I’ve held my fair share of internships in my time. The simple fact is that you have to get your foot in the door somehow, and often that means performing an internship. Anyways, this is a great infographic by InternMatch that outlines a timeline of internships! So check it out!
<blockquote> Internships have become the norm for students looking to gain valuable on-the-job experience before being handed their diplomas, but today’s internships are a far cry from their predecessors</blockquote>
Turns out internships started with the guild system in the 11th century. To keep a longer explanation short, apprentices would work with skilled workers of a trade or art, and would learn their skills directly from them. And in 1562 “Statues of Artificers” were passed which basically required anyone who wanted to work in trades to complete an apprenticeship.
In 1906 the first academic internship was created at the University of Cincinnati. The program was for accounting and helped students gain hands on accounting experience.
In 1937, internships were taken to the next level when the National Apprenticeship Act was passed and the bureau of Apprenticeship and Training was created at the United States Department of Labor.
Fast forwarding to today, internships have become an essential part of the job search. 63% of paid internships end up with a job offer as a result of their experience. 41% of unpaid internships also receive a job offer. And the average wage for a bachelor’s level intern is 16.21 dollars per hour!
There is a lot more information in this infographic, so check it out! And if you are looking to start your career with a great company like Google or Apple, internships may be the answer!
