Summer Education Internships: A Comprehensive Guide

Summer education internships offer invaluable experiences for aspiring educators, providing a taste of the profession and a chance to explore various career paths. These internships strengthen resumes, lead to valuable recommendations, and may even transition into full-time positions. This article explores the landscape of summer education internships, offering insights into types of internships, how to find them, resume and interview tips, networking strategies, and potential career paths.

Why Pursue a Summer Education Internship?

An education internship is a great way to build career skills, strengthen your resume, and get hands-on experience in an industry that interests you. While it's not required, internships are great opportunities for growth and experience. From science education internships for undergraduates to internships for elementary education majors, you’ll be able to build both hard and soft skills and network.

Education internships during summer will provide you with many valuable experiences, giving a real taste of what it’ll be like to work in education down the line. You’ll connect with potential mentors, learn education trade secrets, and build relationships with coworkers with a range of expertise. It’s also a plus if it’s a paid education internship!

Types of Education Internships

Choosing to study education opens up a wide array of career path options, reflected in the diverse range of internships available. Internship opportunities for education students can foster great exploration of the field, since there are so many paths in education to consider and understand. For internships, it doesn’t matter if you’re on the hunt for remote education internships, health education internships, environmental education internships, museum education internship, or education internships in NYC.

Here are some examples of roles you can explore through internships:

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Special Education Teacher: Work with students who have learning, emotional, mental, or physical disabilities, adapting lesson plans and teaching social and life skills.
High School Teacher: Educate students in grades 9-12 in subjects like English, mathematics, biology, and history.
School Psychologist: Provide mental health and therapy services to students facing emotional, behavioral, and learning challenges.
Librarian: Assist with information searches and conduct research.
Editor: Revise and prepare materials for publication in print and digital media.
Copywriter: Write compelling content for a company’s internal and external communications.

Finding the Right Internship

Getting an internship in education is very exciting considering the sheer amount of universities and organizations that need capable educators. When searching for education internships, it’s key to use the location filters provided on Handshake. You’ll be able to pinpoint education internships exactly where you want to intern just by selecting the city you want in the search bar. Education internships in your preferred city are just a search away.

You can even research possible job roles that you might want to explore during your education internship. Handshake also makes it easy to learn about roles in education simply by using the job role search bar.

And if you want to take your research one step further, you can even research top employers in the education field on Handshake. Just by using the Handshake employer search feature you can discover companies that are hiring in your specific field by filtering by “Industry.”

Some companies that would be great for education majors looking for internships: College Possible, Lifespan, or Youth Villages. Education internships for college students can be found all over! Even companies that don’t seem to have a main focus in education are looking for bright interns to help them develop.

Making Your Application Stand Out

Before you get started on sending out applications, make sure that you have your resume up to date and have fully filled out all your Handshake profile details. With a complete profile, an impressive education internship is more attainable than ever. Recruiters are much more likely to message a student with a complete profile that says you want to work in education than an unfinished one.

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When putting together your resume, make sure to have all your skills, courses, and accomplishments laid out for employers to view. Also having your preferred job role and location on your Handshake profile is a great way to signal your interest to potential recruiters.

For education majors, some great skills to list would be specific teaching skills, time management, ability to follow through and execute projects, and ability to contribute and collaborate as a leader.

When you do land your first interview, be it a virtual interview or in person, make sure to come prepared and dressed to impress. Review your resume and cover letter to make sure you have specific examples of your experience to share, from clubs or coursework. You can even schedule a mock interview with your university’s career center or, if you’re tight on time, ask a trusted friend to grill you on some common interview questions.

Networking During Your Internship

Once you’ve landed an internship in education and settled into the flow of day-to-day life at the office, start chatting with your coworkers. Whether they’re industry professionals or fellow interns, it’s important to treat them with equal respect. You never know what insights they could lend, or who could be a valuable connection down the line, five or ten years from now. Don’t be afraid to ask your new colleagues out for quick coffee chats, or request 15-minute informational interviews about their career trajectory.

A good way to delve even deeper into your career path growth is to attend a virtual event or two. Not only will you be learning more about your own career, but there will also be chances to network with employers, industry specialists, and other students sharing different perspectives.

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Skills and Learning Opportunities

In your education internships you’ll gain skills in teamwork, organization, accountability, and problem-solving among many others. Along with networking and gaining mentorship, education interns will spend time working on skills great for later in their career journeys. Education interns will learn how to plan and execute concrete goals, communicate their visions effectively, project manage and collaborate with others on a shared goal.

During your education internship, you’ll learn some great generic skills like time management, confidence, organization, and leadership. Additionally, you’ll be immersed in the world of education which will help you develop your knowledge of industry standards and how to manage education projects effectively.

Internship Programs and Opportunities

Several organizations and programs offer structured internship experiences in education:

Teach For America: Ambassadors champion the Teach For America brand, investing their community in educational equity and inspiring others to explore TFA. As an undergrad, you can join a powerful network of changemakers and help shape the future our country.
Ignite Fellowship: Lead small group learning experiences for students in a virtual setting with the support of veteran educators. As an Ignite Fellow, you’ll build meaningful relationships with youth, accelerate student learning, and gain skills that propel forward your own leadership. We offer paid internships for undergraduates from all majors and colleges across the country.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL): ORNL educational programs provide experiences that complement academic programs and provide opportunities for additional learning, development, and training in a workplace setting. ORNL provided computing and data resources, but it was Ayalew who learned and provided those analytical techniques to our plant-microbiome project. Located near the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, ORNL’s campus is just 1 hour away from the nation’s most visited national park. Within a day’s drive of all major cities on the East Coast, ORNL provides the best of both worlds: proximity to the great outdoors and growing urban centers with diverse cultural attractions. In addition, East Tennessee is affordable, with a cost of living 8% lower than the national average and no state income tax.
U.S. Department of Education (ED): The Department of Education (ED) offers internships for students and recent graduates interested in seeking valuable work experience in government and federal education, policy, and administration. Program participants have the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to the Department's mission to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access. ED offers internships in the fall/winter, spring, and summer.

U.S. Department of Education Internship Programs

ED offers various internship programs with different durations and requirements:

Student Volunteer Trainee Program: An eight to ten-week volunteer program for students enrolled in accredited educational institutions, offering educational experience in their field of study or career interest.
Pathways Programs:
- Internship Program: Provides students with paid part-time or full-time opportunities to work in agencies and explore career paths related to their academic fields.
- Recent Graduates Program: A one-year developmental program promoting careers in the Federal Government to recent graduates.
- Presidential Management Fellows (PMFs) Program: A two-year leadership development program for advanced degree candidates with academic excellence, management and leadership potential, and a commitment to public service.

ED internship opportunities are available in areas such as:

Human Resources Management
Education Policies
Data Analytics
Project Management
Training and Development
Grants Management
Communications
Information Technology

Interns are encouraged to participate in ED-sponsored events, including:

Brownbag lunch series with senior ED officials
Tours of D.C. landmarks
Professional development and resume-writing workshops
Social activities

Application Process for U.S. Department of Education Internships

The application process for ED internships involves submitting required forms and meeting security requirements. The following forms will be needed for a complete package: SF-85P, OF-306, Fingerprinting (Digital or Ink), and Fair Credit Release, Resume (if applicable)Additionally, the Cyber Security and Privacy Awareness Training module must be completed, and certificate received, before approval to start will be granted.

Interns must present two (original) forms of identification, prior to badge issuance, for identity proofing. Acceptable documents are listed on Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification (pg.9). At least one submitted document must be a valid State or Federal government-issued picture ID. All interested applicants should search for ED internship opportunities and apply there.

Application timelines for ED internships are as follows:

Fall: Application open May 1st - July 31st; Program dates: September through December
Winter/Spring: Application open September 1st - November 30th; Program dates: January through May
Summer: Application open January 1st - March 31st; Program dates: May/June through July/August

International Education Internships

If you're an education major or recent grad, you can absolutely get an education internship abroad. Even if you plan on teaching at home afterwards, going abroad for your internship will help you create a global classroom and be exposed to different methodologies.

One of the biggest opportunities for education internships abroad is by taking on a TEFL/TESOL internship, where you teach English as a foreign language. For education majors who have a specialization in subjects other than ESL, you could take on an internship co-teaching / assistant teaching in a primary, secondary, or post-secondary school abroad. Typically, these internships will help you fulfill your student teaching semester requirement. If you're specializing in special ed, internships in this field do exist abroad. They're less common than the other two mentioned, but they are there.

When it comes to programs that will get you TEFL/TESOL certified and place you inside the classroom, the best places to look are in Asia, such as Thailand, South Korea and China. However, TEFL internships can also be found throughout Europe and Latin America. For teaching assistant and co-teaching internships, it's best to look at destinations where you speak the language. England, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, and Malta are great destinations for English speakers. If you speak Spanish, challenge yourself and look towards Spain, Mexico, Costa Rica, or Chile. Did you learn French?

Preparing for an International Internship

Make sure you can cover the cost: If you’ve landed an internship through a placement company, you’ll most likely have to pay some money out-of-pocket to get the work experience you’re seeking. Whether the expenses are limited to an application fee or expand to housing and placement support, you’ll want to make sure the costs are realistic for your education internship abroad.
Update your resume: You’ll want to show off your credentials and relevant experience to your potential employers.
Get your references in order: Like any job, your employers abroad may want to check your references to ensure that you are a good fit for the job.
Be prepared for an interview: Some employers will want to hold and international phone or Skype call with you as a part of the interview process.

Resources for Finding International Internships

Internship placement providers: There are companies, called internship placement providers, that can help place you at an internship abroad for a fee.
Housing: If you’re participating in a more “all-inclusive” program, like a TEFL/TESOL certification program, your housing will usually be provided as part of the program cost. If you’re internship is independent of a placement program (i.e. you applied through a job portal) you will need to find your own housing.
Portable speakers: Portable speakers (these are great for playing songs or listening exercises in the classroom.

Credit for Internships

Many internships have funding available. Many internships are eligible for credit during Summer Term. If you’ve already secured an internship, you may be able to get credit for it.

College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS): Are you a CALS student?
School of Human Ecology (SoHE): Are you a SoHE student?
School of Business: If you’re a School of Business student, you can earn credit for your summer internship by taking General Business 450: Professional Experience in Business.

Summer Term makes it easier than ever to take classes while you’re interning. With online courses, you can study from anywhere in the world. Starting your internship in late June or completing it by late July? Consider taking an early-summer or late-summer course on campus.

Salary Expectations

Are education internship jobs paid? Yes, you can find paid education internships on Handshake by using the search filters!

The average annual pay for full-time education jobs range from $33,280 to $63,000.

Career Paths After Graduation

Internships are meant to guide you towards your true desired career path and your summer education internship could kick it off in the right direction. Jobs you can get as an education major: Wondering where the “higher education internships near me” are? The best internships for education students can fall under any of the following roles we’ve listed here for you!

Here's a more detailed look at some potential career paths and salary expectations based on the provided data:

Special Education Teacher: Average pay: $40,000. Companies you can apply to: Lifespan, College Possible, Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health
High School Teacher: Average pay: $40,000. Companies you can apply to: Teach for America, EF Education First, BASIS Charter Schools
School Psychologists: Average pay: $45,000. Companies you can apply to: Youth Villages, Alternate Behavior Strategies
Librarian: Average pay: $59,050. Companies you can apply to: College Possible, Reading Partners, LAC Group
Editor: Average pay: $33,280. Companies you can apply to: Quibbl, Hearst Magazines, Paravane Ventures
Copywriter: Average pay: This information is missing.

tags: #summer #education #internships