2.7 Use internship programs for direct hiring, with gender parity in intern placements and hiring
Content
Description of Best Practices
Use internship programs systematically to assess potential candidates and familiarize them with the company specifics and the company as a favorable workplace for women
Ensure there is a well-structured and well-run process that includes clear responsibilities and a fair evaluation of outcomes and candidate potential
Offer long-term internships of at least six months as this will provide better results; providing an opportunity for the interns to adapt to the company and show better performance
Follow up with interns between the end of their engagement with the internship program and the start of their employment (e.g., when the student needs to finish studies before they can be employed).
Challenges of Implementation
Internships are often used to fill staff shortages during summer periods instead of in a systematic way
Interns are usually students, and the lag time between the end of the mentoring or internship engagement and their graduation may hinder direct employment in the short term
What Success Looks Like
Company has a well-assessed pool of interns in place of which at least 50 percent are women and a proportional representation of diverse social identities that reflect its consumers
Increased number of female interns directly hired, and the female candidate pool for future open positions is broadened
Resources and Tools
Guide (incl. Sample Internship Job Description and Additional Resources): Shaping the Future of STEM: A Blueprint for Launching a High School STEM Internship Program (Abbott)
Report/Study (incl. Good Practice Examples): Making Apprenticeships Work for Young Women (Young Women’s Trust)