14-05-2025
Rethinking Internships: 3 Keys To Building A Best-In-Class Program
Anne St. Peter, Founder of Global Prairie, an employee-owned B Corp, crafting purposeful marketing solutions to cultivate a healthier world.
Internships, apprenticeships and practicums have existed for centuries. While they've changed in duration, structure and compensation, the core objective of these training programs remains unchanged: to provide individuals with hands-on job experience and professional skill development.
Instead of viewing interns as just the bottom of the hierarchy, I think more business owners should create internship programs that fully integrate and involve these junior employees. This not only improves the interns' experience but also helps full-time employees gain vital delegation and mentoring skills. Companies that embrace the value of investing in junior talent benefit from fresh perspectives while bolstering business performance.
Here are three ways to build a best-in-class internship program.
Internship programs should be an extension of a company's brand, values and mission. This can be as simple as renaming the internship program to align with the titles used for full-time employees. At our 100% employee-owned marketing firm made up of associates, managers and directors, we call our interns 'junior associates,' which emphasizes our horizontal organizational structure. Moreover, referring to interns as 'junior associates' showcases the growth trajectory they could have if hired on full time, and it acknowledges their role in the broader company structure and strategy. This intentional language promotes feelings of ownership and belonging in junior talent.
Similarly, JPMorgan Chase refers to its interns as 'analysts,' a purposeful designation that mirrors the firm's professional rigor and long-standing investment in developing future leaders in the finance industry.
Getting junior talent involved in the company culture is essential. Include your junior employees in culture initiatives, including volunteer events, guest speaker sessions, wellness challenges, affinity groups and engagement surveys. Additionally, consider offering coaching on LinkedIn profile building and advice on requesting letters of recommendation. These are ways to value the contributions of junior talent while building their confidence in the workplace and beyond.
Internships are not just a learning opportunity for young talent; they're also an avenue to instill your company's purpose, values and culture. Whether or not an intern continues with the company post-program, the lessons and values they absorb can significantly influence their career trajectory. At organizations with strong purpose-driven goals, such as B Corporations or employee-owned companies, this exposure to impact-driven business is critical. Interns gain firsthand insight into how businesses can be profitable while also contributing positively to the world. They also get to see that the more profitable a company is, the greater impact it can have on its employees, its community and the planet.
A Deloitte study found that 89% of millennials and 86% of Gen Zers believe that having a sense of purpose is very or somewhat important to their overall job satisfaction and well-being. By integrating junior talent into your organization's culture, you not only cultivate a new generation of purpose-driven professionals but also increase the likelihood that these interns will pursue long-term careers with environmentally and socially responsible organizations.
Through a well-crafted internship program, junior employees can also learn what questions to ask during job interviews, what benefits they should look for and how they should be treated in the workplace. Taking that one step further, they can also gain a deeper understanding of responsible business practices and witness corporate social responsibility in action.
Junior associates bring fresh perspectives, new ideas and a familiarity with the latest technologies that can help organizations stay ahead of the curve. By allowing junior associates to contribute to meaningful projects, listening to their ideas and valuing their candor, you can tap into unconventional solutions and modern insights that you may otherwise overlook.
Integrating junior associates into the broader work environment also offers a significant opportunity for full-time employees to develop delegation and leadership skills. This not only boosts collaboration but also develops a culture of shared responsibility, which is critical for businesses looking to foster innovation and long-term prosperity.
Internships are more than a talent pipeline—they deliver immense value. Investing in junior talent positively impacts business outcomes. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, interns who become full-time employees are retained at higher rates: 75.5% of them stay with the organization after their first year of employment, compared to 51.5% of non-intern employees. By integrating interns into the company culture early on, businesses can foster loyalty, drive innovation and ultimately create a more engaged workforce.
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