Internships for Social Workers

Social work internships are entry-level, educational jobs that can be paid or unpaid and usually give you college credit for your welfare work. As a rule, these internships last for 1 semester. But you can find internships that last for 2 semesters.

social_work_interns Externships usually last only a few weeks. They are based on job shadowing and are typically unpaid and do not give you college credit. Sometimes, an externship is based on giving you experience in one specific skill, acting like a focused internship.

Cooperative education experiences are internship programs that are usually required and are available only to students in certain majors. Usually, they are full-time, and you’re much more likely to be offered a full-time job. If your college requires an internship, they usually have a cooperative education program. These positions are easier to get then typical internships and externships.

Benefits of Internship in Welfare and Social Work

There are several obvious benefits why students decide to take internships. First of all, internship can give you a chance to prepare for the future job. You’ll have all of the experiences that a regular employee would have, but without as much responsibility. You won’t be expected to make major decisions, but you will more than likely get to watch how others make these decisions. No doubt that this will help you to be prepared for your future job where mistakes are not easily forgiven.

During your internships you’ll get an amount of experience. While you may not have full responsibilities like a typical employee, you will have exposure to your field of study. Sometimes, it is impossible to get experience in your field, as non-degreed jobs are not available. An internship will give you an edge over applicants who only have work experience in jobs like restaurants and retail.

Taking part in an social worker internship is already great for your resume. If you do a good job, you’ll additionally have people to write recommendations for you. If you decide to go on for an advanced degree in social work (MSW or DSW), you can get your internship director to write letters of recommendation.