Gap Year Internships
Many of our students include internships as a part of their Gap Year experience, for good reason. Internships provide students with exposure to different careers and experiences in varied working environments. With internships, they add new skills and depth to their resume. There’s no question that internships can help shape a productive Gap Year.
Historically, our students have found their own internships by networking in their local communities, guided by Gap Year Solutions during the planning process. As more and more students have asked to include internships in their Gap Year plan, as an increasing number of internships are offered virtually, and as internships play an increasingly important role in college and career preparation, Gap Year Solutions is excited to offer a new service in which we match students with available internship opportunities. Gap Year internship placement is priced as a fixed fee separate from our Gap Year Planning service.
Please note that our Internship placement service is specifically designed for Gap Year students. We do not work with high school or college students who are not taking a Gap Year.
Gap Year Internships: Details
Gap Year Solutions customizes internship placements based on student interests. Internships typically require a commitment of 6-10 weeks and 8 to 12 hours per week. Internships are generally unpaid, though may pay an hourly rate depending on the employer and specific opportunity. At one time, internships nearly always took place in-person at an employer physical location. Increasingly, employers offer virtual internship opportunities.
Every internship is different, and Gap Year Solutions stresses the importance of clearly understanding each student’s interests and expectations, and the range of experiences the student is willing to accept in order to meet their Gap Year goals.
Gap Year Solutions internships focus on specific industries, functional areas and skills for student development during their Gap Year. Examples include:
- Industries: Technology, Biotech/Medical Research, Healthcare, Startups, Finance, Arts
- Functional Areas: Marketing, Sales, Analytics, Finance, Customer Service
- Skills: Marketing, Social Media, Research, Analysis, Spreadsheets, PowerPoint
Our Gap Year Internship service includes:
- Guaranteed placement
- Coaching and mentoring including weekly check-ins
- Resume preparation
- Interview coaching and preparation
- Professional skills development
- Employer recommendation following the internship
- Fit of internship into student’s overall Gap Year plan
Deadlines
Families should keep in mind that customized placements take time to locate. Meaningful internship opportunities that are a match for student interests can take three or more months to secure. As a general rule, families should begin working with Gap Year Solutions:
- By the end of June for a fall internship (beginning October)
- By the end of October for a spring internship (beginning February)
There are situations where we can move faster than this, so please do not hesitate to reach out even if you are outside these timeframes.
Diane Willock
Internship Coordinator
Diane is an expert in student internships, having placed hundreds of students into opportunities in career fields such as STEM research, marketing, business analytics, accounting, computer science, engineering, entrepreneurship, and many others. She also provides 1:1 coaching for individuals covering interest assessments, career planning, resume writing, interview preparation, personal branding, and job search and attainment, particularly in tech-related careers.
Diane is a Certified Professional Career Coach and most recently directed a large-scale career exploration program for high school students helping them gain valuable experiences though internships. Before transitioning into the career services industry, Diane worked within the healthcare industry for many years with global organizations as well as smaller start-ups.
If you would like to learn more about our internship placement services, please submit your information here. We will schedule a phone call to get introduced.
Families planning to move forward with our Internship placement service should have their student fill out our Gap Year Internship Intake Form. Gap Year Solutions will hold a free meeting to review the student’s Internship objectives and focus areas, and ensure a good fit between our services and the student’s needs.
We ask that all families considering working with Gap Year Solutions review our Essential Eligibility Criteria (EEC).
