the research and securing an internship. We wanted to understand why and how they do this.
The 3 Targets
Career Services
For colleges and universities the connection between students and employers are career service professionals. We wanted to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the middle man.
Employers
Employers, large and small, face various challenges in recruiting and maintaining interns. We wanted to understand what helps increase employer engagement.
Methodology
18 Interviews conducted in person and online
2 VTOP representatives from Virginia Talent & Opportunity Partnerships
2 students from VA 4 year public institutions
4 career services from VA public institutions and community colleges
10 recruiters from various industries
It’s no surprise that for students the internship search feels intimidating. Especially when it comes to connecting with employers. It is essential to take a broader view and examine everyone’s journey to an internship in order to design a successful system.
The Intern Journey
Looking at the Journey of Each Target
The ecosystem hardly cross paths with one another until the end of their journey
We wanted to discover the challenges that stand in the way for each target and uncover the reason they are not communicating with one another throughout the entire career exploration journey.
5 Findings
1
2.5 million students had quality internships in 2023
Truth
Students think there are only 4 major internship categories
⟶
Source: Business Higher Education Forum
Barrier
d
Recommendation
Implement and highlight micro-internships as credit-earning options to allow students to explore a broader range of industries and exposure to roles beyond the traditional categories.
"Short term internships force students to pause full-time work with no job guarantee. We need to explore micro-internships and project-based learning to build skills while reducing risks."
- Alisha Bazmore, Assistant Director at SCHEV/VTOP
2
Career Services are often the point of contact between students and employers.
Truth
There is little to no student awareness about what resources or events career centers have to offer.
Barrier
⟶
c
Recommendation
Boost student engagement by having career services and VTOP employers co-post content on social media.
"I don’t go to the career center. I rely on Indeed for my career advice since I’m not sure what the career center really offers beyond basic resume help. Career services could be more active on social media, where everyone is already looking for updates."
-Amara, VCU sophomore
3
Employers prioritize hiring the "best of the best" for internships to boost their talent pool.
Truth
⟶
This approach often excludes local talent due to employers having "region blindness."
Barrier
c
Recommendation
Refining the recruitment strategy to engage with regional networks and partner with local universities to host networking events, conferences, and other initiatives to connect with local talent
“Employers often hire the best talent regardless of location, but there’s a growing shift toward regional hubs.”
-Will, Manager Business Engagement at NOVA
4
Paid internships allow employers to provide industry insights and build future talent connections.
Truth
The typical 6-11 week duration of internships is often too brief for students and employers to fully benefit from each other's contributions.
Barrier
⟶
d
Recommendation
Involve employers in classroom education by having them present real-world problems for students to solve, allowing both parties to better understand the day-to-day realities of potential careers.
“For an intern, I’m going to put a lot of time, training, and teaching what we do. The idea of an internship is to retain them. If I give a summer internship, they don’t have the time to learn the next step. We have what we call an internship program, but really it’s for a permanent hire.”
-Bryan, Regional Manager at Fortline Waterworks
5
Employers can create their own internship program according to their capabilities
Truth
⟶
Employers think they need to have it all figured out in order to run an internship program
Barrier
c
Recommendation
Encourage employers to seek support by highlighting that available administrative resources streamline internship management, not just providing financial funding.
“Bigger companies have bigger HR with time to onboard and go to career fairs. Smaller ones the staffing is an issue. Lots of times they think they need to have it all figured out to start. Number one hurdle is employers not asking. If they don’t know they don’t ask.”
-Julia, Director of VCU Business Career Services
Extra Interesting Findings
Employers are actually hiring interns year-round.
Students are unaware of the different titles and roles.
Many jobs go unfilled due to company name bias, not the roles themselves.
Employers noted soft skills as just as, if not more important to have.
Students are unaware of internships being paid, unwilling to leave their jobs.