Internships are linked to better employment outcomes for college graduates – but there aren’t enough for students who want them

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Matthew T. Hora, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Hee Song, University of Wisconsin-Madison

(THE CONVERSATION) Internships can play a vital role for students looking to break into a career, but they aren’t always available for all the students who want them. And even when they are, they may not be high quality. Here, Matthew T. Hora, founder of the Center for Research on College-Workforce Transitions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Hee Song, a project assistant at the center, discuss the difficulties that students face in securing quality internships. Their insights are based on findings from the center’s latest National Survey of College Internships. The survey drew from data collected from a nationally representative sample of 2,824 students attending four-year colleges and 2,531 students attending two-year colleges. The survey was done in partnership with the Strada Education Foundation.

Are there enough paid internships?

No. Only two out of three internships offer compensation for students at...