Virtual internship

A virtual internship is a work experience program where the participant (intern) gains experience while working in a remote professional setting and is not physically present at the job location.

Virtual interns communicate with their employer online through various means including email, Skype, WhatsApp, instant messaging, phone conversations, webinars, project management tools, SMS messaging, etc.

Virtual internships are undertaken by both students and graduates, usually some form of white-collar work, often within fields suitable to remote work such as information technology, media, creative arts, or public relations.

According to career experts, although virtual internships are currently rare, they are growing in popularity due to improving technology and the growth of social media.[1] A rise has been reported in virtual internships — most of which are unpaid — especially from small ventures and start ups seeking additional help. Larger companies are also starting to explore offering these types of internships.[2] They are presently most popular among small to midsize companies and online businesses.[3]

Virtual internships have been criticized for not providing the supervision and guidance that internships are meant to provide.[4] Despite this, virtual or remote internships are a viable option amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, where travel options are limited.[5] They may rival and sometimes exceed what traditional internships offer.[6]

  1. ^ Marte, Jonnelle (29 September 2009). "An Internship From Your Couch". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
  2. ^ Damast, Alison. "Virtual Internships In Rising Demand". Archived from the original on January 21, 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
  3. ^ Braathe, Robert. "Internships". Retrieved 17 February 2012.
  4. ^ "Homepage". 16 August 2022.
  5. ^ News, The PIE (13 August 2020). "Real-life learning, remotely: adapting internships during Covid-19". thepienews.com. Retrieved 2020-10-09. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  6. ^ Rivera, Sandra (28 April 2021). "How to Create a Successful Virtual Internship Program". Harvard Business Review. Retrieved 3 May 2021.