MAY 30, 2024

Learning by working is essential to successfully connecting education to a career.

The data tell a compelling story: Undergraduates who complete a paid internship have higher-paying jobs after graduation. Graduates who complete a paid internship also are much more likely to report having a first job that requires a degree.

Yet while 70 percent of first-year students plan to complete an internship during college, less than half do — and less than a quarter secure a paid internship.

“Building Better Internships,” a new report released today, looks at data from the National Survey of College Internships, administered by the University of Wisconsin in partnership with Strada. It examines the reasons students seek internships, common barriers they face in securing them, and how their experiences connect to career goals.

The report also assesses the quality of the internships, as judged by the students who land them, and makes recommendations for evaluating and improving the internship process. 

COLLEGES’ ROLE IN JOB OUTCOMES

How do we ensure students are accessing equitable pathways to opportunity? In this episode of the “Future U Podcast,” hosts Jeff Selingo and Michael Horn explore research that reveals an increasing focus on job outcomes and consider colleges’ role in ensuring graduates secure jobs. Listen.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT

Eight in 10 voters believe a four-year degree is valuable, but there is growing support for holding institutions accountable for ensuring a return on investment and setting up students for financial and career success, according to a new Third Way survey of 1,500 voters. Read more.

MEANING AND PURPOSE MATTER

A college student’s choice of major affects the earnings graduates can expect depending on their course of study and the schools they attended, but meaning and purpose still should matter as a reason for pursuing higher education. Read more.

WEBINAR: The Chronicle for Higher Education webinar “The Future of Academic Internships,” which explored how higher education institutions are increasingly prioritizing internships, included a conversation with Strada Director of Postsecondary Education Programs Beau Boice.

HIRES: Laura Thompson Love joins Strada as senior vice president, work-based learning, to lead work on paid internships and apprenticeships that help students connect their education to their career aspirations, while Craig Robinson joins Strada as senior vice president, coaching, to lead work on ensuring all students have access to education-to-employment guidance.

CONVENING: Strada sponsored the second annual summit of the Postsecondary Employment Outcomes Coalition, which included 75 state education data system leaders from more than 30 states.