Employer's Role
The role of the host employer is to provide the student with a meaningful internship which complements their education and broadens their skillset. The host’s expectations (or treatment) of the intern should not differ from that of any other employee and the intern should be provided with a safe, relevant and challenging work environment. The intern will be registered to the ‘Business Internship Module’ during the internship year and the host will be required to facilitate them in achieving the learning objectives of this module.
All interns attend an Orientation hosted by UCD to prepare them for their internship year. Employers will be provided with a Guide to Hosting an Intern and will be required to sign the UCD Host Internship Agreement Form.
Interns should be issued with a contract of employment which should be signed by both parties before the internship commences. The host should ensure that they are compliant with Government and public health guidelines in relation to working arrangements and they should ensure that the intern is provided with all of the necessary safety training and information as required to carry out their assigned tasks safely. The host should organise an induction which would cover a tour of the facilities (if office based), relevant company policies and regulations, an outline of the role and clear expectations, a work plan and communication and reporting structures. If working remotely the intern should be provided with the necessary information, training and equipment.
Interns remain registered UCD students during their internship and are supported by the UCD Internship Manager and Academic Coordinator throughout.
During the internship the host should provide the intern with mentoring and guidance to allow them to learn and develop in a supportive environment. To assist with this, it is advisable to create a training plan and provide the intern with regular feedback. In many cases this will be the student’s first formal internship experience and it is therefore important that they are provided with guidance and support, particularly in the early stages of the internship. In the case of remote working it is particularly important that the intern stays connected with their manager on a regular basis and is provided with appropriate supervision and support.
The intern should be supported in meeting the learning objectives of the business internship module that they are registered to and should also be included in any internal performance review systems in operation within the organisation. During the year we will require the host to liaise with the UCD Internship Manager and provide feedback on the intern’s progress.
At the end of the internship the host should provide the intern with an overview of their performance. They will also be asked to confirm that the intern has successfully completed the internship and should engage with UCD to provide feedback on the internship process, if required.
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