New Delhi, Jan. 14 -- Arijita Banerjee, 21, was in the final year of her civil engineering course when she landed an internship with a real estate firm in Kolkata. Her sincerity and work ethic impressed the management and she was asked to get in touch after she graduated. Arijita did just that and the internship turned into her first full-time job. Gone are those days when a degree alone could guarantee a smooth entry into the job market. In today's fast-changing job landscape, students are valued not just by their marks but by the skills they bring to the table. As collaboration between industry and academia grows stronger, competition is getting tougher and relevant internships are becoming increasingly important that help young professionals stay ahead.
Reports suggest that interns are nearly 25% more likely than non-interns to land a full-time job within six months of graduation. In fact, anywhere between 21.5% and 47% of college students now complete at least one internship during their academic journey, thus showing how hands-on experience is no longer an option but mandatory. "I have seen several high academic performers struggle to secure jobs, while candidates with one or two internships were preferred. Even my faculty members emphasise that high CGPAs alone are not sufficient enough as internship provides practical understanding", said Poorna Dhara, BTech Computer Science Student, University of Engineering & Management (UEM).
Internships play a crucial role in providing students with hands-on experience and exposure to real-life work environment. They help the students to develop essential skills such as time management, responsibility, teamwork and communication, which are difficult to acquire through textbooks or classroom learning alone. Internships also enable the students to build professional networks by connecting with mentors and industry professionals. Let's be honest. Recruiters these days prefer candidates who possess prior workplace exposure and relevant practical skills, often giving an edge to those with internship experience. Additionally, internships enhance resumes by demonstrating practical skills and improving student's understanding of the workplace culture, expectations and professional challenges.
Of course, academic performance continues to play an important role particularly for students considering higher studies or a career in academia or in core technical fields like engineering and medical. A strong CGPA reflects subject knowledge, discipline and consistency, which often becomes crucial when the candidates have limited professional experience. In a competitive hiring environment, marks also serve as an initial screening tool for recruiters, helping them shortlist applicants for entry level or specialised job roles. However, while grades may open doors, practical skills increasingly determine how well candidates progress beyond the interview stage.
Sonika Jain, a BBA student from JD Birla Institute mentioned that internships offer real world exposure and help students navigate job interviews with greater confidence. "When you have real-life workplace experience, it becomes easier for you to answer the questions asked in the job interviews", she said.
Reports suggest that hiring managers prefer to recruit candidates who had an experience through an internship with a company. Now, in several cases, internships are paid and also non-paid. Studies show over 70 percent of employers make full-time job offers to their interns. In fact, a college internship is no longer a bonus but a dire necessity for the resume in the competitive sector. Also, it's important to remember that interns don't treat an internship casually but as their career launchpad. The interns should be curious, engaged, learn tools, build networks and connections that can lead to future job referrals and stay in touch with the company and management and staff post internships.
"The most effective way to bridge the employability gap is through work-integrated, industry-led programmes built around apprenticeships and internships, vocational skilling, and strong industry-academia partnerships. The benefits flow across the ecosystem: employers gain engineers who are job-ready from day one, universities strengthen their placement outcomes and reputation, and students graduate with more than just a degree, they carry skills and experience that make them future-ready," said Dr Lalit Narayan, Dean - Academics & Skill Integration, Medhavi Skills University.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.