Internship students

Things have changed since I was an intern in 2007. I have found recently that some interns walk into a company and think they are going to take over the entire department.

This is not the case in with all interns don't get me wrong, just some of them have very different ideas of what an internship entails.

I remember when I was an intern, I did what I was told and worked hard in the year that I was at the particular company. It is about being grateful for the job that you have and taking the opportunity to learn all you can.

Knowing that at the end of the internship you will be able to qualify with your National Diploma. Although I have found that nowadays some interns think very differently. Some even question jobs given to them and ask: "Is this really what I am supposed to be doing?"

I think that this problem goes back to the university or college that the students come from. Are the lecturers preparing students sufficiently for internship by outlining their role in the department that they are going to work?

I also think that a main reason is the attitude of some of the students, that they have spent the last 2 years learning all the theory and now feel that they know everything!!! How is that possible??? That is my question. I have a permanent job in a company and have been working for over 2 years and know that I still have lots to learn. People who have been in companies for 25 years are still learning.

I think that at the end of the day interns need to know their place within a company that can benefit both them and their employer.