Summary
An apprenticeship is a training program for people wanting to enhance their skills and gain industry insight, along with getting paid
An internship is an opportunity to learn more about a specific industry, role or company. Students often undertake internships as a part of their course curriculum to finish their degree
Students who are pursuing their college degrees and the ones who are straight out of college, if you are looking for a full-time job and not getting good offers, then you might consider taking up an apprenticeship or an internship, which will further enhance your CV and make you ready to dive into the professional world.
What is an apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship is a training program for people wanting to enhance their skills and gain industry insight, while also getting paid. The duration of an apprenticeship usually ranges from a year or sometimes even more than that. As compared to an internship, an apprenticeship can be taken up by someone regardless of their qualifications. The chances of converting the apprenticeship to a full-time position are always higher as this is also considered a work experience or a training program.
Candidates who have experience or belong to technical or training-oriented industries, such as construction or engineering, are usually the ones who undergo apprenticeship programs. However, it is a highly competitive and coveted position where companies often have only 1 or 2 positions available year-round.
Following are the industries where apprenticeships are provided:
- Manufacturing
- Construction
- Information technology
- Health care
- Energy
- Transportation
One has to be very mindful while making the applications as this can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for their careers. The individual gets a deep-rooted knowledge of the industry as they help their mentors with the work and get to learn hands on.
How to find relevant apprenticeship opportunities?
There are plenty of job portals where apprenticeships are listed. However, it is always advised to go through the organisation's website for the latest updates. Websites like LinkedIn and Indeed can also come in handy.
In India, a number of apprenticeship positions are also advertised and filled by various branches of the Ministry of Skill Development And Entrepreneurship. These opportunities are particularly rewarding and one should explore these.
On the other hand, we have internships. These are different from apprenticeships. Let’s look at these now:
Everything you need to know about internships:
An internship is an opportunity to learn more about a specific industry, role or company. Students often undertake internships as a part of their course curriculum to finish their degree programmes. Internships are considered to be a learning experience and are usually for a short duration of time, such as 1 month to 6 months. Fresh graduates also look for internship opportunities in hopes that they might turn into full-time job offers.
Internship positions are usually offered on a temporary basis, though this differs from organisation to organisation. Getting an internship position is, however, not as difficult as compared to obtaining an apprenticeship at a reputed company. It has been a common practice throughout the world where internships are listed as unpaid, however, there are few places where they do give a stipend to the interns. However, there is no law as such, which makes the intern liable to receive pay.
Internships are considered to be a learning experience and are usually for a short duration of time, such as 1 month to 6 months. Source: Shutterstock
The scope of interns is quite wide as compared to apprenticeships, since interns are made to focus on generic skills instead of gaining specialisation in any one department.
Read more about internships at Internships: A complete guide for beginners.
Internships can be obtained in almost every sector, including:
- Information technology
- Designing
- Marketing and sales
- Finance
- Engineering
- Advertising
- Medical
- Hospitality
- Media and Communications
- Biotech and pharmaceuticals
How can you get internships?
There are various portals dedicated to internships, such as Internshala and LetsIntern where interested applicants can search for relevant opportunities in their field. Networking and contacting their dream organisation also helps, since an internship is a temporary position.
Regardless of whether it is an apprenticeship or an internship, gaining professional experience will always count and look good on your CV, whether you are applying for a full-time position or looking to pursue higher education. Don't give up easily if you do not get an answer from the organisations you apply to. There is always another new opportunity knocking at the door, you only have to keep moving forward.
Last updated on 14 Sep 2022
