Landing a Project Management Internship: Requirements and Opportunities

A project management internship serves as a valuable gateway into the field, offering aspiring project managers the chance to learn, develop essential skills, and contribute to real-world projects. It's an opportunity to learn and grow alongside project teams that plan, execute, and deliver a variety of projects to the business and to customers. This article explores the requirements for securing a project management internship, the skills you'll develop, and how to navigate the application process.

The Value of a Project Management Internship

A project management internship or job training program can be a lucrative first step if you are considering a career as a project manager. An internship provides exposure to specific aspects of the industry. In the role, you will learn specific skills unique to the industry and learn how to work as part of a process-driven team. You will learn about an industry, product, or service and how to manage related projects. Some internships end with the opportunity to be hired on as a full-time employee. Some internships may lead to an official project management job position offered at the end.

What to Expect as a Project Management Intern

As an intern, you will be asked to do many tasks that teach you project management skills and introduce you to specific aspects of the industry. Project management interns will work under a Project Manager and assist with tasks such as data collection, analysis, and preparing strategic reports. Depending on the specific company you intern at, your tasks for the day might vary.

Essential Skills for Project Management Interns

Several skills are highly valued in project management interns:

Great organization and accountability: The ability to manage tasks, prioritize effectively, and take ownership of responsibilities.
Collaborative attitude: Project management inherently involves teamwork, so being able to work effectively with others is crucial.
Creativity: Finding innovative solutions to challenges is often necessary in project management.
Understanding of market trends: Awareness of industry trends can help in making informed decisions and contributing to project strategy.
Communication Skills: Sharpen their ability to actively listen, communicate clearly, and build trust with everyone involved in the project.

Finding Project Management Internships

There are many great resources for internship candidates seeking the perfect project management job training opportunity.

Online Job Boards: Search popular job boards for existing internship listings. If you’re wondering how to get an internship in project management for summer 2021, try looking on Handshake under filtered searches like “project management internships near me.” Handshake allows you to focus on employers you want to work for and even network with past interns who may also be alumni from your school. And if you’re looking for a project management internship in a particular location for summer 2021, try searching for openings by using filters like “project management internships near me” or “paid project management internships.”
University Career Services: It’s also really important to keep in mind that your university’s career services center will have great insight about specific recruitment periods at your school. Make sure to sign up for a meeting with your career advisor at the start of the school year for additional help in planning ahead!

How to Get a Project Management Internship with No Experience

If you’re interested in getting a project management internship, but have no prior experience, it’s key to play to your strengths and show employers that you’re eager to learn. You can search for project management internships on Handshake to first get a feel of the requirements they usually list for internships. After that, list your resume and cover letter experiences and previous roles you’ve had where the skills translate over. For example, if you’ve taken a businesses related course or have had experience in an applicable school project, mention it and how it relates to your desired role!

The Application Process

Tailor Your Resume: Write a resume tailored to the type of internship you are seeking and highlight your best skills.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Take a look at some great cover letter writing tips to boost your confidence and ace your internship application!
Prepare for the Interview: Prepare for the interview just as you would for any job.

When to Apply

For most positions, start searching for your internship sooner rather than later! If you are planning to have a summer project management internship, we recommend starting to look for internship positions no later than the season prior. Many industries prefer to recruit as early as the fall, so staying up to date on fall virtual career fairs will be helpful in securing a role! Each company has different deadlines for applications, so sooner is usually better! If you’re searching for a role during the school year, it’s best to get on applying 3-6 months prior so you can inform your internship of your other obligations and classes.

Internship Duration and Compensation

An internship can last from a few weeks to a year. This depends on your grade in school, whether it is a paid job training program with the opportunity to hire, an unpaid internship, or a part-time position. Some internships last a school semester, which is typically 10 to 12 weeks long.

Because the internship roles that require project management interns vary, there’s no standard answer for a project management internship payscale. If you’re wondering how much your internship will pay, it might be best to inquire directly with the company you’re considering taking an internship with. Some internship programs will offer only class credits, while many others are more keen to compensate their interns with an hourly rate or a set stipend.

Potential Career Paths After an Internship

Project management interns can take their learnings and work into a few different roles like Product Managers, Public Relations Managers, and Credit & Financial Risk Managers. They also can work for many different types of companies, like our constantly growing list of employers hiring now.

A Real-World Example: Intern Project Coordinator/Manager

The Project Management Office (PMO) is looking for an energetic, motivated, and dedicated Intern Project Coordinator/Manager with exceptional communication and writing skills to work alongside our Project Management Team on Information Technology (IT) related projects. Intern Project Coordinator/Manager has a primary responsibility to assist in managing and supervising administrative, technical, and financial aspects of assigned projects from project award to completion. The Intern will directly report to the Project Manager.

Specific Objectives and Responsibilities:

Risk Management: The student will assist with creating and/or managing a Risk Registry and Issues Log for a project. They will identify risks, the impact, probability, and response.
Communication and Collaboration: The student will sharpen their ability to actively listen, communicate clearly, and build trust with everyone involved in the project.
Project Benefit Tracking: The student will assist in managing a project and participate in discussions to ensure the project benefits are on target.

Read also: What is Project-Based Learning?

tags: #IT #project #manager #internship #requirements