MAKING
INTERNSHIPS
WORK
five key tactics
01
PERSONALIZE THE PACKAGE Establish a plan
for the duration of a programme that is tailored to the
abilities, experience and requirements of each intern,
with a structure that allows someone’s strengths to
shine through, as well as creating room for growth.02
CREATE A CONNECTION Focus on engagement
with the intern, rather than just assigning a series of
tasks for them to complete. This will allow the firm to
reap the benefits of their presence and adapt their
working patterns as time goes on.03
KEEP IN CONTACT Ensure that you stay in touch
with your interns, even if for only a brief moment
each day. Without sufficient guidance and contact,
the process will be beneficial to neither party.04
PUT THEM TO GOOD USE Use their time as wisely
as you would use that of any other staff member, as
recent graduates bring fresh knowledge and valuable
experiences.05
TAKE YOUR TIME Don’t make internships too short,
as this leaves little time for the person to develop and
for the firm to enjoy what the intern has to offer.‘One thing that employers don’t
always realize is how important
the little things we learn are,’ says
Teresa Marinoni de Athayde, a
current intern at the firm.
One concern about
recent graduates is that they
don’t have sufficient experience
to contribute meaningfully or
take on responsibility in a way
that’s beneficial to a firm. Nauta
believes this idea can be mis-
guided. ‘You’d be amazed how
much responsibility interns can
take on,’ he says, recalling one
who had a knack for speaking to
clients. De Athayde agrees it’s
vital for her to feel she’s playing a
meaningful role in the office. ‘It is
important not to underestimate
what an intern can contribute.’
She adds, though, that finding a
balance is crucial. ‘In order for it
to work, the responsibility given
to an intern cannot be too much
or too little.’ Nauta agrees: ‘You
have to be careful to not overly
rely on interns because, after all,
they’re not qualified.’
Keeping the lines of
communication open is vital to
this. In addition to the substantive
initial and final meetings, interns
have monthly sessions with their
mentors to monitor progress, as
well as informal daily contact. It’s
through this process of engage-
ment that internships become
beneficial for the practice, too.
‘We have people coming from
universities that are amazing
hubs of innovation, who know
all the newest tricks,’ Nauta says.
‘We want to learn from them
and we are open about that.’
Beyond the intangible rewards
of contributing to somebody’s
career development, the firm has
also recruited two of its interns
as permanent staff. DR
18 Business of Design