Can an intern be the secret sauce to a stronger team culture?

There is no doubt that a properly-executed internship is an incredible learning opportunity for a young professional eager to get their foot in the door.

However, running a structured internship program or regularly hosting interns can offer businesses so much more than they might have bargained for. Have you considered these long-term benefits of taking on interns?

1. Prime your talent pipeline and position yourself as an employer of choice

Talented professionals always have options. How do you ensure that you reach and attract the brightest minds? Give them an opportunity early on that positions you as an employer of choice. When ambitious young professionals are still in the early stages of their careers, their primary focus is gaining relevant industry experience. For many organisations, internships become a funnel for their graduate programs. However, even if the interns don’t stay on or you feel that they are not the right fit, you will be building a reputation as an employer of choice for graduates by creating a lasting positive impression. 

2. Contribute to a culture of leadership

Mentorship is one of the most effective ways to encourage accountability and develop organisational leadership skills. During the internship program, interns are assigned a mentor to support and guide the intern’s development. This would be a powerful professional and personal development opportunity for an aspiring manager or people leader in your team. By hosting interns, you are also embedding the importance of paying it forward so that as your team members progress through their careers, they will take this value with them, as will the interns.

3. Increase team engagement and satisfaction

Give a team member the opportunity to step up and watch the difference it makes to their level of engagement. Mentoring is a core element of creating better-trained and more engaged team members. By helping the intern better understand the industry, the business, and the ways of working and by supporting them in developing critical skills, the mentor will feel a sense of accomplishment; you’ll notice growth in morale and will most likely see the leadership qualities in your team increase exponentially.

An intern can transform your workday. An internship can transform their life.

Speak to Readygrad about hosting an intern today. 

All Readygrad interns are undertaking formalised training opportunities that are delivered within our Registered Training Organisation (RTO) quality assurance framework and in alignment with the Fair Work Ombudsman guidelines on Vocational Placements. Please see our Vocational Placements & Fair Work Statement for more information.