The internship process is structured to: (1) reduce the time required for interns to become “part” of their working environment; (2) ease the traditional anxiety that accompanies learning; (3) increase productivity in less time; (4) provide a structured system for strengthening and assuring assimilation of the their new organization culture; (5) increase the number and diversity of successful internship experiences; (6) increase intern-workplace collaboration; and overall, (7) increase the potential for academic success.

Are you participating in an internship or supervising someone who is? If so, take a minute to explore this course that accompanies an internship for the Bachelor's degree in Energy Sustainability and Policy. This course provides students opportunities to creatively reflect on their experiences as well as opportunities to prepare for a job search. Job search preparation is done via a SWOT analysis, resume writing, and a mock interview.

There are several textbooks for students whose majors include internships in human services, broadly defined, such case management, counseling, criminal justice, and social work. Most of these books are written in an academic format. Typically, it involves an introduction to a theoretical orientation that concerns working with others followed by a series of chapters devoted to learning professional skills associated with a given discipline. This approach is fine, as far as it goes, but also has two drawbacks. One is that the texts are usually sold by main stream publishers, which means they are expensive. Another is that they seldom address what might be described as the experiential dimension of the internship that most beginners face on their own. This new book addresses both concerns. The fact that it is offered as a free text addresses the first issue, of course, but the second one requires a new approach. It began with asking students to talk about what they experienced when going through their first internship and what they would tell others about how to make it a successful one. That work led to a structured narrative about basic practical topics, such as finding an internship, getting started there, making effective use of supervision, understanding ethics, appreciating cultural diversity, becoming competent, and completing the internship. The text includes descriptions, suggestions, and exercises. It may be used as either a primary course text or, due to its relative brevity, a supplemental one. Although the lead editor is an experienced clinician and professor who has supervised internships for a variety of human services majors over many years, the book was written with and for students to make it more readable and more useful.

Table of Contents
Chapter 1: What This Book is About and How to Use It
Chapter 2: Finding and Preparing for a Suitable Internship Site
Chapter 3: Getting Started at the Site
Chapter 4: Using Supervision Effectively
Chapter 5: The Importance of Ethics
Chapter 6: Appreciating Cultural Diversity (Multiculturalism)
Chapter 7: Learning to Be Competent
Chapter 8: Completing the Internship