With the increasingly demanding nature of jobs in academia or the industry, mere classroom academics are not enough. Hands-on practical experience in corporate firms through internships, and research work through laboratory rotations are, if not an essential, then certainly an integral component of one’s studies at the University, particularly at the master’s level.
A large number of advanced degree courses at N.C. State require an internship in the industry and this experience is assigned a specific number of core credits. Without these experiences or the credit hours, it is not possible for the students to graduate. In the wake of the recent economic meltdown, there has been a drastic reduction in the number of such positions, making it far from certain that a student will procure a summer job, even if they have good academic credentials.
In programs where an internship is not a part of the core course load and the student is seeking a position purely for the purpose of bolstering their resumes or enhancing their job prospects, it is understandable for the University to be uninvolved. Students should be encouraged to be proactive in seeking such positions themselves.
However, if the University has granted admission to students into programs where internships are mandatory, and the students are unable to find a position in the industry, the University department in which the student is majoring must come to their rescue. Acceptance into such a degree should imply that a fair chance would be given to complete all core requirements in a timely fashion.
University Career Services is quite active in contacting relevant companies, organizing career fairs, counseling students, helping students with their resumes and preparing them for interviews. However, all this does not guarantee an internship; it only improves chances of getting one, which is not enough when one’s program requires it.
Having work experience gives the students an edge over others when they leave school and face the “real world.” If getting internship positions is indeed so hard, perhaps the University should look to admit only as many students as they can guarantee positions, or maybe cut down on the number of such programs all together.
Admission into research-oriented master’s and doctoral programs should mean that laboratory positions are available, and in the event of no positions being available in the lab doing research of the student’s interest, the department must intervene and help them graduate on time. As labs fall within the University’s domain, it should be easier to find all research students a lab, unlike a company-based internship, which falls beyond the jurisdiction of the University.
If there are no jobs available in the industry, the department should generate relevant work for them within the University. Such jobs could be on a nonpayment basis, but still serve as an effective means of assessing them. This will also increase the work output at no additional cost for the department, an important point given the budget constraints that our University is currently faced with. Another potential step the University could take in this direction is to have tie-ups with companies within the Triangle with a certain number of jobs reserved for interning students.
The University must take the responsibility to ensure that once admitted, students get a chance of fulfilling all course credits and graduating as early as they deserve. Course availability-related issues should not hinder their progress. Cutting course sections is already understood, but sacrificing professional development for budget cuts is unacceptable and will hurt the University more.
