There are also great advantages to you, as an intern, when working virtually.

While virtual internships are still fairly new on the scene (according to Wikipedia, the first was Columbia University’s virtual internship program in 2009), their growth is continuous, and advantages seem to allow students to accomplish other important tasks in the interim.

The following are just some of the advantages of virtual internships:

• Intern for any company, regardless of location, without relocating

Internships are typically a short period, whether it’s for a few weeks or a few months. Typically, it’s difficult to relocate one’s life for the short period of an internship – though many do it because they want to intern with one particular company.

A virtual internship allows a student to work for their dream company without having the hassle to relocate.

• Hours can be more flexible (which means, if it’s unpaid, you have time for a paid job, too)

Flexibility and freedom are two of the main attractions, especially for students who obtain unpaid internships –the majority of which are.

Since the majority of internships are unpaid, a virtual internship allows students to obtain part-time jobs in addition to their internships, where they can check in, anytime, anywhere.

• Attend school and earn internship credit at the same time

Many high school and college students are forced to wait until winter and summer breaks to obtain internships because they cannot attend regular office hours with classes, too.

Virtual internships allow the flexibility to balance both, as long as students speak with their employers and communicate that they are in school.

Many students arrange a weekly hour schedule with their employers and clock hours per week, rather than a structured daily schedule, which means they can work as they have free time.

Some people believe that the point of an internship is for an employer to provide structured supervision, guidance and support to an intern – similar to a mentorship.

• No office environment

The other down side is that students aren’t able to learn successful work behaviors such as office etiquette, corporate culture and experience life in a professional setting.

Certainly, there are fewer insights into daily life within the working world and fewer interactions with professionals – which means missing out on valuable networking opportunities as well. Unless, you can do so virtually. Can you?

• Less job training and guidance

As a result, virtual internships have been criticized for not providing the necessary elements an internship requires in order to be classified as an internship.

There can be little-to-no training but that really depends on the employer. Again, depending on the employer, there can be a lack of guidance.

When you think about it, aren’t many of these aspects entirely based upon the employer-intern relationship, regardless of physical presence? In short, if an employer wants an intern to learn and become productive, he or she will likely give direction and guidance, regardless of time or place.

Yes, it may be slightly more effort for an employer to remember to check in when someone is not following you around on a daily basis (that is what schedules are for), however, when a job is computer-based anyway, why not select the best job candidate rather than the best local one?

Students completing an EE program leave the program with:

• A greater ability to articulate the skills gained from their experiences
• Information about professional etiquette and increased confidence in navigating workplace scenarios that may arise
• Knowledge of how to effectively set personal learning goals
• The ability to articulate the transferable skills they have gained
• The opportunity to reflect upon their professional experiences so that they may have a greater understanding of the qualities and characteristics they seek in an ideal job
• The ability to draw connections between their professional experiences and other academic or extracurricular interests
• The ability to articulate preferences and skills in their resumes, cover letters, and interviews

Upon completion of the Virtual Internship Program, students will have gained:

• Time-management, organization, and communication skills
• Experience in self-directed work and project management
• Familiarity with a virtual work structure, including tools and techniques to manage responsibilities and share information
• Professional skills and industry knowledge related to their individual internships
• An understanding of virtual work trends across industries