Ofcom’s Post

The key to this is *paid* internships. Unpaid internships are the norm in North America. I've done them twice in my career both of which were critical to my success. The first was in high school at 16 when I did an internship at an Advertising agency which I would then work in full time for the next 4 years as I also went to Uni full time. At 16 I was living at home so my family supported me taking unpaid work as I earned class credit. I did another unpaid internship while I was completing my Masters dissertation at King's College London at We Are Social (still such a soft place in my heart for all my old WASers!) so I could really test out my theories about social media at an agency leading in the space. I was able to do this because I was living with my boyfriend (now husband) and had saved up money from working to take a career break. In both instances I had the financial and emotional support to take on unpaid work. Well done to Octopus Investments and other organisations that realise you cannot create real change and access to opportunities if you are not offering paid internships. #internships2023 #paidinternships #internshipopportunity

A recent article from AFROTECH shares insightful advice from Matthew C. Meade, a financial services executive who has worked with Fortune 110 companies, about the differences between mentorship and sponsorship, and what to consider when seeking either route to move up the career ladder as a Black professional. The article further explains that these opportunities may be less accessible to Black professionals and offers resources and guidance to help bridge those gaps. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3Sd5KYN #GenesysWorksNYC #internship #internships #WorkplaceSuccess #GenesysWorksNYC #AfroTech #EmpowerOpportunity #ExecutiveSponsorship #Mentorship #NationalMentorshipMonth #DiverseLeadership

As we strive for greater diversity and inclusion in the workplace, one powerful avenue is often overlooked: internships. Companies have a unique opportunity to not only provide valuable learning experiences but also to actively cultivate a diverse talent pipeline. Recent statistics from a survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) reveal that Black students accounted for only 6% of paid interns, and Hispanic students made up only 10.2% of unpaid interns. Financial barriers should never stand in the way of opportunity. Paid internships not only provide much-needed income for students but also ensure that access to valuable professional experiences is equitable for all. It's an investment in the future workforce and a step towards leveling the playing field. Understanding the importance of internships as more than just temporary roles where fetching coffee or making copies should be the norm. Internships should be carefully designed to not only provide valuable work experience but also to serve as an opportunity for both interns and the company to assess if it is a mutual fit. By giving interns real responsibilities and allowing them to contribute to real projects, you can create a win-win situation where both the intern and the company can learn and grow together. Be committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in the workplace through meaningful internships and creating a brighter, more equitable future for all. #InternshipEquality #InclusionMatters

Please welcome the Class of 2024! 🌟 You know the story - In 2020, 100BlackInterns was launched, it grew into 10,000 Black Interns in 2021, followed by 10,000 Able Interns in 2022 and the relaunch of the The 10,000 Interns Foundation in 2023. Each iteration committed to providing underrepresented Black and Disabled talent with involved experience in numerous UK industries. Each year we partner with carefully selected firms, in over 35 sectors, to provide paid internship opportunities - and each year thousands of candidates apply. Selected from a pool of over 20,000 applicants, these candidates have made it through the application stage, our carefully designed training sessions and interviews! 🙌 This summer, the Class of 2024 will begin their paid internships. We couldn’t be more proud of them and the thousands of candidates who show up for themselves by applying, upskilling with our training sessions, and growing their networks via interviews. So please welcome our Class of 2024, and congratulate the entire communities of Black and Disabled talent in the UK who are stepping into their purpose and are ready to take their seats at the table. 💪🏽 Say hi if you've secured an internship!! 👀 ⬇ #10000AbleInterns #Representation #EqualOpportunities

Please welcome the Class of 2024! 🌟 You know the story - In 2020, 100BlackInterns was launched, it grew into 10,000 Black Interns in 2021, followed by 10,000 Able Interns in 2022 and the relaunch of The 10,000 Interns Foundation in 2023. Each iteration committed to providing underrepresented Black and Disabled talent with involved experience in numerous UK industries. Each year we partner with carefully selected firms, in over 35 sectors, to provide paid internship opportunities - and each year thousands of candidates apply. Selected from a pool of over 20,000 applicants, these candidates have made it through the application stage, our carefully designed training sessions and interviews! 🙌 This summer, the Class of 2024 will begin their paid internships. We couldn’t be more proud of them and the thousands of candidates who show up for themselves by applying, upskilling with our training sessions, and growing their networks via interviews. So please welcome our Class of 2024, and congratulate the entire communities of Black and Disabled talent in the UK who are stepping into their purpose and are ready to take their seats at the table. 💪🏽 Say hi if you secured an internship!! 👀 ⬇ #10000BlackInterns #Representation #EqualOpportunities

If you aren't leveraging the power of internships to build your talent pipeline and expand your knowledge, what are you waiting for?! If you want to learn more, join our discussion! #talentpipeline #workculture #genz #interns #imternships #workforce #professionaldevelopment

Thank you to all of the organizations that nominated their programs for the Top 100 Internship Programs List of 2024! We're just 2 weeks away from announcing this year's list on National Intern Day (July 25th). Leading up to the big day, we encourage you to: 1. Vote – If your organization submitted a nomination, visit the National Intern Day site to vote each day until voting closes on July 18th. 2. Plan how your company is going to celebrate and show appreciation to your interns on the 25th! 3. Encourage your interns to nominate themselves for the Top 100 Interns List of 2024! Nominations for the Top 100 Interns List are open until August 9th. How are you planning to celebrate your interns this National Intern Day? #nationalinternday #NID

Internships can contribute to a company’s BEE scorecard in several ways: One way is by providing opportunities for black individuals to gain valuable work experience and skills development, which can count towards the skills development element of the scorecard. Companies can earn points by investing in the training and development of black employees and learners, including interns. An internship in terms of the B-BBEE learning program matrix is defined as “Institutional-based theoretical instruction as well as some practical learning with an employer or in a simulated work environment – formally assessed through the institution.” The mode of instruction should be “Mixed mode delivery with Institutional instructions as well as supervised learning in an appropriate workplace or simulated work environment.” Institutions such as universities and colleges, schools, ABET providers and the workplace combine to make this work. #Internships #BBBEE #BEE

Great article by Lindsay Ellis in The Wall Street Journal today. While college students want to begin their career exploration process during freshman or sophomore year, many are unsure of what is the right professional path. The result for employers is that they are seeing lower conversion and retention. In contrast, more employers are offering #MicroInternships (short-term, professional tasks) to first and second year students as a way to introduce them to the organization. Not only does this help engage students (including those who may not apply or don't attend focus schools), it also allows employers and candidates to mutually assess skills and fit prior to the traditional summer internship. Parker Dewey data shows that beyond improving conversion, retention, diversity, and cost-per-hire, they have happier recruiters, hiring managers, and candidates! https://lnkd.in/gzc_njpX *Non-paywall version in comment.

The value of #internships goes beyond just the impact of the work. There is an exchange that creates value for years to come. Today is #nationalinternday. A shout out to our exceptional intern group Sam Lazarus, Kyle Lewis, Sree Hari Reddy Abbasani, and Pierre Leconte. At the founding of Archer Career, it was essential that we have a summer intern program. After all, students are the reason we exist. Our mission is to build early career confidence by delivering career programs using micro-learning on a mobile app. Students are the voice. As interns, we get a chance to exchange ideas. Learn about the experience on campuses everywhere. See challenges in campus to career first hand and explore deeply. Equally important, over my 30+ year career, I have gained a lot of wisdom. I hope that some of my stories stick to be applied at some point when the message is relevant. It has become increasingly difficult and stressful for students to find internships. Yet, work experience is essential to get early career employment. It is not easy to direct and manage interns, who need and want clear direction, regular check-ins, and to get to do meaningful work. Thank you and SHOUT OUT to our interns. What you do, how you overcome challenges, the insights you provide to us, and the energy you show are incredibly meaningful. You represent your schools well! Babson College, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and Wisconsin School of Business. Now...go build something:)