Employer Responsibilities
The Host Organization?s Responsibilities
Interview and select the student that they feel will meet the requirements of the proposed internship position.
Designate a supervisor to act as a liaison with the university and to oversee the work and evaluate the intern.
Provide a written job description that outlines the intern's duties and responsibilities
Provide guidance and advice to the intern with respect to the design and development of challenging and meaningful work experiences relative to the intern?s major field of study. Although an intern may need to perform occasional routine or "busy" work with which an organization needs help, these duties should not be the primary focus of the internship.
Supervise, train and evaluate the intern.
Notify the university of intent to change or terminate an intern?s assignment or of any concerns which arise during the internship.
The Site Supervisor Role
The site supervisor assists the intern in the process of learning from his or her work environment by providing meaningful experiences and a supportive atmosphere, and by serving as a professional mentor. To fulfill this role, the supervisor should provide:
Complete and return a mid-term and final intern Work Performance Evaluation form supplied by the university?s career services office. The evaluation is an important tool used by the faculty member to assign a final grade to the intern..
A general orientation to the site and a place to work
The training and information necessary to enable the student to perform assigned tasks
Opportunities for the intern to interact as a colleague with others at the site
On-going encouragement and support as well as suggestions for improvement of performance
Regularly scheduled meetings for reflective discussion about the experience or the organization and the profession in general
Whenever possible, give the intern the opportunity to attend staff, committee, or legislative meetings.
Explain to the intern how decisions are made. What are the options? What processes are followed to reach conclusions?
Help interns to understand their job in relation to other jobs.
Discuss career opportunities in the field and career paths of college graduates.
If problems do occur, speak directly with the intern. If you are unsure about how to deal with a particular situation, a phone call to the faculty advisor or Director of Career Services is recommended.
