Early in March 2020, when schools and colleges where shut, the primary concerns for students were their crucial final term exams, unprecedented delay in graduation and the missed opportunity of getting a summer internship. Graduating with theoretical knowledge, internships play an extremely crucial role in shaping students, in terms of work place discipline, imbibing relevant soft skills and getting hands on experience on how an Industry functions. While industries like manufacturing and engineering witnessed a standstill, various sectors survived by 'working remotely' for employees as well as interns.

Remote Internships

Internships that don’t demand physical presence but can be taken up with limited accessories such as laptops and internet connectivity have gained momentum through technological advancements. Apart from adding to the valuable experience these Internships can be far more beneficial in terms of career developments for students.

Some of which can be:

1. Avoiding the hassle of commuting

Since internships have a basic stipend, every penny counts. Candidates who find it inconvenient to travel and commute to places away from their home town can easily avail this benefit of working remotely. This opportunity permits them to sit at home, in their comfort zone and manage work to the best of their abilities as they are investing all their energy here.

2. Interning Internationally

The digital world opens multiple doors that traditional markets don’t. Working cross countries was difficult in terms of logistics, legalities and multiple other reasons. But thanks to the evolution of the virtual world, students are not limited or confined to seek out work in their own country. Such opportunities offer candidates global exposure with a chance to interact with people from different backgrounds and enhance their professional level communication skills.

3. Flexibility in every aspect

One of the biggest benefits of non-site internships is undoubtedly the balance of work-life. With the flexibility offered by employers, working remotely helps coordinate time with team mates and ensures the work is done effectively and delivers the best results at ease.

Another major flexibility offered is the willingness to learn and work part time so as to have a better understanding of the industry and in their personal balanced schedule.

4. Reflects on your personality

The sheer fact that a student has taken up an internship while the global pandemic, speaks volumes about their dedication towards working and professional development. The decision to become an intern shows future employers that they are a pro-active, resilient, and resourceful individual. During such uncertain times an internship will enable candidates to stand out in a pool of fresh graduates.

Although lifestyle amendments with demand of constant change and redevelopments have enabled non site internships to gain pace, its reliability has always been questioned. Similar to a decade back where freelancers were questioned on credibility but later accepted as an excellent option for service providers, remote internships is a boon for students.

“Extraordinary times calls for extraordinary measures”. The year 2020 has not only enabled us to understand this but also helped us witness the same. With every domain hitting a wave of change and adapting to everything that was never thought of, most have tried to make the best to withstand the “New Normal”. One such notable sector has been Career Development.

With the advancements in technology due to the unprecedented pandemic, new avenues in the stream of digital internships should be a milestone the Gen Z must take a front seat and hold on to, along with the traditional avenues of learning.