A professional experience internship is an applied learning opportunity that offers meaningful, practical work experience related to a student’s field of study.
Professional experience internships allow students to apply principles and theory learned in the classroom to a professional environment. Through a professional experience internship, students are provided an opportunity for career exploration and development.
Key elements that may differentiate a professional experience internship from a job include:
According to a report by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE),
“GPA and the total number of internships a student completed as an undergraduate student are the major predictors of initial career outcomes. Graduates with more internships and graduates with higher GPAs had higher odds of being employed relative to seeking employment six months after graduation. Graduates with stronger measures of academic strength and graduates with higher numbers of internships also had higher odds of being in graduate school relative to seeking employment at six months.”
Read NACE’s internship reports for more information.
Students locate their own internships. View a sample listing of previous companies below:
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Advanced Auto Parts Aero Simulation Inc. Aerosonic AIG American General Companies Amazon Amtech Arthrex Auto Owners Barney's Pumps Inc. Benefitfocus Best Buy Booz Allen Hamilton Burns & McDonnell Busch Gardens Tampa Bay CACI Cisco Systems, Inc. City of Lakeland Civil Service CNP Agency Coca-Cola Beverages Florida Cognizant Consolidated Electrical Distributors Deloitte DSM Duke Energy First Federal Bank Florida Department of Transportation Florida International University Golden Rush Huntington Ingalls Industries Jacobs Engineering Group JSK Consulting Keeffe Power Engineering, LLC Lockheed Martin |
MAF Corp. Mettler Toledo Product Inspection NASA National Security Agency Navex Global, Inc. Naval Research Enterprise Internship (NREIP) Oasis Systems LLC OPSWAT Pallet One Phosphorus Free Water Solutions Protiviti Publix Super Markets, Inc. Purdue University Radware Inc. Reliaquest Saddle Creek Logistics Services Safety Solutions & Supply SOFWERX Southern Homes of Polk County Summer Undergraduate Research at Florida (SURF) Tactegy Team Fishel Turner Construction Underwriter Laboratories U.S. Department of Defense Whiting-Turner Contracting Company WillowTree Winter Haven Water W.S. Badcock Corporation Z Axis Solutions and many more! |
Once a student hits 72 credit hours they can register for IDS 4941 (Professional Experience Internship). This is typically done the summer between your junior and senior year. The course is offered virtually and asynchronously.
The Office of Career Services can support students in finding an internship through offered resources, events, and career fairs. Students are responsible for securing their own internship. Make an appointment on Handshake to speak to a career coach to help you get started!
The internship course requires:
To pass this course, students must complete all requirements by the deadlines provided in the syllabus.
