New podcast helps students to navigate internships
The world of work has changed and internships appear to be an expected norm in many industries.
The University of Melbourne has launched Starting Somewhere, a 10-episode podcast series to help students navigate this seemingly scary world, demystify the employability landscape and land that increasingly important internship.
Starting Somewhere Producer Buffy Gorrilla said this is the only podcast of its kind and the resource you wished you had when you started your working life.
“Starting Somewhere is a step-by-step guide to help you find, land and get the best out of an internship and turn it into a job,” Ms Gorrilla said.
“We’ve spoken to industry experts in Australia and overseas and each episode will tackle a different theme through interviews with interns past, present and future.”
Topics include what are you getting yourself into, and how?, how to get the most out of your experience, advice on juggling it alongside your studies, part-time work and social life, and how turn it into a permanent job.
Starting Somewhere will also look at the hard issues, including exploitation, diversity and what to do if you are unsuccessful.
TR Ashworth Associate Professor in Sociology Dan Woodman has been involved in Life Patterns – a longitudinal study at the University of Melbourne that has tracked the lives of two cohorts of young Australians, since 1991 and 2005 respectively, through annual surveys and interviews.
“Generation Y are the most educated generation, but the transition to full-time employment is becoming increasingly challenging,” Associate Professor Woodman said.
“Internships are a way to try and stand out from the pack, but they can be good and bad. Finding the right one could help set the foundation for your career, helping you cross that crucial bridge from the classroom to secure, meaningful work, but it’s important to remember that they can be exploitative as well.”
Starting Somewhere is aimed at 18–25-year-olds who are considering internships as a means to advance their career, as well as those curious about the shifting nature of work and employability.