Internship contract

Internship contract

Why an Internship Agreement?

·         Creation of a sense of clarity and confidence in your organization.

·         In order to effectively plan for talent, allocate resources, and establish a professional reputation among educational institutions.

·         If either the organization or the students fail to follow the internship contract, it will function as an incentive to get back on track.

Elements of a strong internship contract

·         Responsibilities and duties: Your intern should understand the responsibilities that are expected of them whilst in your program.

·        The intern's working hours: It is important to clearly outline the working hours of interns in the internship contract. The average weekly work hours for your program should be calculated regardless of whether it’s full- or part-time work.

·         Internships with or without pay: Your contract must express whether you offer remunerated or unremunerated internship programs. The benefits of unpaid internships are that they keep costs down without sacrificing quality recruitment. Providing paid internships may be necessary if all your competitors offer similar programs to increase your chances of hiring top performers.

·         Internship duration: Your internship agreement must specify how long the program will last. Although this may seem obvious, interns are occasionally unclear as to when their internship program ends. 

·         Maintaining the confidentiality of internship terms and agreements: Put a confidentiality clause in your internship agreement so as not to expose your proprietary practices.

In addition to the internship contract agreement, a follow-up letter of confirmation is recommended. It is necessary to acknowledge the acceptance of the student/graduate into your internship program. An internship confirmation letter acknowledges a student's acceptance into a program through a formal letter from the organization. In order to lock in the best talent as soon as possible, internship confirmation letters are vital.

A letter and contract sent too late may put you at a competitive disadvantage. Your letter should be short and to the point while emphasizing the main points of your internship program. Below are some talking points:

· A successful internship candidate should be congratulated

· Indicate the internship role name and position

· Provide an estimated start time and date

· Ensure the internship agreement is reviewed, signed, and returned by the intern

· Emphasize the importance of maintaining confidentiality

Often, organizations include most of the information in the internship confirmation letter from the internship contract. The documents share similarities, but it's not necessary to duplicate every element. Any important information not included in the internship agreement should be highlighted in the confirmation letter.