If you’re a college student, you know that an internship is an excellent opportunity to gain real-world experience, make important connections, and jumpstart your career. But when it comes to applying to internships, it might feel like navigating a maze while wearing an eye mask. This can be especially true for first-generation, non-traditional, or marginalized students.
The internship struggle ends here! Our Collective Rising internship removes three key barriers to applying for an internship: networking, financial, and training.
Networking barriers
Having personal connections in the right places can make or break your internship experience. Networking opens doors in a career, and internships are no different. This means if you don’t have connections to people who work in high places, you could potentially be at a disadvantage compared to your classmates. With the Collective Rising internship, you don’t need to worry about lacking A-list connections because we have done that work for you. Your application has the potential to connect you with organizations across the country working on some of the most pressing social justice issues of our time. By applying for the Collective Rising internship, you’re tapping into a network of more than 30 organizations!
Financial barriers
Let’s be real. Talking about money and compensation can be uncomfortable, especially when you are so early in your career. And the reality for many interns is that they don’t have the luxury of taking on under or unpaid work. A study by the Wisconsin Center for Education Research found that 27% of participants could not participate in an internship due to insufficient pay. Research also suggests that paid internships benefit a college graduate’s long-term career trajectory in the form of increased job offers and salary when compared to unpaid internships or no internship. All that is to say: money is an important part of an internship. But unfortunately, too many interns take on unpaid work. The Collective Rising internship takes the inequity out of the equation by providing a $5,500 stipend to each intern. You can have both your dream internship and get paid well doing it!
Training barriers
Stepping into a new internship is like stepping into a new world complete with its own culture, norms, and lingo. A solid onboarding process is key to your internship success. We’re here to support you in your transition and internship journey. As an intern, you get a golden ticket to Collective Power, our annual conference. There, you get to take part in a full day of training to prepare you for your 10-week internship. Plus, you get your very own mentor—a Collective Rising alum—to guide you and support you through your internship journey.
The Collective Rising internship is the move you need to make to beat the internship search blues. Tap into a network of pivotal organizations, build your resume, and get paid doing it. Applications are open until January 10, 2024. Learn more and apply today!